Older adults in the digital age in Latin America: Bridging the digital age divide

Abstract

In recent decades, countries across Latin America have entered a stage of sustained population ageing. In parallel, changes associated with the rise of the digital society have profoundly transformed the way in which people in the region interact with each other and with their governments. This paper examines the use and appropriation of digital technologies among older adults in the region. In particular, it describes the evolution of Internet use by older adults in the region, using data from national household surveys; examines the determinants of Internet use among older adults, considering variables such as sex, ethnicity, education level and rural/urban residence using logistic regression analysis; and, lastly, highlights policies and programmes that are being implemented to promote the inclusion of older adults through the use of digital technologies. country groups. The first group (seven countries) has relatively high levels of fertility (more than 3.3 children per woman) and an ageing index of less than 17 older adults for every 100 children under 15 years of age. These countries are in what ECLAC has termed the incipient stage of the demographic transition process. The second group consists of 15 countries with lower fertility rates (between 2.3 and 3 children per woman) and ageing indices that range between 19.8 and 31.9, which means they are at the moderate stage of the ageing process. The three countries in the third group are at a moderate-to-advanced stage of ageing, as their fertility rates vary between 1.7 and 2.5 children per woman and their ageing indices range from 32.8 to 51 older adults per 100 children under the age of 15 (five countries). The fourth and final group (three countries) is in the advanced stage of ageing, with lower levels of fertility (below the replacement rate) and ageing indices over 65 (ECLAC, 2007). 2 The World Health Organization (WHO) defines older adults as all persons aged 60 years or over in developing countries and, in developed countries, all persons aged 65 years old or over, taking into consideration life expectancy at birth, among other factors. However, each country is free to establish the age at which its population is considered older adult. This is the case with Costa Rica and Uruguay, which set 65 as the age at which a person starts to be considered an older adult. Stage Description Countries Incipient ageing Countries that have relatively high levels of fertility (over 3.3 children per woman) and an ageing index of less than 17 older adults for every 100 children under the age of 15 Belize, Bolivia (Plurinational State of), Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Nicaragua, Paraguay Moderate ageing Countries with lower fertility rates (between 2.3 and 3 children per woman) and ageing indices that range between 19.8 and 31.Saint Lucia, Suriname and Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of) Moderateto-advanced ageing Countries with fertility rates varying between 1.7 and 2.5 children per woman and ageing indices ranging from 32.8 to 51 older adults per 100 children under t...

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