Bridging Connectivity Issues in Digital Access and Literacy: Reflections on Empowering Vulnerable Older Adults in Singapore

Lim, Haikel A.; Lee, Joanne Sze Win; Lim, Meng Han; Teo, Lynn Pei Zhen; Sin, Siew Wen Natalene; Lim, Rou Wei; Chua, Si Min; Yeo, Jia Qi; Ngiam, Nerice Heng Wen; Tey, Angeline Jie-Yin; Tham, Celine Yi Xin; Ng, Kennedy Yao Yi; Low, Lian Leng; Tang, Kai Wen Aaron

doi:10.2196/34764

Cited by 5 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 20 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…The increase in the knowledge of smartphone use in older adults of lower SES who are digitally excluded seen from our study could be attributed to key elements of our program [ 38 ]. The home-based, one-to-one approach to digital learning allowed us to better contextualize the digital training to each older adult while being able to provide close mentoring and support—factors found in adult learning literature to encourage ICT learning [ 23 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…At the base level, older adults were taught the basic use of the phone, such as making calls and sending messages, before progressing to other social telecommunication platforms (eg, WhatsApp ) or entertainment platforms (eg, YouTube ). More digitally savvy older adults were taught advanced smartphone functions such as accessing government websites, making purchases, or paying bills on the web [ 24 ]. At the end of the program, older adults would be connected to existing formal and informal networks through platforms such as mobile communication apps.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Building Digital Literacy in Older Adults of Low Socioeconomic Status in Singapore (Project Wire Up): Nonrandomized Controlled Trial

Ngiam¹,

Yee²,

Teo³

et al. 2022

J Med Internet Res

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Background In a rapidly digitalizing world, the inability of older adults to leverage digital technology has been associated with weaker social connections and poorer health outcomes. Despite the widespread digital adoption in Singapore, older adults, especially those of lower socioeconomic status (SES), still face difficulties in adopting information and communications technology and are typically digitally excluded. Objective We aimed to examine the impact of the volunteer-led, one-on-one, and home-based digital literacy program on digital literacy and health-related outcomes such as self-reported loneliness, social connectedness, quality of life, and well-being for older adults of low SES. Methods A nonrandomized controlled study was carried out in Singapore between July 2020 and November 2021 involving 138 digitally excluded community-dwelling older adults aged ≥55 years and of lower SES. Older adults awaiting participation in the program served as controls. Older adults under the intervention were equipped with a smartphone and cellular data, underwent fortnightly to monthly digital literacy training with volunteers to learn digital skills, and digitally connected to their existing social networks. Primary outcome was the improvement in self-reported digital literacy. Secondary outcomes included improvements in University of California, Los Angeles 3-item loneliness scale, Lubben Social Network Scale-6, EQ-5D-3L and EQ visual analogue scale scores, and Personal Wellbeing Score. Results There were significant improvements in digital literacy scores in the intervention group as compared to controls (mean difference 2.28, 95% CI 1.37-3.20; P<.001). Through multiple linear regression analyses, this difference in digital literacy scores remained independently associated with group membership after adjusting for differences in baseline scores, age, gender, education, living arrangement, housing type, and baseline social connectivity and loneliness status. There was no statistically significant difference in University of California, Los Angeles 3-item loneliness scale, Lubben Social Network Scale-6, Personal Wellbeing Score, or EQ-5D Utility and visual analogue scale score. Conclusions This study adds to the growing research on digital inclusion by showing that a volunteer-led, one-on-one, and home-based digital literacy program contributed to increase digital literacy in older adults of low SES. Future studies should look into developing more older adult–friendly digital spaces and technology design to encourage continued digital adoption in older adults and, eventually, impact health-related outcomes.

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Building Digital Literacy in Older Adults of Low Socioeconomic Status in Singapore (Project Wire Up): Nonrandomized Controlled Trial

Ngiam¹,

Yee²,

Teo³

et al. 2022

J Med Internet Res

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Moreover, achieving even this degree of topical coverage involved great international breadth, with studies focused on Australia, India, Italy, Malaysia, Mexico, Portugal, Singapore, the United Kingdom, and the United States individually represented. Of these, nine recognized not only that quarantines incented ICT adoption by older adults, but also that many of these adopters were technology novices overcoming their resistance to adoption [7,8,30,33,51,52,[62][63][64]. These nine studies therefore explicitly or implicitly recognized the existence of those we refer to as QTIs.…”

Section: Characterization Of Quarantine Technology Initiates and Thei...mentioning

confidence: 98%

“…Sen et al [4], in their systematic review of digital technology usage by older adults from a well-being perspective, emphasize the importance of long-term, community-level educational efforts to safely equip older adults with new technologies (see also [62,74]). Ray [22], in his study of ICT adoption by older adults in response to COVID-19, suggested that poor usability hindered appropriate privacy practices.…”

Section: Characterization Of Quarantine Technology Initiates and Thei...mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, improved usability could lead to safer practices. Moreover, the role of government initiatives and community support, such as local libraries offering digital literacy training, has been recognized as valuable in these mitigation efforts [62,75]. In addition, certain risk mitigation strategies, such as the GDPR and Digital Single Market initiatives in the European Union, could be adapted to protect QTIs more effectively in other regions [8].…”

Section: Characterization Of Quarantine Technology Initiates and Thei...mentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Navigating Privacy and Data Safety: The Implications of Increased Online Activity among Older Adults Post-COVID-19 Induced Isolation

Alagood,

Prybutok,

Prybutok

2023

Information

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The COVID-19 pandemic spurred older adults to use information and communication technology (ICT) for maintaining connections and engagement during social distancing. This trend raises concerns about privacy and data safety for older individuals with limited technical knowledge who have adopted ICT reluctantly and may be distinct in their susceptibility to scams, fraud, and identity theft. This paper highlights the gap in the literature regarding the increased privacy and data security risks for older adults adopting technology due to isolation during the pandemic (referred to here as quarantine technology initiates (QTIs)). A literature search informed by healthcare experts explored the intersection of older adults, data privacy, online activity, and COVID-19. A thin and geographically diverse literature was found to consider the risk profile of QTIs with the same lens as for older adults who adopted ICT before or independent of COVID-19 quarantines. The mentioned strategies to mitigate privacy risks were broad, including education, transaction monitoring, and the application of international regulatory models, but were undistinguished from those for non-QTI older adults. Future research should pursue the hypothesis that the risk profile of QTIs may differ in character from that of other older adults, referencing by analogy the nuanced distinctions quantified in credit risk scoring. Such studies would examine the primary data on privacy and data safety implications of hesitant ICT adoption by older adults, using COVID-19 as a natural experiment to identify and evaluate this vulnerable group.

show abstract

The new role of nursing in digital inclusion: Reflections on smartphone use and willingness to increase digital skills among Chinese older adults

Zhang

Zhu

et al. 2022

Geriatric Nursing

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Bridging Connectivity Issues in Digital Access and Literacy: Reflections on Empowering Vulnerable Older Adults in Singapore

Cited by 5 publications

References 20 publications

Building Digital Literacy in Older Adults of Low Socioeconomic Status in Singapore (Project Wire Up): Nonrandomized Controlled Trial

Building Digital Literacy in Older Adults of Low Socioeconomic Status in Singapore (Project Wire Up): Nonrandomized Controlled Trial

Navigating Privacy and Data Safety: The Implications of Increased Online Activity among Older Adults Post-COVID-19 Induced Isolation

The new role of nursing in digital inclusion: Reflections on smartphone use and willingness to increase digital skills among Chinese older adults

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About