Social Inequalities in Internet Use, Digital Skills, and Health Literacy Among Older Caregivers

TL;DR

Older caregivers have lower digital skills and health literacy compared to non-caregivers, highlighting social inequalities in technology and health access.

Contribution

This study identifies socioeconomic and caregiving status as key predictors of digital and health literacy disparities in older adults.

Findings

Informal caregivers reported lower digital skills and less frequent Internet use than non-caregivers.

Older adults with higher financial security and education levels showed better health and digital literacy.

Caregivers were more likely to need help interpreting healthcare instructions, indicating lower health literacy.

Abstract

Little is known about social inequalities in older adults’ digital skills and Internet use, which may also interact with health literacy.

The issue is assessed with the ninth wave of the quantitative cross-sectional panel data from the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE). Data were analyzed using a Chi-squared test, and regression models were adjusted for demographic factors focusing on inequalities in Internet use, digital skills, and health literacy among older adults with and without informal care tasks.

Informal caregivers reported lower digital skills (63% vs. 56%, p < 0.001) and were less likely to use the Internet in the past week (40% vs. 35%, p < 0.001) than non-caregivers. Informal caregivers were also more likely to constantly than never need help interpreting written instructions from healthcare (Odds ratio [OR]=2.03, 95% Confidence Interval [CI]=1.12 to 3.67), indicating lower health literacy than non-caregivers. However, older adults who were easily making ends meet reported higher health literacy (93% vs. 65%, p < 0.001) or more likely good to excellent digital skills (56% vs .19% p < 0.001) than those who were less financially secure. Conversely, older adults who were easily making ends meet (OR 2.06, 95% CI 1.75 to 2.43) and those with high education levels (OR 3.04, 95% CI 2.72 to 3.40) were most likely to use the Internet in the past week.

Higher socioeconomic and non-caregiver status may predict better outcomes in Internet use, digital skills, and health literacy, emphasizing the need to address social inequalities.