IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/socmed/v348y2024ics0277953624002971.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Are digital technologies an effective inhibitor of depression among middle-aged and older adults? Micro-level evidence from a panel study

Author

Listed:
  • Zhang, Chonghui
  • Nie, Chenying
  • Su, Weihua
  • Balezentis, Tomas

Abstract

The increased number of middle-aged and older adults leads to depression in this stratum of the population as a topical social and public health issue. However, the new generation of information technologies has exerted a profound impact on the lives of middle-aged and older adults, and offers potential solutions for alleviating their depression. This study utilizes data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) collected between 2011 and 2018 and combines them with city-level traits. The results demonstrate that digital technology can reduce depression levels effectively in this group. Mechanism analysis reveals that digital technology could improve life satisfaction and subjective health status levels, which, in turn, reduces depression levels. Heterogeneity analysis shows that the positive effects of digital technology on depression were more pronounced among middle-aged and older adults with urban household registration compared to the rural population. Finally, recommendations are provided for reducing depression levels among middle-aged and older adults.

Suggested Citation

  • Zhang, Chonghui & Nie, Chenying & Su, Weihua & Balezentis, Tomas, 2024. "Are digital technologies an effective inhibitor of depression among middle-aged and older adults? Micro-level evidence from a panel study," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 348(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:socmed:v:348:y:2024:i:c:s0277953624002971
    DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2024.116853
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0277953624002971
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.socscimed.2024.116853?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Motoc, Irina & Hoogendijk, Emiel O. & Timmermans, Erik J. & Deeg, Dorly & Penninx, Brenda W.J.H. & Huisman, Martijn, 2023. "Social and physical neighbourhood characteristics and 10-year incidence of depression and anxiety in older adults: Results from the Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 327(C).
    2. Valeria Farriol-Baroni & Lorena González-García & Aina Luque-García & Silvia Postigo-Zegarra & Sergio Pérez-Ruiz, 2021. "Influence of Social Support and Subjective Well-Being on the Perceived Overall Health of the Elderly," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(10), pages 1-9, May.
    3. Haixiang Zhang & Jun Chen & Zhigang Li & Lei Liu, 2021. "Testing for Mediation Effect with Application to Human Microbiome Data," Statistics in Biosciences, Springer;International Chinese Statistical Association, vol. 13(2), pages 313-328, July.
    4. Tao Chen & Lu-lu Liu & Ji-fang Cui & Xiao-jing Qin & Hai-song Shi & Muireann Irish & Ya Wang, 2021. "Balanced Time Perspective and Life Satisfaction: The Mediating Role of “Temporal Negative Affect”," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 22(6), pages 2563-2574, August.
    5. Jing Liang & Yujia Shi & Mohammedhamid Osman & Bhawana Shrestha & Peigang Wang, 2020. "The Association between Social Integration and Utilization of Essential Public Health Services among Internal Migrants in China: A Multilevel Logistic Analysis," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(18), pages 1-14, September.
    6. Qinglan Liu & Adriana Hofmann Trevisan & Miying Yang & Janaina Mascarenhas, 2022. "A framework of digital technologies for the circular economy: Digital functions and mechanisms," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 31(5), pages 2171-2192, July.
    7. HUO, Peng & WANG, Luxin, 2022. "Digital economy and business investment efficiency: Inhibiting or facilitating?," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 63(C).
    8. Ross, Catherine E. & Mirowsky, John, 2006. "Sex differences in the effect of education on depression: Resource multiplication or resource substitution?," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 63(5), pages 1400-1413, September.
    9. M. Joseph Sirgy & Grace B. Yu & Dong-Jin Lee & Mohsen Joshanloo & Michael Bosnjak & Jinfeng Jiao & Ahmet Ekici & Eda Gurel Atay & Stephan Grzeskowiak, 2021. "The Dual Model of Materialism: Success Versus Happiness Materialism on Present and Future Life Satisfaction," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 16(1), pages 201-220, February.
    10. Sara Quach & Park Thaichon & Kelly D. Martin & Scott Weaven & Robert W. Palmatier, 2022. "Digital technologies: tensions in privacy and data," Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Springer, vol. 50(6), pages 1299-1323, November.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Torres, Jacqueline M. & Yahirun, Jenjira J. & Sheehan, Connor & Ma, Mingming & Sáenz, Joseph, 2021. "Adult child socio-economic status disadvantage and cognitive decline among older parents in Mexico," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 279(C).
    2. Lim, Chulmin & Rowsell, Joe & Kim, Seongcheol, 2023. "Exploring the killer domains to create new value: A Comparative case study of Canadian and Korean telcos," 32nd European Regional ITS Conference, Madrid 2023: Realising the digital decade in the European Union – Easier said than done? 277998, International Telecommunications Society (ITS).
    3. Xu, Chang & Jin, Long, 2024. "Effects of government digitalization on firm investment efficiency: Evidence from China," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 92(C), pages 819-834.
    4. Ahmad, Farhan & Bask, Anu & Laari, Sini & Robinson, Craig V., 2023. "Business management perspectives on the circular economy: Present state and future directions," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 187(C).
    5. Jiayang Kong & Mark Goh & Yu Cao, 2024. "Can Digital Economy Development Facilitate Corporate ESG Performance?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(10), pages 1-15, May.
    6. Gianmarco Bressanelli & Federico Adrodegari & Daniela C. A. Pigosso & Vinit Parida, 2022. "Towards the Smart Circular Economy Paradigm: A Definition, Conceptualization, and Research Agenda," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(9), pages 1-20, April.
    7. Freddy Marilahimbilu Mgiba & Thozama Mxotwa, 2024. "Communicating Banking Cyber-security Measures, Customer Ethical Concerns, Experience, and Loyalty Intentions: A Developing Economy’s Perspective," International Review of Management and Marketing, Econjournals, vol. 14(3), pages 123-135, May.
    8. Qingjun Zhao & Meijing Song & Hanrui Wang, 2022. "Voting with Your Feet: The Impact of Urban Public Health Service Accessibility on the Permanent Migration Intentions of Rural Migrants in China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(22), pages 1-20, November.
    9. Yuan, Sai & Zhou, Ran & Li, Mengna & Lv, Chengchao, 2023. "Investigating the influence of digital technology application on employee compensation," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 195(C).
    10. Javeed, Sohail Ahmad & Akram, Umair, 2024. "The factors behind block-chain technology that boost the circular economy: An organizational perspective," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 200(C).
    11. Pingkuo Liu & Jiahao Wu, 2023. "Game Analysis on Energy Enterprises’ Digital Transformation—Strategic Simulation for Guiding Role, Leading Role and Following Role," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(13), pages 1-33, June.
    12. John Ayo Olaghere & Henry Egbezien Inegbedion & Faith Ogheneriode Osiobe, 2023. "The Implications of Digitalization in Retail Service Delivery on Circular Economy in Nigeria: An Exploratory Case Study," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(17), pages 1-16, September.
    13. Kim, Yeolib & Kim, Seung Hyun & Peterson, Robert A. & Choi, Jeonghye, 2023. "Privacy concern and its consequences: A meta-analysis," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 196(C).
    14. Jennifer Karas Montez & Kaitlyn Barnes, 2016. "The Benefits of Educational Attainment for U.S. Adult Mortality: Are they Contingent on the Broader Environment?," Population Research and Policy Review, Springer;Southern Demographic Association (SDA), vol. 35(1), pages 73-100, February.
    15. Elliot M. Friedman & Elizabeth Teas, 2023. "Self-Rated Health and Mortality: Moderation by Purpose in Life," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(12), pages 1-14, June.
    16. HOROBEȚ Alexandra & MNOHOGHITNEI Irina & BELAȘCU Lucian & CROITORU Ionuț Marius, 2023. "Esg Reporting And Capital Market Investors: Insights From The Global Technology And Fintech Industries," Studies in Business and Economics, Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu, Faculty of Economic Sciences, vol. 18(2), pages 178-195, August.
    17. Mandemakers, Jornt J. & Monden, Christiaan W.S., 2010. "Does education buffer the impact of disability on psychological distress?," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 71(2), pages 288-297, July.
    18. Sze Yan Liu & Jennifer J Manly & Benjamin D Capistrant & M Maria Glymour, 2015. "Historical Differences in School Term Length and Measured Blood Pressure: Contributions to Persistent Racial Disparities among US-Born Adults," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 10(6), pages 1-13, June.
    19. Ziming Zhou & Yumeng Jiang & Haitao Wu & Fan Jiang & Zhiming Yu, 2022. "The Age of Mobility: Can Equalization of Public Health Services Alleviate the Poverty of Migrant Workers?," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(20), pages 1-18, October.
    20. Hannelore De Grande & Hadewijch Vandenheede & Patrick Deboosere, 2015. "Educational Inequalities in the Transition to Adulthood in Belgium: The Impact of Intergenerational Mobility on Young-Adult Mortality in 2001-2009," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 10(12), pages 1-18, December.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:socmed:v:348:y:2024:i:c:s0277953624002971. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/journaldescription.cws_home/315/description#description .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.