TriGen, Singapore, Singapore.
Department of Family Medicine, National University Health System (NUHS), Singapore, Singapore.
PLoS One. 2023 Aug 30;18(8):e0290557. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0290557. eCollection 2023.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, safe-distancing measures resulted in many community-dwelling older adults being socially isolated and lonely, with its attending negative impact on wellbeing and quality of life. While digital technology may have mitigated this, older adults of low socioeconomic status (SES) are more likely to be digitally excluded and hence susceptible to the adverse effects of social isolation and loneliness. This study aims to understand the factors that affect digital literacy, smartphone ownership, and willingness to participate in a digital literacy program (DLP), and to test the hypothesized relations between digital literacy, social connectedness, loneliness, wellbeing, and quality of life amongst community dwelling older adults of low SES.
A questionnaire assessing digital literacy, social connectedness, wellbeing and quality of life was administered. Socio-demographic variables, pre-existing internet-enabled, and willingness to participate in a home-based DLP was also collected. Logistic regression was used to identify demographic factors associated with digital literacy, smartphone ownership, and willingness to enroll in a DLP. Serial mediation analysis was also performed using a structural equation model framework.
A total of 302 participants were recruited. Female gender, older age, lower education levels were associated with lower digital literacy. Those who owned a smartphone tended to be younger and better educated. Older adults who were better educated, of Chinese descent (the ethnic majority in Singapore), and who had lower digital literacy, were most willing to enroll in the digital literacy education program. Social-use digital literacy had a positive indirect effect on well-being ([Formula: see text]) and Quality of life ([Formula: see text]), mediated by social connectedness and loneliness. In contrast, instrumental-use digital literacy had a negative indirect effect on well-being ([Formula: see text]) and Quality of life ([Formula: see text]), mediated by social connectedness and loneliness.
The results suggest there are demographic barriers to participation in DLPs and highlight the benefit of focusing on enhancing social-use digital literacy. Further study is needed to evaluate how well specific interventions to improve social-use digital literacy help to reduce social isolation and loneliness, and ultimately improve wellbeing and quality of life.
在 COVID-19 大流行期间，保持社交距离的措施导致许多社区居住的老年人受到社交隔离和孤独的影响，这对他们的幸福感和生活质量产生了负面影响。虽然数字技术可能缓解了这种情况，但社会经济地位（SES）较低的老年人更有可能被数字排斥，因此更容易受到社交隔离和孤独的不利影响。本研究旨在了解影响数字扫盲、智能手机拥有率以及参与数字扫盲计划（DLP）意愿的因素，并测试 SES 较低的社区居住老年人之间数字扫盲、社会联系、孤独感、幸福感和生活质量之间的假设关系。
我们采用问卷评估了数字扫盲、社会联系、幸福感和生活质量。还收集了社会人口统计学变量、预先存在的互联网功能以及参与家庭 DLP 的意愿。使用逻辑回归来确定与数字扫盲、智能手机拥有率和参与 DLP 意愿相关的人口统计学因素。还使用结构方程模型框架进行了序列中介分析。
共招募了 302 名参与者。女性性别、年龄较大、教育程度较低与数字扫盲水平较低有关。拥有智能手机的人往往更年轻、受教育程度更高。受教育程度较高、华裔（新加坡的多数族裔）且数字扫盲水平较低的老年人最愿意参加数字扫盲教育计划。社交用途数字扫盲对幸福感([公式：见正文])和生活质量([公式：见正文])有积极的间接影响，通过社会联系和孤独感进行中介。相比之下，工具用途数字扫盲对幸福感([公式：见正文])和生活质量([公式：见正文])有消极的间接影响，通过社会联系和孤独感进行中介。
结果表明，参与 DLP 存在人口统计学障碍，并强调了专注于增强社交用途数字扫盲的好处。需要进一步研究来评估提高社交用途数字扫盲的具体干预措施如何帮助减少社交隔离和孤独感，最终提高幸福感和生活质量。
