Adverse Impact of Digital Divide: How does the Digital Divide Exacerbate Health Disparities Among Older Adults?

With the rapid advancement of digitization, the digital divide among older adults has intensified, underscoring the urgent need to address this gap within older adult healthcare. Using data from the 2021 Chinese General Social Survey, this study investigates the impact of the digital divide on health disparities in this population. The findings demonstrate that the digital divide exacerbates both mental and physical health disparities, particularly among those with chronic conditions and individuals under 75 years old. Urban residence mitigates these adverse effects. Furthermore, the digital divide widens disparities in access to health information and the ability to use it effectively, thereby increasing physical and mental health disparities. It also constrains social participation and intensifies relative deprivation in physical and mental well-being. This study provides theoretical explanations for the link between the digital divide and health disparities, and it offers practical strategies to prevent the digital divide from worsening health disparities among older adults amid dual trends of digitization and population aging.