Association between internet usage and quality of life of elderly people in England: evidence from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA)

The WHO has stated that the number of senior citizens above age 65 across the world will double by the year 2050: in the UK, the whole population is projected to grow by about 2.5% over a decade, from mid-2018. Although people are living longer, they are not healthier in old age, and there is an increasing number of illnesses and disabilities in the ageing population, which have an impact on their overall well-being and quality of life (QoL). Alongside these trends, Internet technologies have improved and provide a wide range of information, including on medical and health issues. This study aimed to examine the association between the utilisation of the internet among older people in England and their QoL. This study utilised the English Longitudinal Study of Aging (ELSA), a longitudinal study of a representative sample of people aged 50 and over in England. The data from Wave 9 were analysed using bivariate analysis and logistic regression. The results show a strong association between QoL and utilisation of the Internet in older people, even when adjusting for demographic variables and health. Higher use of the internet was associated with older people being less likely to have higher QoL. The excessive use of the internet for communication and gathering information also contributed to lower QoL. From the findings, poorer QoL was also found in people in older age groups, in those who are married, and those who never suffer from chronic diseases. Our findings suggest that the quality of life in older people might not only be associated with the frequency of usage but also the purpose for which the internet is used; however, this relationship is complex and further research should explore this in greater depth. Further research should also investigate how older people’s use of the Internet changed during the COVID-19 pandemic and the effects of this on the QoL in older age.