Neighborhood Environment, Internet Use and Mental Distress among Older Adults: The Case of Shanghai, China

Risks and protection: a qualitative study on the factors for internet addiction among elderly residents in Southwest China communities

BACKGROUND

In the global trend of actively promoting the participation of older adults in the digital age, the relevant negative issues featuring potential Internet Addiction (IA) among them has risen to be a new challenge facing the global public health. However, there is a severe lack of related research. This study aimed to gain a comprehensive understanding of the phenomenon and process of IA among the elderly. The purpose of this paper is to introduce factors that may influence IA in the demographic.

METHODS

This study employed qualitative descriptive research methods to investigate older adults' perceptions and experiences of IA. Semi-structured in-depth personal interviews were conducted between March and June 2023 with 36 senior citizens from urban communities in Chongqing, Southwest China. Data were analyzed via inductive content analysis methods.

RESULTS

Through data analysis, 2 main categories concerning IA in older adults were identified: risk factors and protective factors. The risk factor categories include 5 individual factors (e.g., Internet as the major avenue for pursuing personal hobbies and interests, etc.), 3 family factors (e.g., household WIFI increasing the risk of prolonged Internet use indoors, etc.), 2 peer factors (e.g., peer recommendation and guidance as catalysts for intensified Internet engagement, etc.), 2 socio-environmental factors (e.g., the widespread daily Internet use spurs offline intolerance, etc.), and 3 Internet platform factors (e.g., the plenitude of online content triggers endless viewing/browsing behaviors, etc.). The category of protective factors encompasses 2 individual factors (e.g., a higher level of perceived risk regarding internet health hazards, etc.) and 2 family factors (e.g., more family commitment, etc.).

CONCLUSIONS

Older adults' Internet addictive behaviors are shaped by multiple and complex internal and external factors. A higher level of online health risk perception is a key protective factor to effectively avoid the occurrence and deterioration of IA among the aged, a distinct finding from this study. It is believed that the "individual-family-peer-community" synergy strategy is expected to become an essential direction for IA intervention for older adults, in order to promote healthy Internet use among older adults.

Does the Internet Moderate the Neighborhood Effect? Internet Use, Neighborhoods, and Mental Health among Older Adults in Shanghai

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.

Impact of Internet Use on Mental Health among Elderly Individuals: A Difference-in-Differences Study Based on 2016-2018 CFPS Data

The number of elderly Internet users has increased significantly in the past few years. However, the impact of Internet use on mental health remains unclear. In this study, we performed a difference-in-differences analysis using data from the 2016 and 2018 waves of the China Family Panel Studies (CFPS) to evaluate the impact of Internet usage on mental health among elderly individuals. A total of 5031 validated respondents were included to explore the relationship between Internet use and reduced levels of depression as well as improved life satisfaction among elderly individuals. The results showed that Internet use significantly reduced depression levels. Unexpectedly, Internet use was not found to improve life satisfaction. Moreover, discontinuing Internet use was not significantly associated with improvements in depression or life satisfaction. More research is needed to fully elucidate the relationship between Internet use and depression levels, as well as life satisfaction among elderly individuals.