Internet use and loneliness among older Chinese adults

Abstract

Objectives

This study examined the association between Internet use and loneliness among Chinese older adults (aged 60+) over a two-year period using nationally representative survey data from China.

Methods

Using data from the 2016 and 2018 waves of the China Longitudinal Ageing Social Survey (N = 8,059), we estimated difference-in-differences regression models to assess the association between Internet use and levels of loneliness over time.

Results

Compared to Internet non-users, Chinese older adults who were new Internet users, as well as those who were continuous Internet users, reported lower levels of loneliness over time (B = −0.21, p < 0.001 and B = −0.16, p < 0.001, respectively). Conversely, those Chinese older adults who used the Internet in wave 1 but then disengaged from using the Internet in wave 2 demonstrated an upward trend in loneliness over time, similar to Internet non-users (the estimate of difference-in-differences was non-significant for the comparison between disengaged-users and non-users: B = −0.03, p = 0.42).

Conclusion

This study provided new evidence to support the potential benefits of Internet use for reducing the risk of loneliness among Chinese older adults. The findings suggested that supporting current Internet users to remain digitally engaged is as important as encouraging Internet non-users to cross the digital divide.

Keywords:

• Emotional well-being
• digital disengagement
• digital divide
• difference-in-differences
• CLASS

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank the Population Development Studies Center and Institute of Gerontology at Renmin University of China for providing the data

Disclosure statement

The authors have no conflict of interest to declare.

Additional information

Funding

The author(s) reported there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.