Aspects of ICT connectivity among older adults living in rural subsidized housing: reassessing the digital divide

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Casey Golomski ◽  
Marguerite Corvini ◽  
BoRin Kim ◽  
John Wilcox ◽  
Scott Valcourt
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
New England ◽  
Digital Divide ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Subsidized Housing ◽  
Housing Conditions ◽  
Information Communication ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Internet Age ◽  
Use Of Social Media

PurposeThis article examines aspects of information communication technology (ICT) connectivity among the understudied population of low-income older adults living in rural and peri-urban subsidized housing. We aim to investigate if variations exist in access and connectivity when economic and housing conditions are constant and use data from northern New England.Design/methodology/approachThe multidisciplinary, mixed-methods approach involved administering structured surveys using iPads with senior residents (n = 91) from five housing sites, qualitative observations by field researchers and an ecological assessment of ICT resources at housing, community and state levels.FindingsAll subsidized housing sites were broadband accessible and nearby libraries. Fewer sites had Wi-Fi freely available to residents, and individual residents disparately accessed the Internet. Age and education demonstrably influenced ICT use of social media and email. Technology in the form of iPads used for surveys posed functional challenges for some older adults, but these technology-mediated interactions were also perceived as important sites of sociability.Originality/valueOlder adults disparately access and use ICT relative to socioeconomic status even as housing conditions remain constant, and access and use influences frequency of social connections with friends and family. The findings reveal factors that contribute to the existing digital divide facing older adults and broader lack of digital equity.

scholarly journals Bridging the digital divide: Older adults’ engagement with online cinema heritage

2019 ◽  
Vol 35 (4) ◽  
pp. 797-811
Author(s):  
Silvia Dibeltulo ◽  
Sarah Culhane ◽  
Daniela Treveri Gennari
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Social Media ◽  
Cultural Heritage ◽  
Digital Divide ◽  
Digital Platforms ◽  
Film Exhibition ◽  
Advantages And Disadvantages ◽  
Digital World ◽  
Digital Environments ◽  
Use Of Social Media

Abstract Is there a way to ensure older adults can bridge the digital divide and engage with online cultural heritage? How can cinema-going memories encourage cross-generational engagement? This article proposes to address these issues by using the Italian Cinema Audiences research project as a case study, and specifically cinema-going memories as intangible cultural heritage (Ercole et al., 2016, Cinema heritage in Europe: preserving and sharing culture by engaging with film exhibition and audiences. Editorial. Alphaville: Journal of Film and Screen Media, 11(Summer): 1–12. Web. ISSN: 2009-4078). It aims to tackle the difficulty of engaging the older generation with the digital world, by proposing and testing new ways to resolve it. Through a mixed-methods ethnographic approach, this article investigates different strategies: the use of social media platforms; a cross-generational activity involving Historypin, a digital, user-generated archive of crowdsourced historical material; an online dedicated archive built in collaboration with the older adults involved in the project. These different solutions aim not only at increasing digital engagement among older adults, but also at furthering younger generations’ involvement in shared cultural heritage in an online context. By focusing on the memories of cinema-going in 1950s Italy, the article explores the implications of the advantages and disadvantages of these different approaches. It also tests Anja K. Leist’s research findings (2013, Social media use of older adults: a mini-review. Gerontology, 59(4): 378–84) on the key role of moderators (the younger generation) to help novice users (the older generation) in the ‘continuous engagement’ in digital environments. We conclude that in order to bridge the digital divide two components are necessary simultaneously: the creation of digital platforms in which the older generations are both curators and users, and the support of and interaction with younger generations.

Vulnerable populations and misinformation: A mixed-methods approach to underserved older adults’ online information assessment

2020 ◽  
pp. 146144482092504 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hyunjin Seo ◽  
Matthew Blomberg ◽  
Darcey Altschwager ◽  
Hong Tien Vu
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Digital Divide ◽  
Digital Media ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Source Credibility ◽  
Online Information ◽  
Message Content ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Practical Implications ◽  
Significant Factors

This study examines how low-income African-American older adults, one of the groups most vulnerable to misinformation online, assess the credibility of online information. In examining this, we conducted both face-to-face interviews and a survey and then analyzed how their digital media use, demographics, self-efficacy, and involvement with particular topics were associated with their credibility assessments of online information. Our results suggest that education and topic involvement are statistically significant factors associated with assessments of message content and source credibility. Moreover, for our respondents, assessments of content credibility, as opposed to those of source credibility, were far more challenging. This research is one of the few studies examining online information credibility assessments made by low-income minority older adults. Theoretical and practical implications of our results are discussed in the context of misinformation, credibility assessment, and the digital divide.

scholarly journals GERIATRIC CONDITIONS AND HEALTH CARE UTILIZATION AMONG OLDER ADULTS LIVING IN SUBSIDIZED HOUSING

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S254-S255
Author(s):  
Sarah E Kler ◽  
Sun Young Jeon ◽  
Kanan Patel ◽  
Christine Ritchie ◽  
Krista Harrison ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Health Status ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Frailty Index ◽  
Subsidized Housing ◽  
Level Of Care ◽  
Targeted Interventions ◽  
Geriatric Conditions ◽  
Community Residents ◽  
General Community

Abstract In the US, 1.7 million low income older adults live in subsidized housing. Previous research suggests that subsidized housing residents have poorer health status than older adults in the general community. However, little is known about the prevalence of geriatric conditions. To understand these factors we conducted a retrospective cohort analysis of 11,558 Medicare enrollees ages 65+ who were enrolled in the National Health and Aging Trends Study in 2011 or 2015, including 507 living in subsidized housing and 11,051 in the general community. We compared subsidized housing residents to general community residents across measures of sociodemographics, functional limitations, and geriatric syndromes. We also compared the prevalence of hospitalization, move to a higher level of care, and death within five years. Results suggest that compared to general community residents, subsidized housing residents were more likely to be women (66% vs. 55%, p<0.01), racial/ethnic minorities (50% vs. 18%, p<0.01), and to lack a high school diploma (50% vs. 20%, p<0.01). They also had poorer health status, including higher rates of self-reported functional impairment (difficulty with 2 or more ADLs; 16% vs. 10%, p<0.01), probable dementia (15% vs. 8%, p<0.01), and frailty using the three-level Fried frailty index (55% vs 26%, p<0.01). Subsidized housing residents also had higher rates of hospitalization (29% vs. 22%, p<0.01), move to a higher level of care (4% vs. 3%, p<0.01), and death (10% vs. 7%, p<0.01) compared to community-residing peers. These findings will help inform targeted interventions to improve aging in place for this vulnerable population.

Determinants of information communication and smart home automation technology adoption for aging-in-place

2020 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 73-86
Author(s):  
Sajay Arthanat ◽  
Hong Chang ◽  
John Wilcox
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Smart Home ◽  
Aging In Place ◽  
Home Automation ◽  
Information Communication ◽  
Home Safety ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Causal Pathways ◽  
Automation Technology ◽  
Significant Direct Effect

Purpose Smart home (SH) internet of things can promote home safety, health monitoring and independence of older adults to age-in-place. Despite its commercial growth, low adoption rates of the technology among aging consumers remain a major barrier. The purpose of this study is to examine SH technology ownership of older adults and its causal pathways with demographics, health and functioning, home safety and information communication technology (ICT) use. Design/methodology/approach A survey on technology-mediated aging-in-place was completed by 447 respondents, 65 years and older. Structural equation modeling was used to underscore the causal pathways among demographics, health, independence and home safety, ICT and home automation technology adoption. Findings The study found that ICT usability, home security and independence have a significant direct effect on SH ownership. Demographics had no significant direct effect, but its influence was mediated through ICT usability. With home safety as mediator, physical impairment, falls and accidents and independence had a significant association with SH ownership. Similarly, increased social support (mediated through home security) decreased the probability of SH automation ownership. Originality/value The findings signify the perceived usefulness of SH automation as theorized in technology acceptance models.

Broadband adoption in urban and suburban California: information-based outreach programs ineffective at closing the digital divide

2020 ◽  
Vol 18 (3) ◽  
pp. 431-459
Author(s):  
Lloyd Levine
Keyword(s):  
Digital Divide ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Program Effectiveness ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Vast Number ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Past ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Using Data ◽  
Low Income Households

Purpose The digital divide has persisted in California and the USA as a whole at approximately the same level for the past decade. This is despite multiple programs being created and billions of dollars being spent to close it. This paper examines why the efforts to date have been ineffective and to offers policy alternatives that might be more successful. Design/methodology/approach Using data from three, variable constrained projects in California, this paper examines the effectiveness of information-based outreach efforts at closing the digital divide. The projects tested various outreach and enrollment methods to see which, if any, could increase broadband adoption in low-income households. Findings This project found that providing low-income households’ information about low-cost broadband offerings was ineffective at closing the digital divide. The findings in this paper were similar to those of two other works that examined the federal Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP) grants under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Practical implications The findings of this paper along with the works cited that evaluated the BTOP program should be enough to change public policy. For the past ten years, efforts to close the digital divide have focused on providing information to low-income households. However, two independent surveys show broadband adoption has remained virtually flat during that period. Social implications The digital divide brings concomitant economic and education harms and challenges that plague those unable to access information, services, educational and employment opportunities with the same ease, speed and sufficiency as their connected peers and neighbors. Those harms exacerbate the already existing education and income divides. This paper shows that without a change in strategy, those harms will persist. Originality/value This paper breaks new ground and addresses one of the weaknesses identified in existing research. To the best of author’s knowledge, this is the first paper of its type to use programs designed to generate data that can be empirically evaluated for effectiveness. Prior studies attempted to assess program effectiveness by using data generated from fully implemented government programs. However, those programs contained a vast number of unidentified variables and insufficient data collection. They were not designed to facilitate academic evaluation, and as such made a true effectiveness evaluation challenging.

Loneliness and Depression Among Older Adults in Urban Subsidized Housing

2016 ◽  
Vol 30 (3) ◽  
pp. 458-474 ◽  
Author(s):  
Judith G. Gonyea ◽  
Alexandra Curley ◽  
Kelly Melekis ◽  
Nina Levine ◽  
Yeonjung Lee
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Target Population ◽  
Subsidized Housing ◽  
Hierarchical Regression ◽  
Minority Populations ◽  
Social Risk ◽  
Social Risk Factors ◽  
Care Models

Objective: Depression is particularly prevalent in low-income and disabled older adults, and minority populations face a greater risk of poverty and earlier disability onset. Yet, little is known about the mental health of older subsidized housing residents, a population which is disproportionately composed of persons of color. The study’s aim was therefore to explore the prevalence and correlates of depression in this target population, with a particular focus on the role of loneliness. Method: Data are from interviews with 216 older subsidized housing residents, of which 50% identified as Black and 45% self-identified as Latino. Results: About 26% of participants met the criterion for depression. The hierarchical regression supported our hypothesis; after controlling for demographic, health, and stress variables, loneliness explained almost half of the total 49% of variance in depression. Discussion: Care models addressing social risk factors are needed to meet the aging-in-place challenges of subsidized housing residents.

Housing conditions and non-communicable diseases among older adults in Ireland

2018 ◽  
Vol 19 (3) ◽  
pp. 191-204 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah Gibney ◽  
Mark Ward ◽  
Sinead Shannon
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Health Problem ◽  
Respiratory Health ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
Communicable Diseases ◽  
Housing Quality ◽  
Sample Population ◽  
Housing Conditions ◽  
Non Communicable Diseases ◽  
Content Type

Purpose Housing quality across the life course is an important health determinant. The purpose of this paper is to profile the current housing conditions of older adults in Ireland, and to investigate the association between housing conditions and heating problems and two types of non-communicable diseases: respiratory health problems and bone and joint conditions. Design/methodology/approach Data are from the Healthy and Positive Ageing Initiative Age-friendly Cities and Counties Survey, a random-sample, population representative survey of 10,540 adults aged 55 and older collected in 2015–2016. Mixed-effects logistic regression analysis was used to investigate the association between poor housing (leaks, rot and damp) and poor heating (unable to keep the home adequately warm) and the likelihood of having a respiratory health problem or a bone or joint condition. Results are reported as odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals. Findings Overall, 10.2 per cent had poor housing and 10.4 per cent had poor heating. Poor housing and poor heating were strongly associated with respiratory health problems and there was a strong association between poor housing and bone and joint conditions. These associations were not explained by health behaviours or socio-demographic characteristics. Originality/value Despite a number of publicly funded schemes available to assist in upgrading and maintaining housing, a considerable number of adults aged 55 years and older continue to report problems which are associated with an increased likelihood of respiratory health problem and bone and joint conditions and present a considerable threat to healthy ageing in place.

Biden will reform internet market as 5G expands

2020 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Digital Divide ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Public Utility ◽  
Remote Communities ◽  
Internet Service ◽  
Internet Connectivity ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Internet Market ◽  
Internet Delivery ◽  
New Infrastructure

Significance The measures address the digital divide that the COVID-19 pandemic has further exposed. Among low-income and remote communities, commercial internet service can be slow and expensive or lacking altogether. The ballots add to the emerging call to treat internet connectivity as a public utility. Impacts Fibre-to-the-home could prove a feasible technology alternative to 5G in some locations. Firms will test internet delivery via alternatives such as low-orbit satellites and unlicensed TV spectrum (Microsoft). Municipalities will build or require conduits for fibre in all new infrastructure construction as part of 'smart city' deployments.

Heterogeneous preferences of Russian residential mortgage borrowers

2017 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 35-56
Author(s):  
Evgeniy M. Ozhegov
Keyword(s):  
Interest Rate ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Mortgage Lending ◽  
Housing Affordability ◽  
Housing Conditions ◽  
Heterogeneous Preferences ◽  
Potential Cost ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Heterogeneity Of Preferences

Purpose This paper aims to examine the heterogeneity of preferences of mortgage borrowers of Russian state-owned suppliers of residential housing mortgages. Design/methodology/approach Analysis takes into account the underwriting process and the choice of contract terms of all loans originated from 2008 to 2012. The data set contains demographic and financial characteristics for all applications, loan terms and the performance information for all issued loans by one regional bank which operates government mortgage programs. The paper uses a multistep semiparametric approach to estimate the determinants of bank and borrower choice controlling for possible heterogeneity of preferences, sample selection and endogeneity of contract terms. Findings The study found that the demand of low-income households who are unable to afford to improve the housing conditions by other instruments than government mortgage is less elastic according to the change both in interest rate and maturity compared with higher-income households. Social implications Given lower elasticities of the demand, the low-income group of borrowers has higher potential cost of loan and is usually rejected by commercial banks. The presence of the Agency of Housing Mortgage Lending special programs with subsidized interest rate for special constrained categories (young families, teachers, researchers etc.) widens the access for housing conditions’ improvements as a part of housing affordability government program. Originality/value The main contribution to the literature is modeling choice of contract terms as interdependent by the structural system of simultaneous equations with heterogeneous marginal effects.

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