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Mobile Phone Use by the Elderly: Relationship between Usability, Social Activity, and the Environment

Author

Listed:
  • Juan Carlos Briede-Westermeyer

    (Department of Engineering Design, Universidad Técnica Federico Santa Maria, Avenida España 1680, 8320000 Valparaíso, Chile)

  • Bélgica Pacheco-Blanco

    (Department of Engineering Projects, Universitat Politècnica de València, Camino de Vera, s/n, E-46022 Valencia, Spain)

  • Marianela Luzardo-Briceño

    (Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana seccional Bucaramanga, Km. 7 vía a Piedecuesta, 681011 Floridablanca, Santander, Colombia)

  • Cristhian Pérez-Villalobos

    (Department of Medical Education, Universidad de Concepción, Janequeo 151, 4070386 Concepción, Chile)

Abstract

Mobile phones have caused diverging opinions regarding the change in communication patterns and the isolation among young people. However, in the case of the elderly, there are positive effects related to their use, their social activity, and their environmental awareness. This study connects these three variables beginning with the mobile telephone use by the elderly. A sample of 399 self-reliant elderly people was interviewed in Chile, where 159 had mobile phones. They answered the Usefulness, Satisfaction and Ease of Use Questionnaire (USE) and a series of questions about the environment and social life developed from previous studies. The results were analyzed using a multiple correspondence and correlation analysis. A high correlation between the three variables was found. Hence, a higher usability of mobile phones was associated with higher social activity and a higher environmental concern. These results showed that a design approach for the elderly could increase satisfaction regarding the use of a product and, as a result, improve communication with their social setting. From an environmental point of view, an indirect relationship was seen between the selection, use, and expectations of the end of life of the products.

Suggested Citation

  • Juan Carlos Briede-Westermeyer & Bélgica Pacheco-Blanco & Marianela Luzardo-Briceño & Cristhian Pérez-Villalobos, 2020. "Mobile Phone Use by the Elderly: Relationship between Usability, Social Activity, and the Environment," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(7), pages 1-14, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:12:y:2020:i:7:p:2690-:d:338638
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Peine, Alexander & Rollwagen, Ingo & Neven, Louis, 2014. "The rise of the “innosumer”—Rethinking older technology users," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 82(C), pages 199-214.
    2. Bélgica Pacheco-Blanco & Mónica Martínez-Gómez & Daniel Collado-Ruiz & Salvador F. Capuz-Rizo, 2018. "Sustainable Information in Shoe Purchase Decisions: Relevance of Data Based on Source," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(4), pages 1-15, April.
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    Cited by:

    1. Ting Huang & Chengmin Zhou & Xin Luo & Jake Kaner, 2022. "Study of Ageing in Complex Interface Interaction Tasks: Based on Combined Eye-Movement and HRV Bioinformatic Feedback," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(24), pages 1-12, December.
    2. Yongchuan Li & Salwa Hanim Abdul-Rashid & Raja Ariffin Raja Ghazilla, 2022. "Design Methods for the Elderly in Web of Science, Scopus, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure Databases: A Scientometric Analysis in CiteSpace," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(5), pages 1-18, February.
    3. Elizabeth Wianto & Elty Sarvia & Chien-Hsu Chen, 2021. "Authoritative Parents and Dominant Children as the Center of Communication for Sustainable Healthy Aging," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(6), pages 1-18, March.
    4. Blanka Klimova & Lukas Sanda, 2021. "A Novel Educational Smartphone Application for Cognitively Healthy Seniors: A Pilot Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(12), pages 1-13, June.

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