Technology obsolescence across the adult lifespan in a USA internet sample

Abstract

We know that older adults are less likely to own certain technological devices, such as smartphones, a technology now integral to telehealth. However, for those older adults who do own devices, we know very little about how their devices may differ from those of younger adults. The age of a device can determine the types of programs it can run, as well as the level of protection it has against malicious code. The following study is an attempt to understand the ages of devices owned by different demographic groups. An electronic survey was sent to American adults from ages 19–97, querying the types of devices they own, how old those devices are, when they plan on replacing them, and demographic information. Regression models were employed to determine the factors that predict device ownership and the age of the devices owned. We replicate the finding that older adults are less likely to own certain devices, like smartphones and laptops. However, they may be more likely to own more dated devices, such as non-smart mobile phones. Models of device age showed that older adults are more likely to own older smartphones, as well as older desktop and laptop computers. Thus, older adults may be more susceptible to hacking, due to obsolete technology. In some cases, they also may not have devices modern enough for technology-based health interventions. Thus, obsolete devices may present an additional barrier for adoption of technology-based interventions by older adults.