Benge Jared F, Aguirre Alyssa, Scullin Michael K, Kiselica Andrew M, Hilsabeck Robin C, Paydarfar David, Douglas Michael
Department of Neurology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, United States.
Mulva Clinic for the Neurosciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, United States.
Work Aging Retire. 2022 Aug 6;10(1):6-13. doi: 10.1093/workar/waac026. eCollection 2024 Jan.
In response to social distancing measures during the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a need to increase the frequency of internet enabled behaviors (IEBs). To date, little is known about how the pandemic impacted IEBs in older adults, a population that has historically been linked to lower digital literacy and utilization. We administered an online survey between April and July 2021 to 298 adults who were over age 50 (mean age = 73 years; 93.5% non-Hispanic white; 94% smart phone owners; 83.5% retired). Older adults self-reported IEBs for social, shopping, medical, and leisure activities during the pandemic, plans for continued use of these behaviors, and completed measures of psychosocial functioning. 66.8% of respondents reported an overall increase in IEBs during the pandemic, most notably for online meeting attendance. More frequent online meeting use was associated with less depression ( = -0.12, = .04) and less loneliness (0.14, = .02). With regard to plans for continued use, 82.5% of the sample reported at least one IEB ( = 2.18, = 1.65) that they increased during the pandemic and planned to maintain over time (e.g., online shopping for household goods). Plans for continued use were more likely in participants who used IEBs more overall during the pandemic ( = 0.56, < .001), and who frequently sought technical support on search engines ( = 0.22, < .001), or online video sites ( = 0.16, = .006). In summary, IEBs during the pandemic were associated with favorable psychosocial functioning and expectations for continued use in this sample of predominantly white older adults who had some baseline technological familiarity.
为应对新冠疫情期间的社交距离措施，有必要增加互联网行为（IEBs）的频率。迄今为止，对于疫情如何影响老年人的互联网行为知之甚少，而老年人在历史上一直与较低的数字素养和使用率相关联。我们在2021年4月至7月期间对298名50岁以上的成年人进行了一项在线调查（平均年龄 = 73岁；93.5%为非西班牙裔白人；94%拥有智能手机；83.5%已退休）。老年人自我报告了疫情期间社交、购物、医疗和休闲活动方面的互联网行为、继续使用这些行为的计划，并完成了心理社会功能测量。66.8%的受访者报告称疫情期间互联网行为总体增加，最显著的是在线会议参与度。更频繁地使用在线会议与较少的抑郁（β = -0.12，p = 0.04）和较少的孤独感（β = -0.14，p = 0.02）相关。关于继续使用的计划，82.5%的样本报告了至少一项在疫情期间增加且计划长期维持的互联网行为（β = 2.18，SE = 1.65）（例如家庭用品网购）。在疫情期间总体上更多使用互联网行为的参与者（β = 0.56，p < 0.001），以及经常在搜索引擎上寻求技术支持的参与者（β = 0.22，p < 0.001）或在线视频网站的参与者（β = 0.16，p = 0.006）中，继续使用的计划更有可能。总之，在这个主要为有一定技术基础的白人老年人样本中，疫情期间的互联网行为与良好的心理社会功能以及继续使用的期望相关。
