The Relationship between Internet Use and Population Health: A Cross-Sectional Survey in China

Abstract

Given the increasing use of the Internet in China, the relationship between Internet use and population health has been receiving increased academic attention. However, the current literature has not yet reached a unified conclusion; thus, further research is very necessary. This study used the 2018 China Family Panel Studies (CFPS) data to explore the relationship between Internet use and the health of the population and to evaluate the possible heterogeneity of the association between different groups and the mediation path. This study revealed that Internet use has a positive association with the subjective health of the population. The results of the heterogeneity analysis revealed that Internet use is more significantly associated with the health of non-agricultural workers and those with higher education levels than that of agricultural workers and those with lower education levels. Further analysis revealed that health behavior is an important mediator between Internet use and population health. These results remain robust even after using propensity score matching (PSM) to eliminate sample selection bias.

Associations between Mobile Internet Use and Self-Rated and Mental Health of the Chinese Population: Evidence from China Family Panel Studies 2020

“…According to the empirical results, mobile Internet use has a significant negative association with the self-rated health of the population. This result is inconsistent with the results of previous related studies [ 11 , 12 , 13 , 30 ]. The possible reasons for this may be, on the one hand, related to the selection of the data sample and the subjects of the study, and on the other hand, may be closely linked to the current state of development and the Internet environment in China.…”

“…According to the empirical results, mobile Internet use has a significant negative association with the self-rated health of the population. This result is inconsistent with the results of previous related studies [11][12][13]30]. The possible reasons for this may be, on the Note: K-nearest-neighbor matching uses "one-to-four" matching, K-nearest-neighbor caliper matching and radiusneighbor matching have a radius of 0.01, and the default values of kernel function and bandwidth are used in kernel matching.…”

“…Similarly, Zhao and Liu analyzed the impact of Internet use on older adults using 2015 CGSS data and found that Internet use significantly contributed to the physical and mental health of older adults [ 12 ]. Li and Ding [ 13 ], Yang and Gu [ 14 ], and Xu and Lai [ 15 ] also reported the positive impact of Internet use on the population’s health. However, other studies have reported contrasting results.…”

Does Internet Use Impact the Health Status of Middle-Aged and Older Populations? Evidence from China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS)

“…The results revealed that Internet use had a significant effect on self-assessed health and chronic disease status in the middle-aged and older population. Compared with the middle-aged and older population who did not use the Internet, those who used the Internet rated themselves as having better health and a lower prevalence of chronic diseases, which is similar to the findings of other studies [ 22 , 24 , 44 ]. Compared with self-assessed health, Internet use had a more significant effect on the chronic disease status of the middle-aged and older population.…”

The Impact of Internet Use on the Happiness of Chinese Civil Servants: A Mediation Analysis Based on Self-Rated Health

“…Hou’s study found positive effects of Internet use on people’s self-rated physical health, objective physical health and mental health [ 46 ]. Li believes that Internet use can help with health improvement and self-assessment of chronic disease conditions [ 47 , 48 , 49 , 50 ]. Secondly, the use of the Internet is not conducive to health [ 51 ].…”