Chu, AdelineHuber, JeffreyMastel-Smith, BethCesario, Sandra2021-11-192021-11-192009This is a published version of an article that is available at https://doi.org/10.3163/1536-5050.97.1.003. Recommended citation: Chu, A., Huber, J., Mastel-Smith, B., & Cesario, S. (2009). “Partnering with seniors for better health”: Computer use and internet health information retrieval among older adults in a low socioeconomic community. Journal of the Medical Library Association : JMLA, 97(1), 12–20. This item has been deposited in accordance with publisher copyright and licensing terms and with the author’s permission.https://hdl.handle.net/11274/13408https://doi.org/10.3163/1536-5050.97.1.003Article originally published in Journal of the Medical Library Association : JMLA, 97(1), 12–20. English. Published online 2008. https://doi.org/10.3163/1536-5050.97.1.003Purpose: This health communication project measured the psychosocial influences of computer anxiety, computer confidence, and computer self-efficacy in older adults at six meal congregate sites. The adults completed a five-week education intervention, based on Bandura's self-efficacy model, designed to assist older adults in retrieving and evaluating health information resources on the Internet.Methods: One hundred thirty-seven participants, ages sixty-five and older, were randomized in a controlled, two-group, pre–post, repeated measures design. Participants in the intervention group received a two-hour training session, once a week for five weeks. The Computer Confidence Subscale and Computer Anxiety Subscale of the Computer Attitude Scale and the Computer Self-Efficacy Measure were administered to both groups at three time intervals: at baseline, completion of the five-week intervention, and six weeks after completion of the intervention. Data were analyzed using repeated measures analysis of variance.Results: Findings showed a reduction in computer anxiety and increases in computer confidence and computer self-efficacy in retrieving and evaluating online health information (P<0.001).Discussion: The study suggests an array of possibilities to engage older adults in the use of Internet health information resources to better contribute to their health, independence, safety, and wellness.en-USComputer self-efficacyComputer anxietyHealth communicationArticleCopyright © 2008, Authors. Readers may use articles without permission of copyright owners, as long as the author and MLA are acknowledged and the use is educational and not for profit.