ArticleJournal of medical Internet research2025
Impact of Internet Usage on Depression Among Older Adults: Comprehensive Study.
Article in Journal of medical Internet research, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 11 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
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Who cites it
11 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Association between digital smart device use and depression among older adults: systematic review and meta-analysis.BMC public health · 2026Pooled it
- Perspectives of French community-dwelling older adults on the use of digital services: a qualitative study based on interviews.BMC geriatrics · 2026Article
- Development of a machine learning-based screening model for the risk of depression among the elderly in China.BMC geriatrics · 2026Article
- Mobile internet use, physical exercise and depression levels: mediating mechanism and empirical evidence.Frontiers in public health · 2026Article
- Internet Use, Subjective Age, and Mental Health Among Middle-Aged and Older Adults in China: Pressured Versus Voluntary Internet Use.Depression and anxiety · 2026Article
- Mental health implications in the older adults of internet access in China.Frontiers in public health · 2026Article
- Digital Isolation and Depression Risk in Older Adults Using the National Health and Aging Trends Study Database: 8-Year Longitudinal Study.JMIR aging · 2025Article
- Internet Usage, Social Participation, and Depression Symptoms Among Middle-Aged and Older Adult Chinese Individuals Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Evidence From the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Observational Study.Journal of medical Internet research · 2025Observational
- Digitization and Active Aging: How Digital Finance Shapes the Mental Health of Empty-Nest Older Individuals.Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Article
- Digital literacy and its effects on older adults' health: exploring mechanisms and outcomes.Frontiers in public health · 2025Article
- Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
6 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundDepression is a widespread mental health issue affecting older adults globally, with substantial implications for their well-being. Although digital interventions have proven effective in high-income countries, research on the potential of internet usage to alleviate depression among older adults in high-income countries remains limited.
objectiveThis study aimed to examine the impact of internet usage on depression among older adults in high-income countries by developing a comprehensive theoretical framework and testing key hypotheses.
methodsUsing data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS), a 2-stage instrumental variable approach was applied to address endogeneity and estimate causal relationships between internet usage and depression.
resultsThe findings indicate that internet usage results in a 1.41% reduction in depression levels among older adults. This effect is mediated by four primary mechanisms: (1) enhanced social interaction, (2) increased physical activity, (3) improved intergenerational contact, and (4) expanded access to educational opportunities. A heterogeneity analysis revealed that these effects are more pronounced in urban areas, eastern regions, and regions with superior internet infrastructure.
conclusionsInternet usage plays a crucial role in alleviating depression among older adults in high-income countries, with regional variations. The findings highlight the need for targeted policy interventions to improve internet access and digital literacy, which can mitigate depression and enhance the mental health of older adults.
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Registered trials
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