Social Participation in Relation to Technology Use and Social Deprivation: A Mixed Methods Study Among Older People with and without Dementia

Abstract

Social participation is a modifiable determinant for health and wellbeing among older people; however, social participation is increasingly dependent on technology use. This study investigated social participation in relation to Everyday Technology use and social deprivation of the living environment, among older people with and without dementia in the United Kingdom. Sixty-four people with dementia and sixty-four people without dementia were interviewed using standardized questionnaires: The Participation in ACTivities and Places OUTside Home Questionnaire and Everyday Technology Use Questionnaire. A mixed methods approach integrated statistical analyses and content analysis of free-text responses, through data visualizations. Small, statistically significant associations were found between social participation and Everyday Technology use outside home, for participants with dementia (Rs = 0.247; p = 0.049) and without dementia (Rs = 0.343; p = 0.006). A small, statistically significant association was identified between social participation and social deprivation in the living environment, among only participants with dementia (Rs = 0.267, p = 0.033). The content analysis and graphical joint display revealed motivators, considerations that require extra attention, and strategies for managing social participation. The results underline how Everyday Technology use can be assistive to social participation but also the need to consider social deprivation of the living environment, especially among people with dementia.

Accessing public space in the digital society: relationship between the use of everyday technology and places visited outside the home after acquired brain injury

“…In the total sample, the use of more ET was at a medium level (r s ¼0.41) significantly correlated to a higher number of places visited. These results confirm, in similarity to studies of older people with cognitive impairments [5,38,39], the importance of the use of ET for out-of-home participation. Consequently, it can be argued from a justice perspective [3,4] that recognizing ET in and related to public space is important in providing equal opportunities for daily activities and participation in the digitalized society.…”

“…Consequently, particularly participants in the MD/SD group may face unequal possibilities to out-of-home participation or injustices [13] due to the design of the society and societal services. This implies, similarly with previous research of people with ABI in working age [40] and of older persons with cognitive impairment [5, 39,41], that the relationship between ET use and visits to places outside the home only is evident in those with difficulties in the use of ET or in those using fewer ETs. Research has also showed that the GR group has an ability to use ET that is on level with healthy controls [22,40].…”

“…Evaluation of the relationships between ET use and the four different domains of places clearly shows that among participants with MD/SD, places in domains A and D (i.e., places for purchasing, administration and self-care and places of recreation and Similarly, in a study [39] evaluating the correlation between social participation (domains C and D) and ET use outside home among older people with and without dementia, findings showed a statistically significant correlation for both groups regarding social participation in domain D and ET use outside home. However, no significant correlations were identified between social participation in domain C and ET use outside home [39]. This is in line with the present study where places in domains B and C were not significantly related to ET use.…”

The Effects of Technological Interventions on Social Participation of Community-Dwelling Older Adults with and without Dementia: A Systematic Review

“…According to Dröes et al [ 89 ], personal and disease-related factors, social environment factors, and physical environment factors can impede or enhance their social participation. Similarly, the findings of Gaber et al [ 90 ] suggest that contextual factors, such as characteristics of the physical and social environment, need to be considered when enhancing the social participation of people living with dementia. Further research should focus on identifying factors of technological interventions that facilitate social participation in older adults and, particularly, in older adults with dementia.…”

The Decision-Making Process and the Construction of Online Sociality through the Digital Storytelling Methodology

“…The decision-making process, which follows a strong emotional experience that has been seen by the teachers individually and collectively involved in the group activity, will also be monitored. This study aims to add value to the themes already developed, as it builds on the 2.0 evolution of DST and experiments with this practice within the online teaching field and in the initial training of teachers [23]. The examination of DST, which was launched in recent years, can be enriched through the inclusion of cognitive and social psychology components linked to participation and the construction of learning communities.…”