Association Between Smartphone Application Diversity and Occupational Participation Among Community-Dwelling Older Adults: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Of 158 participants in the survey waves, 97 were analysed after exclusions, so the final sample is small and selected. The design was cross-sectional, so it cannot show whether app diversity increases participation or whether people with more participation use more apps. App use and smartphone use duration were self-reported, and no technical definition of smartphone was provided. The sample was 73% female, so findings may not apply equally to older men. p-values were not adjusted for multiple comparisons because the analyses were exploratory. Participants with MMSE scores below 23, neurological or psychiatric history, or long-term care certification were excluded, so it says little about people with greater cognitive or care needs. Application diversity was a simple count of apps, not a validated psychometric measure.

The funding statement names Japan Society for the Promotion of Science. No other conflicts of interest are reported in the supplied text.

Do not conclude that teaching older adults to use more smartphone applications will improve occupational participation. The study only measured association at one time point, and higher app diversity was linked with younger age, more daily smartphone use, employment or volunteering, and lower depression or frailty scores.