Close up image of a caretaker helping older woman walk

Old and poor people use the Internet for health information more often than people think, according to new research conducted on behalf of the Pew Internet and American Life Project.

Interviews with nearly 3,000 Americans suggest that older and poorer Americans are likely to use the Internet to seek out Medicare and Medicaid information. Previous studies suggested a “telehealth” gap. The study results were published in the Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved.

However, the elderly still encounter problems with technology. In a study published in the same journal last year, researchers found that for elderly users of health Web sites, disability access, such as too-small font size, may be a key concern.