JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted traditional healthcare delivery models, exacerbating disparities between those with and without ready access to digital technology. This digital divide poses a structural barrier to accessing equitable healthy aging resources and dementia care. Latinos and Hispanics, constituting nearly half of Los Angeles County's population and facing a projected tripling of Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (AD) prevalence by 2040, are particularly impacted.

Objective:

This paper aims to examine the barriers and facilitators affecting access to digital health education and resources for AD prevention and care management in during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study focuses on the digital barriers possibly hindering Spanish-speaking Latinos and Hispanics in Los Angeles County from utilizing online services offering critical AD prevention and care resources amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods:

We developed a conceptual model based on users’ digital access/web literacy and language as barriers and facilitators impacting access to digital brain health and AD resources. Between January and February 2022, we identified 15 websites of local organizations providing digital AD preventative services and resources in Los Angeles County during the pandemic. We applied our digital divide model to qualitatively evaluate the 15 websites.

Results:

Out of the 15 websites, 5 featured web navigation accessibility tools, 4 provided content available in Spanish, and 2 included resources for family dialogue about AD care and management. One website showed cultural and linguistic responsiveness in their content. We uncovered other unforeseen structural barriers to digital access, including email subscription requirements, English-language centered online forms, and the unavailability of Spanish-speaking staff.

Conclusions:

Our study highlights structural barriers hindering access to digital AD health resources and services tailored to the needs and values of Latinos and Hispanic communities living in Los Angeles County. The findings emphasize the need to bridge the digital gap by incorporating user-friendly features and culturally and linguistically responsive elements in website design, and implementation. This approach will move our field towards equitable access to digital brain health services by mitigating structural barriers that sustain AD disparities in Latino and Hispanic communities.