scholarly journals DIGITAL INEQUALITY IN OLDER ADULTS’ ONLINE SOCIAL ENGAGEMENT AND SOCIAL CAPITAL

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S920-S920
Author(s):  
Minh Hao Nguyen ◽  
Amanda E Hunsaker ◽  
Eszter Hargittai
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Social Capital ◽  
Social Media ◽  
Social Engagement ◽  
Regression Models ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Social Activities ◽  
Bridging Social Capital ◽  
Internet Skills ◽  
The Relationship

Abstract The increasing popularity of social media and other online communities offers new possibilities for older adults to stay socially connected. This study examines the relationship of older adults’ online social engagement and bonding as well as bridging social capital based on a survey of over 1,000 adults aged 60 and over. Social bonding refers to support obtained from existing strong social ties while social bridging is creating connections across varied social networks. We estimated three multi-stage regression models to examine these relationships when controlling for sociodemographic factors, as well as Internet experiences and skills. We then extended the regression models with Internet skills as a moderator. Findings show that older adults who engage more often in specific online social activities (i.e., asking questions on social media, looking at photos of family members/others) enjoy greater bridging social capital (both in offline and online contexts) than those who do so less often. Furthermore, Internet skills moderate the relationship between online social engagement and social capital. Specifically, older adults with greater Internet skills benefit relatively more from engaging in specific online social activities more often with respect to online social bridging. These results imply that digital inequalities may put older adults who are less skilled in using the Internet at a disadvantage when it comes to building social capital from online social engagement. Thus, while social media has potential positive implications for well-being among older adults, the current manifestation of this does not suggest equitable distribution of those benefits across different older users.

scholarly journals IS SOCIAL ENGAGEMENT RELATED TO FEWER HOSPITALIZATIONS IN COMMUNITY-DWELLING OLDER ADULTS?

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S754-S754
Author(s):  
Bryan D James ◽  
Raj C Shah ◽  
Melissa Lamar ◽  
Lisa L Barnes ◽  
Robert S Wilson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Functional Status ◽  
Social Engagement ◽  
Regression Models ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Social Activities ◽  
Linear Regression Models ◽  
Admission Type ◽  
Community Dwelling Older Adults ◽  
The Relationship

Abstract We tested the hypothesis that more socially engaged older adults experience fewer hospitalizations. Data came from 1,153 older adults (72.4% female, mean age 80.8, 14.6 years education at baseline), enrolled in the Rush Memory and Aging Project, with survey data linked to Medicare claims records (mean 5.0 [SD=3.1] years of Medicare coverage after study baseline). Linear regression models were fit with annual rate of hospitalization as outcome with terms for age, sex, and education. Engaging in more social activities (est=-0.16, SE=0.05, p=0.002) and larger life space (est=-0.08, SE=0.03, p=0.005) were associated with a lower rate of hospitalization, while a higher level of loneliness (est=0.18, SE=0.06, p=0.002) was associated with greater rate of hospitalization; size of social networks (est=-0.01, SE=0.01, p=0.069) was not associated with hospitalization. When examined separately by admission type, the same significant associations were found for nonelective (emergency and urgent) hospitalizations, but not for elective hospitalizations. After further adjusting for marital status, baseline levels of depressive symptoms, chronic medical conditions, physical activity, and ADL disabilities, only social activities were significantly related to hospitalization rate (total and nonelective). Adjusting for disability attenuated these associations the most, indicating that functional status may confound the relationship between social engagement and hospitalization. More research is necessary to determine if social engagement in older age can proactively help to keep older adults out of the hospital, or alternatively whether level of social engagement is a marker for functional status or other health factor that is directly related to risk of hospitalization.

scholarly journals Age Differences in the Relationship Between Daily Social Media Usage and Affect

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 410-410
Author(s):  
Xin Yao Lin ◽  
Margie Lachman
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Social Media ◽  
Negative Affect ◽  
Age Differences ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The United States ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Media Usage ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Daily Time

Abstract Social media platforms allow people to connect and share content online (e.g., Facebook, Twitter). Although older adults are becoming more frequent users of social media, there continue to be mixed views on whether social media positively or negatively impacts well-being. Past studies have mainly focused on cross-sectional analyses for individual differences. However, both the time spent on social media and one’s affect can fluctuate on a daily basis. Thus, it is important to understand how the relationship between daily social media usage and affect varies within individuals from day to day. The current study adds to the literature by examining whether daily variations in time spent with social media are related to daily positive and negative affect and whether there are age differences in these relationships. The current study used an eight-day daily diary from the Midlife in the United States (MIDUS) Refresher dataset for 782 participants (ages 25-75). Multilevel modeling results revealed that age moderated the relationship between daily time spent on social media and negative affect: for younger adults, on days when they spent more time on social media, they had more negative affect. For older adults, on days when they spent more time on social media, they had less negative affect. Surprisingly, daily time spent on social media was not related to daily positive affect, nor did this relationship differ by age. Implications for future research are discussed with a focus on how social media usage can contribute to daily well-being for adults of different ages.

scholarly journals HEARING IMPAIRMENT, DEPRESSION, AND THE ROLE OF SOCIAL ACTIVITY AMONG CHINESE OLDER ADULTS

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S166-S167
Author(s):  
Shu Xu ◽  
Haowei Wang ◽  
Caitlin Connelly
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Hearing Impairment ◽  
Social Engagement ◽  
Depression Scale ◽  
The United States ◽  
Social Activities ◽  
Chinese Older Adults ◽  
Hearing Status ◽  
The Relationship

Abstract Studies suggest that depression is closely linked to hearing impairment, which is highly prevalent among older adults in the United States. There is evidence that social engagement may be impacted by hearing impairment in older adults. However, there is relatively little research on these associations among Chinese older adults. This study examines the relationships between hearing impairment, social activities, and depressive symptoms among older adults in China. Using nationally representative data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study 2011, we conducted cross-sectional analysis on adults age 60 years and older (n=10,994). Depressive symptoms were assessed by the 10-item Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression scale and we considered self-reported hearing status (if participants wear a hearing aid and how they would rate their hearing), and social activities (i.e., volunteering, dancing, attending courses, etc.). Models were controlled for age, gender, education, and other covariates. Descriptive analysis showed that 9% of older adults experienced hearing impairment. Multiple linear regression analyses revealed that hearing impairment was positively associated with depressive symptoms among older Chinese adults (β=1.32, p<.001). Social activities were found to partially mediate the relationship between hearing status and depressive symptoms. Respondents with hearing impairment were less likely to engage in social activities (OR=.78, p<.01) and those who did not participate in social activities reported more depressive symptoms (β=1.28, p<.001). These findings suggest that Chinese older adults experiencing hearing loss are at greater risk of depression and that social activities play an important role in the relationship between hearing status and depression.

Not Just for Customers Anymore: Organization Facebook, Employee Social Capital, and Organizational Identification

2018 ◽  
Vol 57 (4) ◽  
pp. 431-451 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patricia M. Sias ◽  
Kaylin L. Duncan
Keyword(s):  
Social Capital ◽  
Social Media ◽  
Organizational Identification ◽  
Media Use ◽  
Bonding Social Capital ◽  
Organizational Settings ◽  
Bridging Social Capital ◽  
Employee Identification ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Employee Social Capital

This study examined links between employee interaction with their organization’s official Facebook page, social capital, and employee identification with the organization. Results indicate employee interaction with their company’s Facebook page was positively related to organizational identification and bridging and bonding social capital. Moreover, the relationship between interaction with the company Facebook page and identification was partially mediated by bridging social capital outcomes. Overall, results suggest the company Facebook page is an important communicative bridge between the employee and the larger organization, enhancing the employee-organization relationship. Results contribute to our understanding of social media and organizational identification, as well as our understanding of social capital associated with social media use in organizational settings.

scholarly journals Social Media Use and Emotional Well-Being: The Role of Physical Activity

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 931-931
Author(s):  
Xin Yao Lin ◽  
Margie Lachman
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Social Media ◽  
Negative Affect ◽  
Positive Affect ◽  
Media Use ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Social Media Use ◽  
The Relationship

Abstract There are mixed findings as to whether social media use (SMU) is positively or negatively related to well-being (positive/negative affect), and this relationship varies by age. The current study seeks to further explore this relationship by examining physical activity (PA) as a potential mediator at both a within (intraindividual) and between-person (interindividual) level across adulthood. The data are from the Midlife in the United States Refresher eight-day daily diary study (N=782, ages 25-75) with self-reported frequency of SMU, PA, and well-being (positive/negative affect). Multilevel structural equation modeling simultaneously tested how the relationships between the variables differed at both the between- and within-person levels. Between-person results showed that across the week, those who reported less SMU reported engaging in more PA, and more PA was associated with more positive affect. PA significantly mediated the relationship between SMU and positive affect for midlife and older adults, but not for younger adults. Effects for negative affect were not significant. Within-person results indicated that days with more PA were associated with more positive affect; however, PA did not mediate the relationship between SMU and positive or negative affect. These findings suggest the benefits of engaging in PA on one’s positive emotional well-being at both the between- and within-person levels. However, for midlife and older adults, more SMU across the week may take away time from engaging in PA, which in turn lowers their positive affect. Implications of the effects of SMU on PA and well-being across adulthood are discussed.

scholarly journals Effects of Social Media Use on Psychological Well-Being: A Mediated Model

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dragana Ostic ◽  
Sikandar Ali Qalati ◽  
Belem Barbosa ◽  
Syed Mir Muhammad Shah ◽  
Esthela Galvan Vela ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Capital ◽  
Social Media ◽  
Media Use ◽  
Explanatory Power ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Smartphone Addiction ◽  
Social Media Use ◽  
Psychological Well Being ◽  
Bridging Social Capital

The growth in social media use has given rise to concerns about the impacts it may have on users' psychological well-being. This paper's main objective is to shed light on the effect of social media use on psychological well-being. Building on contributions from various fields in the literature, it provides a more comprehensive study of the phenomenon by considering a set of mediators, including social capital types (i.e., bonding social capital and bridging social capital), social isolation, and smartphone addiction. The paper includes a quantitative study of 940 social media users from Mexico, using structural equation modeling (SEM) to test the proposed hypotheses. The findings point to an overall positive indirect impact of social media usage on psychological well-being, mainly due to the positive effect of bonding and bridging social capital. The empirical model's explanatory power is 45.1%. This paper provides empirical evidence and robust statistical analysis that demonstrates both positive and negative effects coexist, helping to reconcile the inconsistencies found so far in the literature.

scholarly journals Social Contact and Wellness Outcomes for Older Adults in Different Residential Settings

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 407-407
Author(s):  
Joseph Bihary ◽  
Jennifer Smith ◽  
Dugan O’Connor ◽  
Ajla Basic ◽  
Janis Sayer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Social Media ◽  
Life Satisfaction ◽  
Social Engagement ◽  
Social Contact ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Multilevel Regression ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Potential Benefits ◽  
Study Participants

Abstract More frequent social contact with others has been shown to be associated with positive well-being outcomes for older adults, who may be at increased risk of loneliness or isolation. The current study investigates whether the potential benefits of social contact might vary by social contact medium and by residence type (senior living (SL) settings vs. the broader community). 5,148 older adults residing in SL communities completed surveys on health and well-being. Data were combined with responses from 1,000 demographically similar older adults residing outside SL settings who participated in a similar study. Participants in both studies reported their frequency of social contact with friends (4 types: in-person meet-ups, speaking by phone, writing or emailing, and communicating via social media), subjective overall health, and life satisfaction. Results of multilevel regression analyses revealed that more frequent in-person social contact with friends was associated with more positive ratings of overall health only for participants in non-SL settings, but not those in SL. More frequent in-person social contact was also associated with higher life satisfaction, and this effect was stronger for non-SL participants. More frequent contact by phone and written letters/emails was associated with better ratings of overall health, regardless of residence type. In contrast, more frequent social media use was associated with lower ratings of overall health. Analyses controlled for age, gender, education, marital status, income, chronic health conditions, and depressive symptoms. The observed patterns of results speak to the possible protective benefits of social engagement for older adults in different residence settings.

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