Internet Data Usage and Breaches

Part 1: Internet and Data Usage and Age Over Time

There is a significant correlation between adult internet usage and age between 2000 and

2018. As shown in Table 1 below, Internet usage has been increasing since 2000 across all age
      groups. Usage also increases with age, meaning younger adults use the internet more than older
      folks. For example, only 14 percent of adults aged 65 and older were using the internet in 2000,
      compared to 72 percent of adults 18-29 years, 61 percent for ages 30-49, and 46 percent of those
      aged 50-64. In comparison, 98 percent of US adults aged 18-29 were using the internet in 2018,
      versus 97 percent, 87 percent, and 73 percent for age groups 30-49, 50-64, and 65+ years.
      Table 1. Adult internet usage (%) in the US between 2000 and 2018, by age group (Statista
      Research Department, 2022a)
      Characteristic 18-29 Years 30-39 Years 50-64 Years 65+ Years
      2000 72% 61% 46% 14%
      2005 83% 79% 66% 28%
      2009 92% 84% 75% 40%
      2010 92% 85% 77% 43%
      2013 94% 87% 77% 56%
      2014 97% 92% 81% 56%
      2015 97% 95% 82% 63%
      2016 99% 96% 87% 64%
      2018 98% 97% 87% 66%

Part 2: Data Breaches in Health Care Over Time

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The incidence of data breaches in the medical/health sector has reduced within the past
five years. According to evidence by the Statista Research Department (2022b), data breach
incidences have dropped in the last five years, from 384 in 2017 to 330 in 2021. However, 2020
recorded the lowest number at 306, a significant decline from the highest 2019 figure of 398
within the 5 years. In part, this can be attributed to the decision by state and federal governments
to implement stricter regulations within the past five years, combined with upgrades to health IT
systems and training health professionals on standard security protocols.
Graph 1. Number of data breaches in the US healthcare industry for the past 5 years, 2017-
2021 (Statista Research Department, 2022b)

20172018201920202021

Year

384

369

398

306

330

4

References

Statista Research Department. (2022a). US adult internet usage reach 2000-2021, by age group.
Statista. https://www-statista-com.eu1.proxy.openathens.net/statistics/184389/adult-
internet-users-in-the-us-by-age-since-2000/
Statista Research Department. (2022b). Number of data compromises in the US healthcare sector
2005-2021. Statista. https://www-statista-
com.eu1.proxy.openathens.net/statistics/798417/health-and-medical-data-breaches-
united-states-timeline/