Digital Health Technology Use Among Older Adults: Exploring the Impact of Frailty on Utilization, Purpose, and Satisfaction in Korea

Abstract

Background The importance of digital technology is increasing among older adults. In this study, the digital health technology utilization status, purpose, and satisfaction of older adults were investigated according to frailty. Methods A face-to-face survey was conducted among adults aged 65 years or older. Frailty was defined using the Korean version of the fatigue, resistance, ambulation, illnesses, and loss of weight scale. Results A total of 505 participants completed the survey, with 153 (30.3%) identified as pre-frail or frail and 352 (69.7%) as healthy. All respondents used smartphones; 440 (87.1%) were application users, and 290 (57.4%) were healthcare application users. Wearable devices were used by only 36 patients (7.1%). Pre-frail or frail respondents used social media more frequently than healthy respondents (19.4% vs. 7.4%, P < 0.001). Among the respondents, 319 (63.2%) were not able to install or delete the application themselves, and 277 (54.9%) stated that the application was recommended by their children (or partner). Pre-frail and frail respondents used more healthcare applications to obtain health information ( P = 0.002) and were less satisfied with wearable devices ( P = 0.02). Conclusion The usage rate of digital devices, including mobile phones among older adults in Korea is high, whereas that of wearable devices is low. There was a notable difference in the services used by pre-frail and frail respondents compared to healthy respondents. Therefore, when developing digital devices for pre-frail and frail older adults, it is crucial to incorporate customized services that meet their unique needs, particularly those services that they frequently use.

Factors associated with social participation among community-dwelling frail older adults in Japan: a cross-sectional study

“…In this study, telephone and e-mail were used as examples of indirect contact, with cell phones and smartphones often serving as tools for these communications. However, a previous study showed that while 80% of older adults use smartphones, usage of specific services like e-mail and messenger varies greatly, suggesting individual differences in proficiency [ 25 ]. This means that while those with high proficiency could leverage smartphones for indirect interaction, those with low proficiency may have struggled, potentially affecting our study results.…”