JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Black women have high rates of hypertension. Digital health approaches may be effective for managing blood pressure. 

Objective:

We examined smart device ownership and use of social media, wearable activity trackers, and health apps by Black women with hypertension in the US.

Methods:

We analyzed data from the Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS6; 2022) provided by Black women who reported that a healthcare provider had diagnosed them with hypertension or high blood pressure (N=409). Participants reported if they had a tablet computer or a smartphone (either vs neither), how often they visited a social media site in the past 12 months (ever vs never), and whether they had used an electronic wearable device to monitor or track health or activity in the past 12 months (yes vs no). Those with tablets/smartphones reported whether they had used a health or wellness app in the past 12 months. We conducted crude and age-adjusted logistic regression models to examine associations between participant characteristics and device ownership and mHealth use. Analyses were weighted, and results are representative of Black women with hypertension in the US.

Results:

Among Black women with hypertension in the US, 89.7% (SE: 1.9%) own a smartphone or tablet; 81.9% (SE: 2.1%) use social media, and 33.0% (SE: 2.9%) use a wearable activity tracker. Among those with smartphones/tablets, 58.7% (SE: 4.0%) have used health or wellness apps in the past 12 months. Younger women were more likely to own smart devices (weighted % [SE]: 18-49 years: 96.9% [2.4%], 50-64 years: 91.4% [2.9%] vs 65+ years: 78.9% [4.3%]), use social media (18-49 years: 98.8% [0.9%], 50-64 years: 85.3% [3.1%] vs 65+ years: 57.1% [4.5%]), and use health apps (18-49 years: 66.9% [6.7] vs 65+ years: 44.2% [6.7]). Women with higher education were more likely to own smart devices (college graduates: 98.0% [0.9%], some college: 94.3% [1.7%] vs at most high school: 77.9% [5.1%]), use social media (college graduates: 90.7% [2.7%], some college: 88.6% [2.3%] vs at most high school: 66.3% [4.8%]), use wearables (college graduates: 47.7% [6.5%] vs at most high school: 20.1% [6.2%]), and use health apps (college graduates: 70.9% [6.9%], some college: 66.2% [5.2%] vs at most high school: 34.7% [7.0%]). Women with weaker feelings of ethnic/racial/cultural belonging were less likely to use wearables (neutral/disagree: 18.% [6.1%] vs strongly agree: 38.9% [4.1%]) and health apps (neutral/disagree: 47.0% [9.0%] vs strongly agree: 65.4% [5.2%]). Women with low digital health literacy were less likely to own smart devices (low: 82.2% [3.3%] vs adequate: 98.2% [1.0%]) and use health apps (low: 44.2% [4.8%] vs adequate: 72.2% [5.1%]).

Conclusions:

Understanding how and which digital tools can be leveraged can inform development of interventions for hypertension self-management and prevention of cardiovascular disease among Black women with hypertension. Clinical Trial: N/A