A socioeconomic related 'digital divide' exists in how, not if, young people use computers

Government initiatives have tried to ensure uniform computer access for young people; however a divide related to socioeconomic status (SES) may still exist in the nature of information technology (IT) use. This study aimed to investigate this relationship in 1,351 Western Australian children betwee...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:PloS one 2017-03, Vol.12 (3), p.e0175011-e0175011
Main Authors: Harris, Courtenay, Straker, Leon, Pollock, Clare
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adolescent
Adolescents
Australia
Broadband
Child
Child Behavior
Children
Cities
Cognitive ability
Colleges & universities
Complex variables
Computer and Information Sciences
Computer simulation
Computers
Correlation analysis
Death
Demographic variables
Digital computers
Digital Divide
Draper protein
Dropouts
Economics
Education
Epidemiology
Ergonomics
Exercise
Exploration
Exposure
Female
Government
Guidelines
High speed
Households
Humans
Income
Information technology
Internet
Internet access
Male
Markers
Media
Medicine and Health Sciences
Physical activity
Play and Playthings
Policies
Politics
Public health
Quality
Reading
Recreation
Resource allocation
Schools
Slopes
Social Sciences
Socioeconomic Factors
Socioeconomics
Statistics
Students
Technology
Technology and society
Technology utilization
Television
Video Games
World Wide Web
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Summary:Government initiatives have tried to ensure uniform computer access for young people; however a divide related to socioeconomic status (SES) may still exist in the nature of information technology (IT) use. This study aimed to investigate this relationship in 1,351 Western Australian children between 6 and 17 years of age. All participants had computer access at school and 98.9% at home. Neighbourhood SES was related to computer use, IT activities, playing musical instruments, and participating in vigorous physical activity. Participants from higher SES neighbourhoods were more exposed to school computers, reading, playing musical instruments, and vigorous physical activity. Participants from lower SES neighbourhoods were more exposed to TV, electronic games, mobile phones, and non-academic computer activities at home. These patterns may impact future economic, academic, and health outcomes. Better insight into neighbourhood SES influences will assist in understanding and managing the impact of computer use on young people's health and development.
ISSN:1932-6203
1932-6203
DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0175011