Aging in the digital era: analysing the mental health effects of internet use among geriatrics – a narrative review

Abstract

Introduction: The Internet has become an inseparable aspect of our daily lives, serving as a global method of communication, information acquisition, and entertainment. Given this scenario, where every segment of the demographic is engrossed in consistent and sustained internet usage, an assessment of the manner in which internet usage impacts the older populace becomes imperative. Accordingly, this narrative review aims to assess the impact of internet usage on the mental health of older individuals. Method: A computer database search of Embase, Scopus, and PubMed was carried out to identify studies revolving around internet or social media usage among elderly or older adults, with a focus on outcomes related to the effect of internet usage. A narrative synthesis was subsequently performed to summarise the findings. Results: 14 studies matched the inclusion criteria, of which four studies highlighted that internet usage, especially for social contact and entertainment, significantly increased the connection between older adults and society. Nine studies consistently indicate that a greater frequency of internet use for communication among the elderly can be associated with lower depression scores. However, using the internet for information access and financial management was found to be associated with a lower life satisfaction score or indicated no effect on depression scores. Many factors such as gender, age, education, geography, and purpose of internet access have a moderating effect on mental health and internet use. Conclusion: Internet usage appears to be connected with decreased social isolation and depression among the elderly. Future research should include a wider range of internet use goals, build a standardized scale for measuring internet usage, and conduct pilot studies to create more age-friendly electronic devices and smartphone applications.