The association between Internet use and health outcomes in the population of older adults

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽  
Author(s):  
K Szulc ◽  
M Duplaga
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Health Status ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Health Outcomes ◽  
Internet Use ◽  
Health Behaviours ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Internet Users ◽  
Health Related ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background The Internet has become one of the primary sources of health-related information. Less is known about the impact of Internet access and use on health-related outcomes in the older population, which frequently suffer from a digital divide. The main objective of this study was the assessment of the associations between Internet use and variables reflecting health status, the use of health services and health behaviours in the population at least 50 years old. Methods The analysis was carried out on the data set from the telephone-based survey in a sample of 1000 respondents representative for targeted age strata of Polish society. The effects of Internet use were assessed with logistic regression models after adjusting for key socioeconomic variables. Results Mean age (standard deviation) of respondents was 64.2 (9.6). In the study group, 51.1% respondents were Internet users, 19.4% - persons with disabilities, 21.2% were hospitalised at least once, and 51.0% visited health care facilities at least six times in preceding 12 months. The respondents being Internet users less frequently reported chronic diseases (OR, 95%CI: 0.21, 0.16-0.30), disability status (0.52, 0.37-0.72) and higher self-assessed health status (1.64, 1.24-2.16). They also less often used health services in the preceding 12 months (0.77, 0.60-0.99. Internet use was not associated with hospital admission in the preceding year (1.04, 0.76-1.41) and most of the health behaviours (smoking: 1.06, 0.77-1.45, physical activity: 0.85, 0.63-1.15, the consumption of fruits and vegetables: 0.73, 0.50-1.07). Interestingly, Internet users drunk more alcohol (1.52, 1.14-2.02). Conclusions In the population of older adults, the use of the Internet is associated with variables reflecting health status and the utilisation of health services. Higher health status and lower prevalence of chronic conditions among Internet users were found after adjusting for age and other socioeconomic factors. Key messages It was shown that Internet use may be related with more favourable health outcomes. The reported association should trigger further research on the impact of Internet in elderly persons.

scholarly journals The impact of Internet use on mental wellbeing and health behaviours among persons with disability

2019 ◽  
Vol 29 (Supplement_4) ◽  
Author(s):  
K Szulc ◽  
M Duplaga
Keyword(s):  
Logistic Regression ◽  
Digital Divide ◽  
Internet Use ◽  
Health Behaviours ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Suicidal Thoughts ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Persons With Disabilities ◽  
Internet Users ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background Disability is frequently related to the digital divide. However, the Internet may be also an opportunity for many people with disabilities, especially for those who suffer from difficulties in involving in social activities. For some of them, it is also a tool for undertaking professional tasks. The aim of the study was the assessment of the impact of the Internet on selected aspects of psychological wellbeing and undertaking health behaviours in persons with disabilities. Methods From the data set of the biannual Social Diagnosis survey, data of respondents confirming the status of disability were extracted. They were used for the development of multivariate logistic regression models for self-assessment of life, the prevalence of suicidal thoughts, feeling lonely, the use of psychological support and health behaviours. The impact of Internet usage was adjusted for sociodemographic variables. Weights provided by the study team were used in the analysis. Results The responses from 3231 respondents were used in the analysis. There were 33.1% of Internet users in the study group. Respondents with a mild disability made 25.3%, with moderate 39.4%, with severe 24.2%, and without an established degree of disability 11.1%. Logistic regression modelling revealed that Internet users more frequently assessed their lives as happy (odds ratio, 95% confidence interval (OR, 95%CI): 1.40, 1.13-1.75) and undertook some form of physical activity (2.32, 1.84-2.91). They also less frequently excessively consumed alcohol (0.51, 0.33-0.80). No relation was found for experiencing loneliness (0.89, 0.71-1.12), suicidal thoughts (0.998, 0.77-1.29), receiving psychological care (0.84, 0.62-1.14) and smoking (0.83, 0.66-1.04). Conclusions Although persons with disabilities suffer from digital divide, Internet use may exert a beneficial impact on their wellbeing and favour more beneficial health behaviours. Key messages Internet access and use among persons with disabilities may be an opportunity for improved wellbeing. Persons with disabilities who are Internet users assess their lives as more happy and demonstrate more favourable health behaviours.

scholarly journals INVESTIGATING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN INTERNET USE AND PERCEIVED LONELINESS AMONG OLDER CHINESE

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S413-S413 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shijie Song ◽  
Shijie Song ◽  
Yuxiang (Chris) Zhao ◽  
Qinghua Zhu
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Internet Use ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Dummy Variable ◽  
Internet Users ◽  
Older Chinese ◽  
Age Range ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship

Abstract There is a long debate on the impact of Internet use on individuals’ perceived loneliness. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between older Chinese people’s Internet use and their perceived loneliness. We employed cross-sectional data from the 2015 China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (N = 7,343; age range: 50-80 years old; Mean = 62.48; SD=8.00). Loneliness was measured by a 4-point Likert scale (Mean = 1.60, SD = 1.05) on the frequency of loneliness perception (higher score indicates higher loneliness). Internet use was measured by a dummy variable (Mean = 0.05, SD = 0.23). The results of multiple regression suggest that older Internet users reported significantly lower loneliness (B = -0.127, SD = 0.045, p = 0.005) compared with non-Internet users, suggesting a mitigating effect of Internet use on loneliness. Thus, the Internet might be implemented as an intervention to reduce loneliness among older adults in China.

scholarly journals Lifestyle Segmentation to Explain the Online Health Information–Seeking Behavior of Older Adults: Representative Telephone Survey

10.2196/15099 ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 22 (6) ◽  
pp. e15099 ◽  
Author(s):  
Winja Weber ◽  
Anne Reinhardt ◽  
Constanze Rossmann
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Health Information ◽  
Information Seeking ◽  
Internet Use ◽  
Information Seeking Behavior ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Online Health Information ◽  
Sociodemographic Variables ◽  
Seeking Behavior ◽  
Health Related

Background As a result of demographic changes, the number of people aged 60 years and older has been increasing steadily. Therefore, older adults have become more important as a target group for health communication efforts. Various studies show that online health information sources have gained importance among younger adults, but we know little about the health-related internet use of senior citizens in general and in particular about the variables explaining their online health-related information–seeking behavior. Media use studies indicate that in addition to sociodemographic variables, lifestyle factors might play a role in this context. Objective The aim of this study was to examine older people’s health-related internet use. Our study focused on the explanatory potential of lifestyle types over and above sociodemographic variables to predict older adults’ internet use for health information. Methods A telephone survey was conducted with a random sample of German adults aged 60 years and older (n=701) that was quota-allocated by gender, age, educational status, and degree of urbanity of their place of residence. Results The results revealed that participants used the internet infrequently (mean 1.82 [SD 1.07]), and medical personnel (mean 2.89 [SD 1.11]), family and friends (mean 2.86 [SD 1.21]), and health brochures (mean 2.85 [SD 1.21]) were their main sources of health information. A hierarchical cluster analysis based on values, interests, and leisure time activities revealed three different lifestyle types for adults aged over 60 years: the Sociable Adventurer, the Average Family Person, and the Uninterested Inactive. After adding these types as second-step predictors in a hierarchical regression model with sociodemographic variables (step 1), the explained variance increased significantly (R2=.02, P=.001), indicating that the Average Family Person and the Sociable Adventurer use the internet more often for health information than the Uninterested Inactive, over and above their sociodemographic attributes. Conclusions Our findings indicate that the internet still plays only a minor role in the health information–seeking behavior of older German adults. Nevertheless, there are subgroups including younger, more active, down-to-earth and family-oriented males that may be reached with online health information. Our findings suggest that lifestyle types should be taken into account when predicting health-related internet use behavior.

scholarly journals The Association of Internet Use with Wellbeing, Mental Health and Health Behaviours of Persons with Disabilities

2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (18) ◽  
pp. 3252 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mariusz Duplaga ◽  
Katarzyna Szulc
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Internet Use ◽  
People With Disabilities ◽  
Health Behaviours ◽  
Psychological Help ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Persons With Disabilities ◽  
Internet Users ◽  
Degree Of Disability ◽  
Use Of The Internet

Introduction: There is strong evidence that people with disabilities suffer from a significant digital divide. However, there are reports indicating that Internet use may result in many benefits for those with disabilities. The aim of the study was to assess the impact that the use of the Internet has on the wellbeing and health behaviours of persons with disabilities. Methods: An analysis was carried out using the dataset obtained from Social Diagnosis, a panel study undertaken on a nationally representative sample. The records of persons with disabilities were retrieved from the dataset which was established in 2015. An analysis of the association between Internet use and the wellbeing, mental health and health behaviours of the respondents was undertaken. The variables reflecting the self-assessment of their own life and experience of loneliness were treated as being indicators of their wellbeing and the prevalence of suicidal thoughts or making use of psychological help as indicators of mental health. The health behaviours analysed in the study included smoking, excessive consumption of alcohol and undertaking physical activity. For all these variables, multivariate logistic regression models were developed. The effect of Internet use was adjusted for sociodemographic variables and the degree of disability. An analysis was performed after applying post-stratification weights available from the Social Diagnosis study. Results: The weighted study group consisted of 2529 people having a mean age of 59.33 ± 16.89 years. The group included 20.71% (N = 524) respondents with a mild, 41.58% (N = 1052) with a moderate, and 26.54% (N = 671) with a severe disability. The proportion of Internet users was 37.07% (N = 937). In all the regression models, Internet use had a significant impact on the dependent variables. After adjustment for sociodemographic variables and the degree of disability, the Internet users more frequently assessed their lives as happy (odds ratio, 95% confidence interval: 1.86, 1.47–2.37) and less frequently experienced loneliness (0.63, 0.49–0.81) or suicidal thoughts (0.47, 0.35–0.65). In addition, they needed psychological help less frequently (0.50, 0.35–0.72). Interestingly, Internet users undertook some form of physical activity or sport more often (2.41, 1.87–3.13) and fewer smoked cigarettes (0.70, 0.54–0.91) or consumed alcohol excessively (0.32, 0.19–0.56). Conclusions: The use of the Internet by people with disabilities was associated with improved wellbeing, better mental health and more beneficial health behaviours. These findings support the development of intensive actions to reduce the digital divide for the population of people with disabilities.

scholarly journals DOES CHANGE IN INTERNET USE PREDICT PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL-BEING AMONG OLDER ADULTS?

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S326-S326
Author(s):  
Ronald W Berkowsky
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Personal Growth ◽  
Internet Use ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Future Research ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Psychological Well Being ◽  
Internet Users ◽  
Additional Control ◽  
The Relationship

Abstract Previous work focusing on the relationship between Internet use and quality of life among older adults (aged 65+) has found evidence of various positive impacts. This project expands upon this work by examining the relationship between Internet use and measures of psychological well-being (PWB) including autonomy, environmental mastery, personal growth, positive relations with others, purpose in life, and self-acceptance. The analytic sample is derived from two waves of data (Time 1 = 2004, Time 2 = 2011) taken from the Wisconsin Longitudinal Study and includes a sample of older adults aged~65 at Time 1 (N = 4943). Participants were separated into four categories: those who did not use the Internet at Time 1 or 2, those who used the Internet at Time 1 only, those who used the Internet at Time 2 only, and those who used the Internet at both Time 1 and 2. Regression analyses were performed with the Time 2 PWB measures as the outcomes and the Internet use categories as the primary predictors. Results indicate that while continuous Internet users typically reported higher PWB scores compared to non-users, those who stopped use between Time 1 and 2 also reported higher scores and those who started use between Time 1 and 2 reported lower scores. These results generally held when introducing Time 1 PWB measures as controls, suggesting changes in Internet use may affect PWB but not necessarily in the predicted directions. Additional control variables, potential explanations, and implications for future research are discussed.

scholarly journals Exploring the Relationship Between Internet Use and Mental Health Among Older Adults in England: Longitudinal Observational Study

10.2196/15683 ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 22 (7) ◽  
pp. e15683
Author(s):  
Sabrina Sze Man Lam ◽  
Stephen Jivraj ◽  
Shaun Scholes
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Life Satisfaction ◽  
Internet Use ◽  
Information Access ◽  
Moderating Effect ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Occupational Class ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship

Background There is uncertainty about the impact of internet use on mental health in older adults. Moreover, there is very little known specifically about the impact of particular purposes of internet use. Objective This study aims to investigate the longitudinal relationship between two distinct concepts of mental health with the frequency of internet use among older adults: the moderating role of socioeconomic position (SEP) and the association between specific purposes of internet use. Methods Longitudinal fixed and random effects (27,507 person-years) models were fitted using waves 6-8 of the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing to examine the relationship between different aspects of internet use (frequency and purpose) and two mental health outcomes (depression and life satisfaction). The potential moderating effect of SEP on these associations was tested using interaction terms. Results Infrequent internet use (monthly or less vs daily) was predictive of deteriorating life satisfaction (β=−0.512; P=.02) but not depression. Education and occupational class had a moderating effect on the association between frequency of internet use and mental health. The associations were stronger in the highest educational group in both depression (P=.09) and life satisfaction (P=.02), and in the highest occupational group in life satisfaction (P=.05) only. Using the internet for communication was associated with lower depression (β=−0.24; P=.002) and better life satisfaction (β=.97; P<.001), whereas those using the internet for information access had worse life satisfaction (β=−0.86; P<.001) compared with those who did not. Conclusions Policies to improve mental health in older adults should encourage internet use, especially as a tool to aid communication.

scholarly journals Internet Use in Old Age: Results of a German Population-Representative Survey

10.2196/15543 ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 22 (11) ◽  
pp. e15543
Author(s):  
Janine Quittschalle ◽  
Janine Stein ◽  
Melanie Luppa ◽  
Alexander Pabst ◽  
Margrit Löbner ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Old Age ◽  
Internet Use ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The Internet ◽  
German Population ◽  
Regression Analyses ◽  
Related Information ◽  
Health Related

Background The internet has the potential to foster healthy lifestyles and to support chronic disease management. Older adults could benefit from using the internet and other information and communication technology to access health-related information and interventions available online. Objective The aim of this study was to investigate factors influencing internet use in older and oldest age groups and to determine the frequency of internet use for health-related purposes. Methods Using data from a nationally representative telephone survey of older adults aged 75 years and over, a sample of 999 people was assessed using structured clinical interviews. Descriptive and binary logistic regression analyses were performed. Results Overall, 42.6% (418/999) of participants used the internet. Among those, 55.7% (233/417) searched the internet for health-related information. Regression analyses revealed that internet use was significantly associated with younger age (odds ratio [OR] 0.89, 95% CI 0.85-0.92; P<.001), male gender (OR 2.84, 95% CI 2.02-4.00; P<.001), higher education levels (OR 6.69, 95% CI 4.48-9.99; P<.001), a wider social network (OR 1.04, 95% CI 1.01-1.07; P=.01), higher health-related quality of life (OR 1.02, 95% CI 1.00-1.03; P=.006), lower levels of depressive symptoms (OR 0.89, 95% CI 0.80-0.99; P=.04), and higher rates of chronic illness (OR 1.12, 95% CI 1.04-1.21; P<.004). Conclusions This study provides population-representative data on internet use in old age in Germany. People in the older and oldest age groups participate in online activities. Understanding the factors that are associated with older adults internet use can contribute to developing tailored interventions and eHealth (electronic health) services to improve well-being in older adults.

scholarly journals Lifestyle Segmentation to Explain the Online Health Information–Seeking Behavior of Older Adults: Representative Telephone Survey (Preprint)

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Winja Weber ◽  
Anne Reinhardt ◽  
Constanze Rossmann
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Health Information ◽  
Information Seeking ◽  
Internet Use ◽  
Information Seeking Behavior ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Online Health Information ◽  
Sociodemographic Variables ◽  
Seeking Behavior ◽  
Health Related

BACKGROUND As a result of demographic changes, the number of people aged 60 years and older has been increasing steadily. Therefore, older adults have become more important as a target group for health communication efforts. Various studies show that online health information sources have gained importance among younger adults, but we know little about the health-related internet use of senior citizens in general and in particular about the variables explaining their online health-related information–seeking behavior. Media use studies indicate that in addition to sociodemographic variables, lifestyle factors might play a role in this context. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to examine older people’s health-related internet use. Our study focused on the explanatory potential of lifestyle types over and above sociodemographic variables to predict older adults’ internet use for health information. METHODS A telephone survey was conducted with a random sample of German adults aged 60 years and older (n=701) that was quota-allocated by gender, age, educational status, and degree of urbanity of their place of residence. RESULTS The results revealed that participants used the internet infrequently (mean 1.82 [SD 1.07]), and medical personnel (mean 2.89 [SD 1.11]), family and friends (mean 2.86 [SD 1.21]), and health brochures (mean 2.85 [SD 1.21]) were their main sources of health information. A hierarchical cluster analysis based on values, interests, and leisure time activities revealed three different lifestyle types for adults aged over 60 years: the Sociable Adventurer, the Average Family Person, and the Uninterested Inactive. After adding these types as second-step predictors in a hierarchical regression model with sociodemographic variables (step 1), the explained variance increased significantly (<i>R</i><sup>2</sup>=.02, <i>P</i>=.001), indicating that the Average Family Person and the Sociable Adventurer use the internet more often for health information than the Uninterested Inactive, over and above their sociodemographic attributes. CONCLUSIONS Our findings indicate that the internet still plays only a minor role in the health information–seeking behavior of older German adults. Nevertheless, there are subgroups including younger, more active, down-to-earth and family-oriented males that may be reached with online health information. Our findings suggest that lifestyle types should be taken into account when predicting health-related internet use behavior.

scholarly journals Internet use and self-rated health among Swedish 70-year-olds: a cross-sectional study

2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hanna Falk Erhag ◽  
Felicia Ahlner ◽  
Therese Rydberg Sterner ◽  
Ingmar Skoog ◽  
Annika Bergström
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Internet Use ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Minor Importance ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Social Contacts ◽  
Self Rated Health ◽  
Health Factors ◽  
Health Related ◽  
The Relationship

Abstract Background The Internet is increasingly becoming an infrastructure for a number of services, both commercial, public (including health related) and personal. Using the internet have the potential to promote social interaction and social connectedness by upholding social networks and social contacts. However, Internet use is lower in older adults compared to other age groups. This digital divide is considered a risk to the health of older adults since it limits their participation in society, access and use of relevant health related information and services. This study focuses on whether there is an association between Internet use and self-rated health. Method A cross-sectional population-based sample of 70-year-olds from The Gothenburg H70 Birth Cohort Study (n = 1136) was examined in 2014–16. All data was collected using structured interviews and questionnaires. Differences in proportions were tested with chi-square test and ordinary least square regression analysis was used to estimate the relationship between Internet use and self-rated health controlling for health factors, hearing and visual impairment, and social contacts. Results There is a relationship between more frequent Internet use and good self-rated health (unstandardized β 0.101 p < 0.001), and the effect remained after adjusting for all covariates (unstandardized β 0.082 p < 0.001). Our results also show that, in comparison to health factors, Internet use is of minor importance to the SRH of older adults, since adding these improved the explanatory power of the model by approximately 400% (from 0.04 to 0.18). Conclusion Although the direction of the relationship between more frequent interne use and better self-rated health is undetermined in the present study, it can be suggested that using the Internet informs and educates older adults, strengthening their position as active and engaged participants of society. It can also be suggested that those using the Internet report less loneliness and a possibility to establish new computer-mediated relationships within online communities. Further research needs to examine what aspects of Internet use, and in what contexts such positive perceptions arise.

scholarly journals Impact of the use of the internet on quality of life in older adults: review of literature

2020 ◽  
Vol 21 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bhumika Aggarwal ◽  
Qian Xiong ◽  
Elisabeth Schroeder-Butterfill
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Information Technology ◽  
Literature Review ◽  
Internet Use ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Use Of Internet ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Aim: Given the paucity of data on the use of internet and quality of life (QoL), this literature review aimed to identify the motivations and barriers for internet use and the impact on QoL on older adults using the internet. Background: Even though older adults are increasingly using information technology, the numbers remain quite small globally. Currently published research primarily focuses on the various ways and methods of information technology use by older adults and the factors influencing use rather than on the impact of information technology on QoL of older adults. Methods: The studies included in this literature review were searched in three databases: WEB of Science, GoogleScholar and PubMed. English language articles were searched using the terms ‘older’, ‘elderly’, ‘senior’, ‘well-being’, ‘life satisfaction’, ‘quality of life’, ‘internet’ and “computer”. Findings: The review demonstrated the association of internet use on QoL in older adults. The majority of the studies substantiate the advantages of internet use by older adults including the ability to communicate with family and friends, maintain a wide social network, have access to information and participate in online leisure activities. There are some studies, though less in number, which did not find a relationship between well-being and use of internet by older adults. The policy implications of this review advocate a multidimensional strategy to support internet use by the older people incorporating internet training and education, financial issues, technical support and access needs to be developed.

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