Information behavior and ICT use of Latina immigrants to the U.S. Midwest

• Published in: Information processing & management 2020-05, Vol.57 (3), p.102072, Article 102072
• Main Authors: Adkins, Denice, Moulaison Sandy, Heather
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Digital divide; Digital inclusion; ICTs; Identity; Immigrants; Information seeking behavior; Information technology; Latina immigrants; Midwestern United States; Noncitizens; Rural areas; Social exclusion; Socioeconomic factors
• ISSN: 0306-4573; 1873-5371
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ipm.2019.102072

•Latina immigrants to the U.S. Midwest have at least three intersectional identities.•ICTs support information seeking and use along with connectedness.•Digital inclusion efforts must account for language, family and gender roles. Latina immigrants to the U.S. Midwest are a vibrant, complex, and resilient population of women with intersectional identities stemming from their participation in at least three distinct but interrelated communities: (1) women [in a family-centric culture defined by strong gender roles], (2) immigrants [potentially with linguistic and socioeconomic status disadvantages] and (3) residents of the U.S. Midwest [a low-population/rural area with lesser access to resources and an increasingly xenophobic host community]. Given the potential for marginalization, Latina immigrants to the Midwest represent a population vulnerable to digital exclusion. The current research is the first to investigate systematically ICT use by immigrant Latinas to the U.S. Midwest. Specifically, as consumers and users of technology-mediated information, Latina immigrants to the U.S. Midwest navigate a complex and understudied social environment. To develop a strategy to begin to break down technology barriers for these women, first the complex and interconnected nature of their social environment and information practices needs to be understood; the current article presents that foundational research.