Journal of Aging & Social Policy· 2026Q1
Living Arrangements and the Digital Divide Among Older Adults: Evidence from a Survey of Smartphone Use
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- 2026year
Short summary
Living with adult children increases older adults' odds of smartphone adoption by 18.1%, while living with a spouse boosts usage competence (coefficient 0.288), according to a 2018 survey of 4,236 Chinese adults.
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Key points
- Living with adult children increases the odds of smartphone adoption by 18.1% among older adults.
- Living with a spouse is positively associated with higher smartphone usage competence (coefficient 0.288).
- Spousal co-residence weakens the negative impact of personal disadvantages on usage competence.
- Co-residence with adult children can amplify the negative associations between personal disadvantages and usage competence.
AI-generated from the title and abstract; the full text is not read.
Abstract
Population aging has increased the demand for digital support in later-life care, yet many older adults remain excluded from smartphone-based services. Using a questionnaire survey and interviews with 4,236 older adults conducted in 2018 in Jiangxi Province, China, this study examines how living arrangements are associated with smartphone adoption and usage competence. The study found that co-residence with adult children was significantly positively associated with smartphone use, with the odds ratios of 18.1%, whereas spousal co-residence was positively associated with usage competence, reflected in a coefficient of 0.288. Additionally, spousal co-residence also weakened the negative associations between some personal disadvantages and usage competence, while co-residence with adult children tended to amplify these gaps. The analysis provides important insights for policymakers to formulate more pertinent policies to promote older adults to cross the digital divide.
The authors' abstract, as published at the source. Journal of Aging & Social Policy, 2026 · DOI ↗
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Field: Demography
DemographySocial Sciences