Internet Use and Cognitive Functioning in Later Life: Focus on Asymmetric Effects and Contextual Factors

Abstract

Despite the emerging literature linking information communicative technology (ICT) use and cognitive functioning in later life, whether the association varies as a function of social environment and birth cohort remain an open question. Using nine waves of panel data from the U.S. Health and Retirement Study (2002-2018), we examined within-person asymmetric effects of transitioning into and out of Internet use on cognitive functioning, and whether the associations vary depending on living arrangement and across birth cohorts. Results from the multilevel models indicated that transitioning into Internet use was associated with improved cognitive functioning at a given wave and decelerated cognitive decline over time. Similarly, ceasing to use the Internet was associated with worse cognitive functioning and accelerated cognitive decline. Further, such linkages between Internet use and cognitive functioning were moderated by living arrangement and birth cohort. The detrimental effect of ceasing Internet use was worse for those older adults who live alone. Transitioning into and out of Internet use was unrelated to changes in cognitive functioning among recent HRS cohorts, namely, the War Babies (b:1942-47) and Early Baby Boomers (b:1948-53). These findings highlight the interplay between technology, social environment, and cognitive functioning in later life. The salubrious effects of adopting an ICT technology, such as the Internet, as well as deleterious effects of ceasing to use such technology, underscores the importance of promoting digital literacy and access to ICT technologies among the older adult population.

Older Adults With Functional Limitations and Their Use of Telehealth During COVID-19

“…As such, our weighted results are generalizable to an even more specific subset of Medicare beneficiaries who were 70 years and older in 2020 (b.1950 or earlier), who were physically and cognitively able to complete a comprehensive survey. Lifetime exposure to and adoption of technology differ greatly by birth cohorts (Cotten, 2021; Kim & Han, 2021), and whether the association between the extent of functional limitations and the use of telehealth services remain consistent for the younger cohorts needs to be explored in future research. We further note that our study likely overestimated the proportion of older adults who have access to a computer because we included cellphone ownership as one of the indicators for computer access.…”