Department of Human Development and Family Studies, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa.
Department of Gerontology, University of Massachusetts Boston, Boston, Massachusetts.
Gerontologist. 2019 Jan 9;59(1):69-77. doi: 10.1093/geront/gny044.
The aim of this study was to examine the link between internet use and preventive health behaviors. We focused on couples to examine whether there were cross-partner associations between internet use and preventive health behaviors.
The data for this study came from the 2010 and 2012 waves of the Health and Retirement Study and the sample consisted of 5,143 pairs of coupled-individuals. Preventive health behaviors included cancer screenings (mammogram and prostate tests), cholesterol tests, and flu shots. Logistic multilevel actor-partner interdependence models were employed to test the study hypotheses.
Internet use was associated with a higher likelihood of receiving prostate exams and cholesterol tests for husbands, net of demographic and health characteristics, and insurance status. We found that wives' internet use was associated with a higher likelihood of receiving flu shots and prostate exams for husbands, but husbands' internet use was not associated with wives' preventive health behaviors.
Research linking internet use and preventive health behaviors is important because such behaviors are associated not only with health of the older population but also with substantial reductions in health care expenditures. Our findings suggested that internet use of older adults is associated with their own preventive health behaviors, as well as their spouses' preventive health behaviors. Interventions and programs to facilitate older adults' preventive health behaviors should consider couple-based approaches.
本研究旨在探讨互联网使用与预防保健行为之间的联系。我们关注夫妻双方，以检验互联网使用与预防保健行为之间是否存在交叉伴侣关联。
本研究的数据来自 2010 年和 2012 年的“健康与退休研究”（Health and Retirement Study），样本包括 5143 对已婚夫妇。预防保健行为包括癌症筛查（乳房 X 光检查和前列腺检查）、胆固醇检查和流感疫苗接种。采用逻辑多层演员-伙伴相互依存模型检验研究假设。
在控制了人口统计学和健康特征以及保险状况后，丈夫的互联网使用与接受前列腺检查和胆固醇检查的可能性增加有关。我们发现，妻子的互联网使用与丈夫接受流感疫苗接种和前列腺检查的可能性增加有关，但丈夫的互联网使用与妻子的预防保健行为无关。
将互联网使用与预防保健行为联系起来的研究很重要，因为这些行为不仅与老年人口的健康有关，而且与医疗保健支出的大幅减少有关。我们的研究结果表明，老年人的互联网使用与其自身的预防保健行为以及配偶的预防保健行为有关。促进老年人预防保健行为的干预和项目应考虑基于夫妻的方法。
