Cited by 450Technology Use by Older AdultsAging, Health, and DisabilityAging and Gerontology Research

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Patterns of Technology Use Among Older Adults With and Without Disabilities

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Gell, Nancy M., Rosenberg, Dori E., Demiris, George, LaCroix, Andrea Z., Patel, Kushang V.·2015·The Gerontologist

DOI 10.1093/geront/gnt166PMC PMC4542705

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Abstract

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY: The purpose of this study was to describe prevalence of technology use among adults ages 65 and older, particularly for those with disability and activity-limiting symptoms and impairments. DESIGN AND METHODS: Data from the 2011 National Health and Aging Trends Study, a nationally representative sample of community-dwelling Medicare beneficiaries (N = 7,609), were analyzed. Analysis consisted of technology use (use of e-mail/text messages and the internet) by sociodemographic and health characteristics and prevalence ratios for technology usage by disability status. RESULTS: Forty percent of older adults used e-mail or text messaging and 42.7% used the internet. Higher prevalence of technology use was associated with younger age, male sex, white race, higher education level, and being married (all p values <.001). After adjustment for sociodemographic and health characteristics, technology use decreased significantly with greater limitations in physical capacity and greater disability. Vision impairment and memory limitations were also associated with lower likelihood of technology use. IMPLICATIONS: Technology usage in U.S. older adults varied significantly by sociodemographic and health status. Prevalence of technology use differed by the type of disability and activity-limiting impairments. The internet, e-mail, and text messaging might be viable mediums for health promotion and communication, particularly for younger cohorts of older adults and those with certain types of impairment and less severe disability.

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“…adults continue to rely on technology to compensate for age-related changes (e.g., increased vulnerability and limitations in health) (Gell et al., 2015), it is of increasing interest to examine whether age differences are present in the relationship between frequency of…”
Background
Gesture-Driven Computing: Pioneering Control with Eye Tracking and Computer Vision
Rekha, K. B., Sampreeth, R., Sai, Y. Y., Navatha, M., & Nayak, R. (2024) · International Conference for Innovation in Technology (INOCON) · doi:10.1109/inocon60754.2024.10511619 · Cited by 6
“[5] concentrated on people with symptoms or limitations that interfere with daily life to gain a better understanding of the prevalence of technology use among people 65 and older.”
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IDOSOS E INCLUSÃO DIGITAL COM TABLET-PC: UMA REVISÃO SISTEMÁTICA DA LITERATURA
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“Particularly among older adults with certain disabilities or activity-limiting impairments, the use of email, texting, and the internet is lower than for those without these impairments [7].”
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An analysis of social interaction between novice older adults when learning gesture-based skills through simple digital games
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Factors associated with the non-use of mobile health applications among adults in the United States
Tundealao, S. T., Titiloye, T., Sajja, A., Egab, I., Odole, I. P., Alufa, O., & Olarewaju, O. K. (2023) · Journal of Public Health · doi:10.1007/s10389-023-02132-8 · Cited by 5
“However, they are less likely to utilize mHealth apps due to their inability to keep up with the rapidly evolving technology, the lack of support when they run into technical difficulties, their health, lack of interest, and the expense (Gell et al. 2015; Vaportzis et al. 2017).”
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“Research highlights the complex, bidirectional relationship between cognitive performance and technology use in later life (E. Y. Choi et al., 2021; Gell et al., 2015).”
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“Higher levels of technology use in older adults have been associated with comparatively younger age, being married, male, or White, higher education levels, higher income, and lower prevalence of disability (Anderson & Perrin, 2017; Gell et al., 2015; N. G. Choi & DiNitto, 2013; Yu et al., 2016).”
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“…the use of digital display technologies among older adults is associated with internal factors, including but not limited to age, level of education [37,38], physical health [39], social economic status [40], internet skills [41], motivation [42], self-efficacy [43], and sense of happiness [44].”
Yaşlı Bireylerde E-Sağlık Okuryazarlığı ve Polifarmasi Arasındaki İlişki
Deniz, E., & Duman, İ. (2024) · Geriatrik Bilimler Dergisi · doi:10.47141/geriatrik.1537080 · Cited by 4
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The Role of Health in the Technology Acceptance Model Among Low-Income Asian American Older Adults: Cross-Sectional Survey Analysis
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Authors: Gell, N. M., Rosenberg, D. E., Demiris, G., LaCroix, A. Z., & Patel, K. V.
Affiliations: Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute (US)
University of Washington (US)
Corresponding author: Gell, Nancy M.
ORCID: Gell, Nancy M.
Rosenberg, Dori E.
Demiris, George
LaCroix, Andrea Z.
Patel, Kushang V.
Venue: The Gerontologist
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Published: 2013-12-30
Volume: 55
Issue: 3
Pages: 412-421
ISSN: 0016-9013 (ISSN-L)
1758-5341
DOI: 10.1093/geront/gnt166
PMC: PMC4542705
OpenAlex: W2114661329
Cited by: 450
References: 35
Citations by year: 2026: 34 · 2025: 51 · 2024: 55 · 2023: 35 · 2022: 44 · 2021: 45 · 2020: 45 · 2019: 28 · 2018: 36 · 2017: 31 · 2016: 18 · 2015: 21 · 2014: 6
FWCI: 40.35
Type: journal article
Language: en
Open access: bronze
doi.org
Locations: The Gerontologist (publishedVersion)
PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
PubMed (publishedVersion)
eScholarship (California Digital Library) (submittedVersion)
Funders: Johns Hopkins University
National Health and Aging Trends Study (U01AG32947)
National Institute on Aging (T32AG027677, NIA U01AG32947, U01AG032947)
Topics: Health Sciences › Medicine › Geriatrics and Gerontology › Technology Use by Older Adults
Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Aging, Health, and Disability
Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Aging and Gerontology Research
Keywords: technology use, older adults, disability, internet use, email, text messaging, visual impairment, memory constraints, physical capacity, sociodemographic differences, health communication, health promotion
MeSH terms: Activities of Daily Living, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Aging, Attitude to Computers, Female, Persons with Disabilities, Health Promotion, Humans, Male, Technology, Prevalence, Internet, Electronic Mail, White People, Text Messaging

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Patterns of Technology Use Among Older Adults With and Without Disabilities

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