Internet use and loneliness among older Chinese adults

Nov 3, 2023Aging & mental health

Internet use and feelings of loneliness in older Chinese adults

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Abstract

Chinese older adults who were new or continuous Internet users reported lower levels of loneliness over a two-year period.

New Internet users experienced a decrease in loneliness by an estimated 0.21 points.
Continuous Internet users showed a decline in loneliness by approximately 0.16 points.
Older adults who ceased Internet use exhibited an increase in loneliness, similar to non-users.
The change in loneliness levels for disengaged users compared to non-users was not statistically significant.

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OBJECTIVES: This study examined the association between Internet use and loneliness among Chinese older adults (aged 60+) over a two-year period using nationally representative survey data from China.

METHODS: Using data from the 2016 and 2018 waves of the( = 8,059), we estimated difference-in-differences regression models to assess the association between Internet use and levels of loneliness over time. China Longitudinal Ageing Social Survey N

RESULTS: Compared to Internet non-users, Chinese older adults who were new Internet users, as well as those who were continuous Internet users, reported lower levels of loneliness over time (= -0.21, < 0.001 and= -0.16, < 0.001, respectively). Conversely, those Chinese older adults who used the Internet in wave 1 but then disengaged from using the Internet in wave 2 demonstrated an upward trend in loneliness over time, similar to Internet non-users (the estimate of difference-in-differences was non-significant for the comparison between disengaged-users and non-users:= -0.03, = 0.42). B p B p B p

CONCLUSION: This study provided new evidence to support the potential benefits of Internet use for reducing the risk of loneliness among Chinese older adults. The findings suggested that supporting current Internet users to remain digitally engaged is as important as encouraging Internet non-users to cross the digital divide.

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