This study examined how much access African American adults 25 years and older, living in Johnson City, Tennessee had to computers, and the factors that most influenced such access. Data was collected from 271 persons living in the area. Statistical analysis was done using SPSS software to determine how certain demographics would contribute to the level of computer access.
Results from the study revealed that a digital divide existed within the African American community, with income being a strong determinant of access to computers. The highest level of access for the sample was in the salary range of $50,000-74,999. Computer access at home was 95.2% and 97.3% at work. Computer access at home showed a decline as participants' ages increased. Email usage was the number one activity reported, at close to 75%, followed by research at 60.5%. Gender did not influence computer access in this study.
","abstract_html":"<p>This study examined how much access African American adults 25 years and older, living in Johnson City, Tennessee had to computers, and the factors that most influenced such access. Data was collected from 271 persons living in the area. Statistical analysis was done using SPSS software to determine how certain demographics would contribute to the level of computer access.</p> <p>Results from the study revealed that a digital divide existed within the African American community, with income being a strong determinant of access to computers. The highest level of access for the sample was in the salary range of $50,000-74,999. Computer access at home was 95.2% and 97.3% at work. Computer access at home showed a decline as participants' ages increased. Email usage was the number one activity reported, at close to 75%, followed by research at 60.5%. Gender did not influence computer access in this study.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Schreckenberg, Sonja E."],"institution":null,"degree_name":"MS (Master of Science)","degree_level":"Thesis - unrestricted","degree_discipline":"Technology","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2004,"date_issued":"2004-05-01T07:00:00Z","date_published":"2004-05-01T07:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:19:28Z","subjects":["Internet","Computers","Digital Divide","African Americans","Science and Technology Studies","Social and Behavioral Sciences"],"languages":[],"rights":["Copyright by the authors."],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://dc.etsu.edu/etd/863","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Schreckenberg, Sonja E."]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["1995-01-01T08:00:00Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.issued","label":"Date","values":["2004-05-01T07:00:00Z"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Technology"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Thesis - unrestricted"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["MS (Master of Science)"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Internet","Computers","Digital Divide","African Americans","Science and Technology Studies","Social and Behavioral Sciences"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:rights","label":"Dc Rights","values":["Copyright by the authors."]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://dc.etsu.edu/context/etd/article/2020/viewcontent/SchreckenbergS041904a.pdf","https://dc.etsu.edu/etd/863"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["This study examined how much access African American adults 25 years and older, living in Johnson City, Tennessee had to computers, and the factors that most influenced such access. Data was collected from 271 persons living in the area. Statistical analysis was done using SPSS software to determine how certain demographics would contribute to the level of computer access.
Results from the study revealed that a digital divide existed within the African American community, with income being a strong determinant of access to computers. The highest level of access for the sample was in the salary range of $50,000-74,999. Computer access at home was 95.2% and 97.3% at work. Computer access at home showed a decline as participants' ages increased. Email usage was the number one activity reported, at close to 75%, followed by research at 60.5%. Gender did not influence computer access in this study.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["The Digital Divide: A Study of the Intra-Ethnic Divide within the African American Population in Johnson City, Tennessee."]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:creator":["Schreckenberg, Sonja E."],"dc:date.available":["1995-01-01T08:00:00Z"],"dc:date.issued":["2004-05-01T07:00:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["This study examined how much access African American adults 25 years and older, living in Johnson City, Tennessee had to computers, and the factors that most influenced such access. Data was collected from 271 persons living in the area. Statistical analysis was done using SPSS software to determine how certain demographics would contribute to the level of computer access.
Results from the study revealed that a digital divide existed within the African American community, with income being a strong determinant of access to computers. The highest level of access for the sample was in the salary range of $50,000-74,999. Computer access at home was 95.2% and 97.3% at work. Computer access at home showed a decline as participants' ages increased. Email usage was the number one activity reported, at close to 75%, followed by research at 60.5%. Gender did not influence computer access in this study.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://dc.etsu.edu/context/etd/article/2020/viewcontent/SchreckenbergS041904a.pdf","https://dc.etsu.edu/etd/863"],"dc:rights":["Copyright by the authors."],"dc:subject":["Internet","Computers","Digital Divide","African Americans","Science and Technology Studies","Social and Behavioral Sciences"],"dc:title":["The Digital Divide: A Study of the Intra-Ethnic Divide within the African American Population in Johnson City, Tennessee."],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Technology"],"thesis:degree_level":["Thesis - unrestricted"],"thesis:degree_name":["MS (Master of Science)"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:19:28Z"}