Digital technology use and depressive symptoms among older adults in Korea: beneficial for those who have fewer social interactions?

Abstract

Objectives

Our study examines the relationship between digital technology use and depressive symptoms among older Koreans and whether social interaction moderates the relationship.

Methods

The data were drawn from the 2017 Survey of Living Conditions and Welfare Needs of Korean Older Persons, a nationally representative survey. Digital technology use was measured by the number of digital functions that respondents perform with their electronic devices. Social interactions were measured by the frequencies of face-to-face and remote connections with friends or neighbors. Relationships were estimated with multiple regression analyses.

Results

Digital technology use was inversely associated with depressive symptoms even after adjusting for covariates including cognitive function. Both remote and face-to-face connections with friends or neighbors were associated with fewer depressive symptoms. An interaction between digital technology use and remote contact also was detected: the effect of digital technology use on depressive symptoms was more beneficial for older adults with infrequent remote contact with friends or neighbors than for those with frequent remote contact.

Conclusion

Findings suggest that digital technology use can reduce depressive symptoms of older adults, especially those who have fewer social interactions. Educating older adults to increase their digital literacy level and use of remote interactions may improve their psychological wellbeing, perhaps even during times of a viral pandemic.

Keywords:

• Digital technology use
• depressive symptoms
• social interaction

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Korea and the National Research Foundation of Korea [NRF-2018S1A5A2A01029136].