Social Isolation, Cognitive Function, and Depression Among Chinese Older Adults: Examining Internet Use as a Predictor and a Moderator

Frontiers in Public Health

article

Yunjun Li¹  Xiao Bai²  Honglin Chen³ 

[1] Department of Social Work, The Chinese University of Hong Kong;Greater Bay Area International Institute for Innovations, Shenzhen University;Faculty of Social Sciences and Business Studies, University of Eastern Finland;Department of Social Work, Fudan University

关键词: Internet use;    social isolation;    older adults;    cognitive function;    depression;   

DOI  :  10.3389/fpubh.2022.809713

学科分类：社会科学、人文和艺术（综合）

来源: Frontiers

【 摘 要 】

Objectives Despite the theoretical and practical interest in Internet use among older adults, evidence examining the impacts of Internet use on late-in-life health is limited. This study examines how Internet use affects depression and cognitive function in older adults and investigates if Internet use moderates the relationship between social isolation and depression/cognitive function. Method We performed regression analyses using data came from the second wave of the China Longitudinal Aging Social Survey of 2016. Our final sample featured 8,835 older adults. Results The results show 11.4% of Chinese older adults often used the Internet to engage in at least one activity. Internet use was negatively associated with depression, but it was positively related to cognitive function. Socially isolated older adults were more likely to have more depressive symptoms and higher level of cognitive function. There was also an interaction effect between Internet use and social isolation on depression/cognitive function. The negative effect of social isolation was stronger for older adults who used the Internet less. The moderating effect of Internet use was significant for both males and females. However, among those who used the Internet more, the depression levels of socially isolated male participants were much lower than female participants. Conclusions Our results reveal the importance of considering Internet use in buffering the negative effects of social isolation and the associated health burdens for aging populations. Recommendations for service practice and future research are discussed.

【 授权许可】

CC BY