ArticleBMC geriatrics2021
Benefits and barriers: a qualitative study on online social participation among widowed older adults in Southwest China.
Article in BMC geriatrics, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 13 papers.
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Who cites it
13 citing papers in PubMed, 25 citations in OpenAlex.
- Between vulnerability and agency: inner dilemmas and adaptive self-reinvention among widowed older adults living alone in Southwestern China.BMC psychology · 2026Article
- Article
- Reframing ageing in place: perspectives from Chinese older people.BMC geriatrics · 2025Article
- The bidirectional relationship between social participation, social media use and depressive symptoms: a nationwide longitudinal study.BMC public health · 2025Article
- Developing the DigIQ: A measure of digital competence.PloS one · 2025Article
- Perceptions, opportunities and barriers of social engagement among the Chinese older adults: a qualitative study.BMC geriatrics · 2024Article
- Older adults' self-perception, technology anxiety, and intention to use digital public services.BMC public health · 2024Article
- Qualitative Bereavement Experiences and Support in Community-Dwelling Older Adults: A Scoping Review.Omega · 2024Article
- Perspectives on the popularization of smart senior care to meet the demands of older adults living alone in communities of Southwest China: A qualitative study.Frontiers in public health · 2023Article
- Hierarchical Linear Model of Internet Addiction and Associated Risk Factors in Chinese Adolescents: A Longitudinal Study.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2022Article
- Article
- Can leisure and entertainment lifestyle promote health among older people living alone in China?-A simultaneous equation approach.Frontiers in public health · 2022Article
- The relationship between real-life social support and Internet addiction among the elderly in China.Frontiers in public health · 2022Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
7 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundWith the development of digital media, online activities are increasingly becoming part of the daily life of older adults. Widowed older adults generally would face changes in social interactions and activities due to widowhood; thus, the importance of online participation may be more prominent in this population. However, a detailed evidence on the experiences of online social participation among widowed older adults is relatively sparse. This study aimed to explore widowed older adults' perceptions regarding online social participation in southwestern China.
methodsThis study adopted a qualitative approach. Semi-structured, in-depth individual interviews were conducted with 19 widowed older adults between September-December 2020. Thematic analysis was applied to analyse the data.
resultsTwo major themes, "benefits" and "barriers" were identified from the original data analysis. Subcategories concerning the theme "benefits" were "benefit perception (convenience, flexible time, supplementation)", "health promotion", "emotional comfort", and "social connection". Subcategories of "barriers" were "worries: personal economic loss", "concerns: security of digital device", "troubles: the diversity of online social participation", and "difficulties: using digital media".
conclusionsSocial participation of widowed older adults in southwestern China has begun to be integrated into the digital world; however, it remains at an early stage with the simple purpose of engagement. The older adults may face many challenges for online social participation. Although there are barriers and challenges in online social participation, widowed older adults can reap its benefits, which can be used as an important measure to facilitate a fulfilling life and successful ageing. There is no doubt that online social participation will become a trend within the foreseeable future. Family, friends and health care professionals should pay more attention to the needs of online social participation in widowed older adults and provide adequate support for them to achieve a meaningful life.
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