Improving access to digital tools like broadband internet and smartphones could significantly reduce healthcare disparities for African Americans, according to researchers at UC Santa Barbara. Sharon Tettegah and Ebenezer Larnyo of the Center for Black Studies Research say that health technology—such as telehealth and health-related social media—can enhance care quality and access while reducing inequities.
Larnyo, lead author of a study published in Frontiers in Public Health, emphasized that “higher socioeconomic status individuals are more likely to have technology access, and when they do have access, they experience fewer healthcare disparities.” The study analyzed data from 815 African Americans and found that limited access to technology correlates with worse health outcomes.
The researchers point to systemic racism and economic inequality as root causes. Tettegah highlighted the case of tennis star Venus Williams, who suffered from undiagnosed uterine fibroids for years. “They were dismissing her,” she said, noting that many African American women face similar neglect in clinical settings.
The study found that broadband internet and affordable smartphones are foundational to equitable care. But access alone isn’t enough. “We need culturally tailored telehealth, simple-to-use mental health apps, and health-related social media platforms,” Larnyo said.
Tettegah added, “We need to build a narrative that highlights that with advocacy and information because often you don’t know that you don’t know.”
See: “Better technology access reduces healthcare gaps for African Americans” (August 6, 2025)
