Digital literacy, work participation, and active aging: evidence on older adults’ employment and well-being in China

Abstract

Introduction: Population aging and rapid digital transformation are fundamentally reshaping the relationships between work participation, health, and well-being in later life. As digital technologies increasingly mediate access to employment opportunities, social resources, and public services, digital literacy has emerged as a critical socio-technical determinant of active aging. Methods: Drawing on nationally representative data from the China Family Panel Studies (CFPS), this study examines how digital literacy influences employment participation among older adults in the context of an aging society, from a public health and life-course perspective. Results: The results indicate that higher levels of digital literacy are significantly associated with a higher likelihood of employment among older adults. A multidimensional analysis further reveals substantial heterogeneity across digital literacy components: while digital awareness and digital application skills exert positive and distinct effects on employment, digital access alone does not translate into meaningful labor market benefits. Notably, digital application skills exhibit the largest marginal effect, underscoring the importance of advanced, functional digital literacy rather than basic connectivity. The mechanism analysis identifies three interrelated pathways through which digital literacy shapes older adults’ employment outcomes: improving attitudes toward aging, strengthening social capital, and alleviating the burden of grandchild care. Significant heterogeneity is also observed across digital literacy types, gender, educational attainment, and urban–rural contexts. Discussion: By interacting with psychological well-being, social participation, and family responsibilities, digital literacy serves to reorganize the opportunity structures for work participation in later life. This study positions digital literacy not merely as a technical skill but as a key system-level enabler of work participation, active aging, and social well-being. Consequently, integrating digital literacy development into labor market policies, public health strategies, and social welfare systems is essential for fostering more inclusive, healthy, and sustainable aging trajectories.