Old-age diversity is underrepresented in digital health research

Findings from the evaluation of a mobile phone system for post-operative progress monitoring in Sweden

Dados Bibliográficos

ID11201663
AutoresArianna Poli (0000-0002-6554-1559, Linköping University, autor correspondente), Susanne Kelfve (0000-0001-9369-1928, Linköping University), Katarina Berg (0000-0003-1917-9453, Linköping University), Andreas Motel-Klingebiel (0000-0001-8697-1876, Linköping University)
Ano2023
Volume43
Fascículo10
Páginas2264-2286
Data de publicação2023-10-01
Peer ReviewedSim
Open AccessSim
TipoARTICLE
PeriódicoAgeing and Society (JOURNAL)
Identificadores do periódicoISSN: 0144-686X • E-ISSN: 1469-1779
EditoraCambridge University Press (CUP) (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1017/s0144686x21001641
OpenAlexW3212096564
IdiomaEN
Citações recebidas5
Referências citadas46

Much research is conducted to evaluate digital-based solutions for health-care services, but little is known about how such evaluations acknowledge diversity in later life. This study helps fill this gap and analyses participation in the evaluation of a web-based mobile phone system for monitoring the post-operative progress of patients after day surgery. Participation is conceptualised as resulting from three processes: pre-screening, recruitment and self-selection. Based on field information and survey data, this study models (a) the (non-)participation in a sample of 498 individuals aged 60 and older that includes non-screened, non-recruited, decliners and participants in the evaluation, and (b) the individual decision to participate in a sample of 210 individuals aged 60 and older who were invited to take part in the evaluation. Increasing age enhances the likelihood of not being screened, not being recruited or declining the invitation. Those not recruited were most often ineligible because of technology-related barriers. Decliners and participants differed by age, gender, job, health status, digital skills, but not by social participation. Results suggest that highly specific groups of older people are more likely to be involved than others. Old-age diversity is not properly represented in digital health research, with implications for the inclusivity of new digital health technologies. This has implications for increased risks of old-age exclusion and exacerbation of social and digital inequalities in ageing societies

Digital divide · Diversity (politics) · Health care · Information and Communications Technology · Mobile phone · Political science · Sociology · Aging and Gerontology Research · Engineering · Medicine · Mobile Health and mHealth Applications · Psychology · Technology Use by Older Adults · Gerontology