Have changes in Internet use during the COVID-19 pandemic affected older adults' self-rated health? A cross-sectional study of young-old and old-old populations in Korea.
Jakyung Lee, Soong-Nang Jang
PMID 36219933WHAT IT FOUND
Among older Koreans using the Internet, increases in online use during the pandemic were associated with better self-rated health, especially among those aged 75 and above.
Key findings
01Increases in social networking and information-sharing use were associated with better self-rated health in both age groups.
02Increases in daily online service use were associated with better self-rated health in both age groups.
03Increases in social participation and search, email, and content use were associated with better self-rated health only in the old-old group.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
The survey did not follow people over time, so it cannot show that Internet use caused better self-rated health or that better health caused more Internet use. It included only older adults who already used the Internet and could complete the survey, and it excluded people living in facilities, so it may miss older adults who are less healthy or do not use the Internet. Internet use was measured as changes in broad service categories, not the specific content or frequency of use. Self-rated health was measured by one question about satisfaction with physical and mental health. The sample was limited to community-dwelling Internet users in Korea, so results may not apply to other countries or to older adults without Internet access.
Declared interests
The authors reported no specific funding and no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that telling older adults to use the Internet will improve their health. The study was cross-sectional, included only Internet users, and showed associations only; healthier or more advantaged people may have used the Internet more.