@Article{info:doi/10.2196/30605,
author="Drazich, Brittany F
and Nyikadzino, Yeukai
and Gleason, Kelly T",
title="A Program to Improve Digital Access and Literacy Among Community Stakeholders: Cohort Study",
journal="JMIR Form Res",
year="2021",
month="Nov",
day="10",
volume="5",
number="11",
pages="e30605",
keywords="technology; disparities; digital access; digital literacy; community; stakeholders; digital health; digital divide; patient-centered outcomes",
abstract="Background: For many research teams, the role of community stakeholders is critical. However, community stakeholders, especially those in low-income settings, are at risk of being excluded from research and community engagement initiatives during and after the COVID-19 pandemic because of the rapid transition to digital operations.  Objective: We aimed to describe the implementation and feasibility of a program called Addressing the Digital Divide to Improve Patient-Centered Outcomes Research, which was designed to address barriers to technology use, and to examine changes in participants' perceived comfort with digital technology before and after the program.  Methods: To promote full engagement, we worked with 20 existing community leaders to cocreate a training course on using digital technology. We assessed the frequency of technology use and comfort with technology through an adapted 8-item version of the Functional Assessment of Comfort Employing Technology Scale and used the Wilcoxon signed-rank test for survey analysis. We also conducted a focus group session with 10 participants and then performed reflective journaling and content analysis to determine emergent themes.  Results: We found that the program was feasible to implement and worthwhile for participants (15/16, 94{\%}). After the program, the participants perceived an increase in the frequency of technology use (z=2.76, P=.006). The participants reported that the program was successful because of the technology training program, but recommended that the program have a slower pace and include a helpline number that they could call with questions.  Conclusions: Future programs should consider that populations with low literacy view technology training as a core element to decreasing technology disparity. This study demonstrates that through low-cost input, community members can be provided the resources and training needed to virtually participate in research studies or community engagement initiatives.  ",
issn="2561-326X",
doi="10.2196/30605",
url="https://formative.jmir.org/2021/11/e30605",
url="https://doi.org/10.2196/30605",
url="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/34757316"
}