Does the internet moderate the neighborhood effect? internet use, neighborhoods, and mental health among older adults in Shanghai
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Internet use may reduce the impact of the neighborhood on residents' well-being by helping people utilize resources beyond their immediate neighborhoods or strengthen neighborhood influences by widening the digital divide across neighborhoods. This study investigates how internet use moderates neighborhood effects on mental health among older adults in Shanghai. Using data from the Shanghai Urban Neighborhood Survey (SUNS) and population census, hierarchical linear models reveal that older adults who more frequently use the internet report lower levels of mental distress. Internet use attenuates the negative effects of living in low-socioeconomic status (SES) neighborhoods. We also examine the roles of three types of internet use: social networking, leisure, and information seeking. The results show that only social networking and leisure internet use are significantly associated with improved mental health among older adults. The results suggest that social programs are needed to increase internet literacy among older adults to promote active aging, and priority should be given to relatively disadvantaged neighborhoods.
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One cross-sectional study found that older adults who socialize online reported less psychological distress than those who do not.
“One cross-sectional study (Chen & Miao, 2023) examined the relationship between online social networking and psychological distress (including two dimensions: anxiety and depression) and found that older adults who socialize online reported less psychological distress than those who do not.”
From The relationship between social media use and psychosocial outcomes in older adults: A systematic review (2024) · cites this paper as Chen & Miao, 2023
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- Authors
- Chen, W., & Miao, J.
- Affiliations
- Shanghai University (CN)
- New York University Shanghai (CN)
- Corresponding author
- Miao, Jia
- Venue
- International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
- Publisher
- MDPI AG
- Published
- 2023-01-27
- Volume
- 20
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 2267
- ISSN
- 1660-4601 (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC9915526
- OpenAlex
- W4318475350
- Cited by
- 7
- References
- 49
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 4
- FWCI
- 4.08
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- gold
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- RePEc: Research Papers in Economics (submittedVersion)
- Rare & Special e-Zone (The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- “Peak-Plateau” Program (Category III) of the Shanghai Municipal Educational Commission
- Center for Data and Urban Science (CENDUS), Shanghai University
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Demography › Technology Use by Older Adults
- Social Sciences › Health › Health disparities and outcomes
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Aging, Health, and Disability
- Keywords
- internet use, neighborhood effects, mental health, older adults, psychological distress, socioeconomic status, digital divide, social networking, leisure internet use, information seeking, internet literacy, active ageing, Shanghai
- MeSH terms
- Internet Use, Neighborhood Characteristics, Aged, China, Humans, Mental Health, Residence Characteristics
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