Internet usage and the prospective risk of dementia: A population‐based cohort study

Abstract

Background Little is known about the long‐term cognitive impact of internet usage among older adults. This research characterized the association between various measures of internet usage and dementia. Methods We followed dementia‐free adults aged 50–64.9 for a maximum of 17.1 (median = 7.9) years using the Health and Retirement Study. The association between time‐to‐dementia and baseline internet usage was examined using cause‐specific Cox models, adjusting for delayed entry and covariates. We also examined the interaction between internet usage and education, race‐ethnicity, sex, and generation. Furthermore, we examined whether the risk of dementia varies by the cumulative period of regular internet usage to see if starting or continuing usage in old age modulates subsequent risk. Finally, we examined the association between the risk of dementia and daily hours of usage. Analyses were conducted from September 2021 to November 2022. Results In 18,154 adults, regular internet usage was associated with approximately half the risk of dementia compared to non‐regular usage, CHR (cause‐specific hazard ratio) = 0.57, 95% CI = 0.46–0.71. The association was maintained after adjustments for self‐selection into baseline usage (CHR = 0.54, 95% CI = 0.41–0.72) and signs of cognitive decline at the baseline (CHR = 0.62, 95% CI = 0.46–0.85). The difference in risk between regular and non‐regular users did not vary by educational attainment, race‐ethnicity, sex, and generation. In addition, additional periods of regular usage were associated with significantly reduced dementia risk, CHR = 0.80, 95% CI = 0.68–0.95. However, estimates for daily hours of usage suggested a U‐shaped relationship with dementia incidence. The lowest risk was observed among adults with 0.1–2 h of usage, though estimates were non‐significant due to small sample sizes. Conclusions Regular internet users experienced approximately half the risk of dementia than non‐regular users. Being a regular internet user for longer periods in late adulthood was associated with delayed cognitive impairment, although further evidence is needed on potential adverse effects of excessive usage.

Age-related differences in the evaluation of highly arousing language.

“…For example, because older adults are online less than young adults (Perrin & Atske, 2021), online research volunteers may become less representative of the general population with increased age (Turner et al, 2020). In particular, older adults who use the internet regularly may be cognitively healthier (Cho et al, 2023), as well as more educated (MacDonald & Hülür, 2021) than those who do not. In the current sample, the proportion of ethnic minorities decreased with increasing age.…”

Regular Internet Users across the Italian Regions

“…Their research is pivotal in understanding how digital platforms can both enable access to information and facilitate the spread of misinformation, posing challenges to informed citizenship and democratic processes. Cho, Betensky, & Chang (2023) present a groundbreaking study on the potential link between internet usage and dementia risk. By examining this correlation within a population-based cohort, their findings contribute to the ongoing debate about digital technology's cognitive impacts, offering insights that could influence future recommendations for healthy internet use practices.…”

The quality of information provided by the most popular dementia videos on TikTok

“…The worldwide action plan by the WHO regarding the public health response to dementia specifies the domain of public health as a priority action area, increasing dementia awareness and friendliness as well as support for dementia carers ( 2 ). Technological advancements may help to sustain cognitive function ( 4 ) or redefine effective aging at home for people with dementia by granting them continued autonomy and independence while also relieving relatives and caregivers ( 5 ). Social media platforms have the potential to make significant contributions to health communication and promotion as well as the potential to drive greater engagement with dementia research ( 6 , 7 ).…”