Unweaving the Web: An Exploratory Study of Low-Literate Adults' Navigation Skills on the World Wide Web

Abstract

For traditionally underserved populations, the Web can potentially unlock resources that could fundamentally improve health and wellbeing. However, there are many barriers to using Web-based content. While physical access issues are well documented, there is little understanding of how nonmainstream populations use or will use the Web. Based on an ethnographic study of a group of low-literate adults, we have identified specific navigational and content issues that present barriers to this population. We discuss preliminary assumptions that can be used to inform the development of Web tools for this target audience, and directions for future applied research.

Recent Internet Use and Associations with Clinical Outcomes among Patients Entering Addiction Treatment Involved in a Web-Delivered Psychosocial Intervention Study

“…Additional design strategies that may increase use or acceptability include the use of redundancy with pertinent intervention content, table of contents and navigation bars, graphic images that complement text content, and prompts that clarify erroneous responses. 13 Additional studies are required to assess retention and use of a web-based TES content among low-literate adults with substance use disorders.…”

“…7 As barriers to internet use are strongly patterned by demographic (e.g., older age, less education) and clinical (e.g., mental illness) characteristics, clarifying the representativeness of individuals willing to participate in an intervention (i.e., reach) is necessary. [13][14][15][16] To date, evidence is lacking of actual reach for web-based interventions due to limited real-world trials. 16 Further, there is limited data characterizing recent internet access among vulnerable populations seeking community-based outpatient treatment for substance use disorders.…”

Accessibility of Web Sites Containing Colorectal Cancer Information to Adults with Limited Literacy (United States)

“…Health-related Web sites are generally too difficult for adults with limited education or literacy, however [15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22]. The observed educational gradient in use of the Internet for health information [13,14,[23][24][25] might be due to barriers related to content [26][27][28], in addition to the well-recognized differences in physical access [29,30]. Identification or development of Web sites that are appropriate for adults with limited literacy is an important step in overcoming such content barriers.…”

The effect of improved readability scores on consumers’ perceptions of the quality of health information on the internet

“…6 Disadvantaged populations, particularly those with low socio-economic status and lower levels of literacy, face greater challenges. [7][8][9][10][11] Information on the internet may be overwhelming to many users. [12][13] Some 90 million Americans are either illiterate or are functionally literate at best.…”