Research Brief: Technology and Health Education: An Exploratory Study of Older Chinese Immigrants

Technology advances, especially in the Internet, provide new tools to deliver health education to limited English proficient immigrants. This paper presents the findings of a qualitative descriptive study of older limited English proficient Chinese immigrants’ perspectives regarding computer-based health education. The sample consisted of 33 foreign-born Chinese recruited in Seattle, Washington. Data were generated through six focus groups and an 18-item demographic questionnaire. The analyses revealed that the majority was not skillful in computer use and Internet browsing, and the Internet was not a common health information source. Nevertheless, participants were supportive of having computer-based health information designed for Chinese immigrants. Interface designs, interface features, and content for the computer-based health education were discussed. The results support developing more computer-based programs requiring minimal computer, English language, and health literacy for immigrants, as well as investigations of cultural influence on the suitability and cost-effectiveness of computerbased health education for Chinese immigrants.