The digital divide in adoption and use of mobile health technology among caregivers of pediatric surgery patients

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify mobile Health (mHealth) technology utilization among caregivers of pediatric surgery patients. Methods: We provided a modified version of the 2012 mobile health survey from the Pew Research Center to English and Spanish-speaking caregivers of children aged < 18 years presenting to pediatric surgical outpatient clinics from June to July of 2016. Results: A total of 171 caregivers completed the survey and included 57 (34%) whites, 30 (18%) blacks, 75 (44%) Hispanics, and 6 (4%) other races. Among these, 160 (94%) were smartphone owners. mHealth users were identified as individuals who used their phone to look up health information online, receive text updates from healthcare providers or pharmacists, or use any health-related smartphone applications. On univariate ordered logistic regression, race/ethnicity, primary language, education level, and income quartile were associated with level of mHealth technology use. The majority of responders (n = 126, 76%) said that they would be very or moderately interested in trying a new smartphone app related to management of their child's health. Conclusion: While the majority of pediatric caregivers are smartphone owners, there are significant racial and socioeconomic differences in mHealth usage. Understanding these differences may be important in identifying barriers to adoption of mHealth technology. Level of Evidence: Level IV case series with no comparison group.