Coming of (Old) Age in the Digital Age

ICT Usage and Non-Usage among Older Adults

Bibliographic Data

ID2642835
AuthorsBarbara Barbosa Neves (0000-0002-4490-4322, Universidade Tecnica de Lisboa, corresponding author), Fausto Amaro (0000-0002-9537-5408, Universidade Tecnica de Lisboa), Jaime Fonseca (0000-0003-2549-5823, University of Lisbon), Jaime R S Fonseca (0000-0001-9910-8553, Universidade Tecnica de Lisboa)
Year2013
Volume18
Issue2
Pages22-35
Publication date2013-05-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueSociological Research Online (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1360-7804 • E-ISSN: 1360-7804
PublisherSAGE Publications Inc (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.5153/sro.2998
OpenAlexW2120774710
LanguageEN
Citations received66
References cited30

Most developed countries are in the midst of two significant societal trends: the first is an aging population; the second is the uptake of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) by large segments of society. But research shows a strong association between age and the so-called digital divide: older adults are less likely to use ICT when compared to other age groups. If we consider the social affordances of the Internet and the online migration of several public and private services, the lack of access or of digital literacy might be increasing age-related inequality. Consequently, we studied adoption, usage, and non-usage of ICT (mobile phones, computers, and the Internet) by Portuguese older adults. For that, we surveyed a random stratified sample of 500 individuals over 64 years of age living in Lisbon. Of this sample, 77% owned a mobile phone, 13% used computers, and 10% used the Internet. The main reasons for non-usage were functional and attitudinal, rather than physical or associated with age. But usage of mobile phones and computers was predicted by age and education, whereas the usage of the Internet was only predicted by education. We followed up the survey with 10 qualitative interviews, using a mixed methods strategy. The qualitative data showed a general positive perception of ICT as well as the importance of family and intergenerational relationships for technology adoption and use

Affordance · Computer literacy · Digital divide · Digital Literacy · Information and Communications Technology · Internet privacy · Literacy · Mobile phone · Phone · Population · Portuguese · Sociology · Stratified sampling · Telecommunications · The Internet · World Wide Web · Computer Science · Demography · Medicine · Psychology · Retirement, Disability, and Employment · Sharing Economy and Platforms · Technology Use by Older Adults