Exploring Why and How Long Older Adults Use the Internet

Abstract

Since the digital divide nowadays is witnessed not only in the internet access but also in the quality of internet use, the present study aimed to gain a better understanding of older adults’ internet use by examining the purposes and the approximate length of their stay on the internet. It also aimed to identify major factors explaining their internet use. To achieve these aims, we collected cross-sectional survey data from September 2022 to March 2023 in the United States. Survey participants included 185 adults who were aged between 65 and 97 years, the majority of whom identified themselves as White. According to the multiple regression analysis results, average survey participants used the internet less than three hours a week, and the most predominant purposes of their internet use were information searching and communication. Overall, survey participants who were younger, Black or African American, and who had a greater number of internet-enabled devices, as well as more community resources, used the internet for a longer time to achieve more diverse purposes than those who did not share these characteristics. These findings highlight the importance of personally available internet-enabled devices and community resources for active internet use among older adults.