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The Digital Divide and Active Aging in China

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  • Lingchen Liu

    (School of Statistics, Shanxi University of Finance and Economics, Taiyuan 030006, China
    Center for Population and Development Policy Studies, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China
    Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA)

  • Fan Wu

    (School of Statistics, Shanxi University of Finance and Economics, Taiyuan 030006, China)

  • Huiying Tong

    (School of Statistics, Shanxi University of Finance and Economics, Taiyuan 030006, China)

  • Cuihong Hao

    (School of Statistics, Shanxi University of Finance and Economics, Taiyuan 030006, China)

  • Tingting Xie

    (School of Economics, Peking University, 5 Summer Palace Road Street, Beijing 100871, China)

Abstract

With the rapid development of society, especially the advent of intelligent technology of life services, the ability of the elderly to adapt to modern digital life is getting weaker and weaker, the dilemma of the “digital divide” for the elderly has aroused heated public debate. In the era of aging and information superposition, in-depth study of the multi-dimensional impact of the digital divide on the elderly has become an effective content of China’s active aging strategy. Based on the micro-data of the Chinese General Social Survey in 2017, this paper uses the entropy right method to construct the digital divide index system for the elderly over 60 years of age from the perspective of essential equipment, Internet utilization degree, and Basic Internet usage skills. At the same time, this paper constructs China’s comprehensive index of active aging from three aspects: health, social participation, and guarantee of the elderly, to study the impact of the digital divide on China’s active aging. The following conclusions have been drawn: the digital divide among the elderly significantly inhibits China’s active aging. The digital divide reduces the level of physical and mental health and social participation of older persons and inhibits the level of guarantee of older persons, thus impeding their active aging. In addition, it also reduces the overall life satisfaction of the elderly. The use of the Internet, skills, and other digital technology abilities of the elderly have effectively promoted active aging. The more Internet access devices older people have, the higher their level of social participation. The higher the Internet frequency of the elderly, the healthier the body and mind. Furthermore, the greater the level of physical and mental health and social participation of older groups who use online payments. The digital divide among the elderly inhibits the process of China’s active aging, and the unique course and stage characteristics of the development of the aging of the Chinese population require us to pay full attention to the relationship between the digital divide and active aging and how to construct a “digital-friendly” aging system is an essential issue for China’s social development to consider.

Suggested Citation

  • Lingchen Liu & Fan Wu & Huiying Tong & Cuihong Hao & Tingting Xie, 2021. "The Digital Divide and Active Aging in China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(23), pages 1-14, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:23:p:12675-:d:692747
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Lili Li & Yiwu Zeng & Zhonggen Zhang & Changluan Fu, 2020. "The Impact of Internet Use on Health Outcomes of Rural Adults: Evidence from China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(18), pages 1-14, September.
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    2. Hayet Kerras & María Francisca Rosique Contreras & Susana Bautista & María Dolores de-Miguel Gómez, 2022. "Is the Rural Population Caught in the Whirlwind of the Digital Divide?," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 12(12), pages 1-23, November.
    3. Joana Bernardo & João Apóstolo & Ricardo Loureiro & Elaine Santana & Nilufer Korkmaz Yaylagul & Carina Dantas & Filipa Ventura & Filipa Margarida Duque & Nina Jøranson & Minna Zechner & Willeke van St, 2022. "eHealth Platforms to Promote Autonomous Life and Active Aging: A Scoping Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(23), pages 1-20, November.
    4. Alicia Murciano-Hueso & Antonio-Víctor Martín-García & Ana Paula Cardoso, 2022. "Technology and Quality of Life of Older People in Times of COVID: A Qualitative Study on Their Changed Digital Profile," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(16), pages 1-15, August.
    5. Wang, Jianqiu & Yin, Zhichao & Jiang, Jialing, 2023. "The effect of the digital divide on household consumption in China," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 87(C).
    6. Xiao Shen & Jingbo Liang & Jiangning Cao & Zhengwen Wang, 2022. "How Population Aging Affects Industrial Structure Upgrading: Evidence from China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(23), pages 1-23, December.
    7. Patricio Ramírez-Correa & Elizabeth Grandón & Jorge Arenas-Gaitán & Javier Rondán-Cataluña & Muriel Ramírez-Santana, 2022. "Acceptance of Social Networking Sites by Older People before and after COVID-19 Confinement: A Repeated Cross-Sectional Study in Chile, Using the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB)," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(20), pages 1-11, October.

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