How do digital inclusive programs promote healthy aging: The case of Hong Kong

TL;DR

This paper explores how digital inclusion programs in Hong Kong help older adults age healthily by improving their access to and use of technology.

Contribution

The study identifies specific aspects of digital inclusiveness programs that contribute to healthy aging among older adults in Hong Kong.

Findings

Most programs focused on teaching strategic skills like telehealth and cognitive training.

Programs significantly enhanced health management and social service utilization among older adults.

Older adults primarily use smart technologies for communication, with limited use in other life domains.

Abstract

Metropolises worldwide have adopted community-based support for older adults to foster digital inclusiveness, thereby facilitating their well-being and societal engagement. Hong Kong ranks seventh on the IMD Digital Competitiveness Index in 2024. The government has been funding community-based digital support targeting older adults since early 2010. This study content-analysed 39 digital inclusiveness programs for older adults between 2013 and 2025 under five key government schemes. We coded their content by the digital divide levels, social and intermediary determinants of health, and aspects of healthy aging they affected. Our findings show that 20.5% of the programs enhanced material access through renting or lending smart devices to older adults; 59.0% facilitated device operation skills, 84.6% taught strategic skills (e.g., telehealth, cognitive training), and 35.9% exposed older adults to devices beyond smartphones including wearable health devices and aerial cameras. These programs fostered health management (20.5%) and social service utilization (15.4%), thereby enhanced healthy aging domains including health and cognition (33.3%), psychological and spiritual well-being (25.6%), and community engagement (17.9%). Another survey of our team with 491 participants aged 60 or older found older adults use smart technologies for only 3.1 life domains (‘communication’ (82.7%), ‘economics’ (13.2%), and ‘daily practical’ (12.2%)); usage variety is constrained by their age and education. As device ownership among older adults had peaked in most metropolises post-pandemic, the digital divide shifted to be one related to the extensiveness and flexibility of usage. Our findings will illuminate areas of technology usage that require additional input for enhancing digital inclusiveness.