SynthesisAge and ageing2026
What is known about digital literacy, digital inclusion and attitudes to digital health tools among older adults undergoing surgery? A systematic review and narrative synthesis.
Synthesis in Age and ageing, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
1 citing paper in PubMed.
- Exploring care adoption intention among older adults using XGBoost: a rural case in Anhui, China.Frontiers in public health · 2026Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
4 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundOlder adults, who are often living with frailty, multimorbidity and cognitive impairment, frequently present to perioperative services. Digital perioperative tools can be used to improve patient experience and outcomes. Little is known about digital literacy, inclusion and attitudes to digital tools, and barriers and facilitators to usage, in the perioperative setting for older surgical patients.
methodsMedline, Embase, CINAHL and Cochrane Library were searched from inception to February 2025. PRISMA guidelines were utilised and the study was registered on PROSPERO. Heterogeneity of study methods and reported outcomes precluded meta-analysis. Gough's Weight of Evidence Framework was used to assess quality of evidence.
resultsTwenty-four studies were included for narrative synthesis. No studies used a validated measure of digital literacy. Digital access was variably reported. Older adults were less likely than younger people to use the internet, wearable technology and telemedicine. Many studies excluded individuals without access to their own devices, limiting generalisability. Older adults expressed positivity about digital tools but did not universally prefer digital platforms. Barriers to engagement included digital exclusion, poor device usability and patient factors. Support through training or caregivers facilitated engagement.
conclusionDigital perioperative tools are increasingly available but there is a paucity of data on digital literacy, access and usage in the older surgical population. Studies frequently excluded those living with frailty, multimorbidity and cognitive or sensory impairments. Further research is needed to understand the needs, attitudes and digital health literacy of this population, to facilitate codesign of accessible, acceptable and effective perioperative digital health tools.
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Registered trials
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