Digital Technology Use in US Community-Dwelling Seniors With and Without Homebound Status

Objectives

To examine (1) the prevalence of digital technology use, including information and communication technology devices, everyday technology use, and digital health technology use among community-dwelling older adults with or without homebound status and (2) the associations of digital technology use with homebound status.

Design

Cross-sectional study.

Setting and Participants

We used the 2022 National Health and Aging Trends Study (NHATS) data that included 5510 community-dwelling older adults.

Methods

Digital technology use was assessed using self-reported outcomes of the technological environment component of the NHATS, including information and communication technology devices, everyday technology use, and digital health technology use. Homebound status was measured with 4 mobility-related questions regarding the frequency, independence, and difficulties of leaving home. Survey-weighted, binomial logistic regression was used to examine the associations of 17 technological-related outcomes and homebound status.

Results

Overall, the prevalence of homebound older adults was 5.2% (95% CI, 4.4%–6.1%), representing an estimated 2,516,403 people. The prevalence of digital technology use outcomes varied according to homebound status. The prevalence of any technology used in homebound, semi-homebound, and non-homebound populations was 88.5%, 93.3%, and 98.5%, respectively. Compared with non-homebound older adults, semi-homebound older adults had lower odds of emailing (OR, 0.71; 95% CI, 0.53–0.94), using the internet for any other reason (OR, 0.70; 95% CI, 0.49–0.99), visiting medical providers (OR, 0.68; 95% CI, 0.48–0.95), and handling insurance (OR, 0.75; 95% CI, 0.56–0.99); homebound older adults had lower odds of using a phone (OR, 0.41; 95% CI, 0.28–0.59), using any everyday technology (OR, 0.58; 95% CI, 0.38–0.89), visiting medical providers (OR, 0.52; 95% CI, 0.35–0.76), and handling insurance (OR, 0.57; 95% CI, 0.38–0.86).

Conclusions and Implications

Non-homebound older adults are more likely to use digital technology than those who are semi-homebound or homebound. Public health care providers should prioritize efforts to enhance digital inclusion to ensure that all older adults can benefit from the advantages of digital technology.