ArticleDigital health
Factors influencing the online health knowledge communication gap among older adults: Evidence from TikTok on chronic diseases.
Article in Digital health. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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Abstract
Objective: To investigate the multidimensional factors influencing the health knowledge communication gap among older adults in China, within the context of TikTok-based chronic disease content dissemination. Methods: A sequential mixed-methods design was adopted. Qualitative interviews with 16 older adults were thematically analyzed to identify barriers to digital health communication and to inform questionnaire development. A cross-sectional survey of 407 older adults was then conducted. Psychometric evaluation included expert review, pilot testing, and exploratory factor analysis. K-means clustering identified heterogeneity in communication ability and guided confounder selection. Multiple linear regression assessed the independent contributions of cognitive and technical mastery, income level, attitude and needs, information characteristics, and social support, adjusting for key sociodemographic variables. Results: Cluster analysis revealed low, moderate, and high-ability groups with systematic differences in age, education, and residence. Regression analysis confirmed that all five dimensions significantly predicted older adults' health communication abilities. Information characteristics (β = 0.227) and cognitive level and technical mastery (β = 0.221) were the most influential factors, followed by personal attitude and needs (β = 0.211), income level (β = 0.164), and social support (β = 0.125). The integrated model explained 41.5% of the variance in communication ability, with acceptable multicollinearity levels. These patterns empirically support the complementary roles of structural, informational, and relational mechanisms. Conclusion: The study highlights that bridging the digital health communication gap among older adults requires addressing both structural and cognitive-social factors. By integrating behavioral, ecological, and social dimensions, the findings reveal that digital literacy, content design, and social support are essential for closing digital health communication gaps in aging populations.
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