BACKGROUND
South Korea is faced with the dual prospect of becoming a super-aged society amid ever increasing levels of digitalization. In this context, digital information level, which refers to individuals’ access to and ability to utilize the internet and associated information technologies and services has become an urgent concern for South Korea’s older adult population.
OBJECTIVE
This study aimed to investigate the effects of digital information level on life satisfaction among older adults in modern day Korea. The study focused specifically on the association between digital information level and life satisfaction, with specific reference to adults aged 65 years and above.
METHODS
This was a community-based panel study based upon raw panel data collected from 2019-2022. The relevant data were acquired through an interview format using a structured questionnaire across each of the four years. A representative sample was subsequently obtained via proportional stratified probability sampling. Analysis was performed using SPSS 25.0 software. Correlation between digital information level and life satisfaction was analyzed using Pearson correlation analysis; polynomial linear regression analysis was performed to examine the effects of digital information level on life satisfaction.
RESULTS
A total of 4,216 participants were assessed from 2019-2022. The mean digital access score was 27.4 in 2019, 24.4 in 2020, 44.4 in 2021, and 57.2 in 2022, showing an increasing trend over the years. The mean digital competency score was 37.6 in 2019, 39.9 in 2020, 46.1 in 2021, and 42.1 in 2022. The mean digital utilization score was 33.2 in 2019, 33.6 in 2020, 36.8 in 2021, and 62.3 in 2022. Life satisfaction was significantly positively correlated with digital access, digital competency, and digital utilization in all years. In 2019, participants’ life satisfaction score rose significantly by 0.15 with every one-point increase in digital competency (β=0.150, P <.001). It further rose by 0.035 (β=0.035, P =.006) in 2020, 0.030 (β=0.030, P <.001) in 2021, and 0.116 (β=0.116, P <.001) in 2022.
CONCLUSIONS
Digital information level was consistently positively correlated with life satisfaction in each year from 2019-2022. Of the three main elements considered, digital access, digital competency, and digital utilization, digital competency had the strongest impact by a significant degree. Digital information, income, and education level also had a significant effect on life satisfaction. While digital competency improved steadily from 2019 to 2022, it remains below 50% for Korea’s older adult population. Further efforts and novel adaptations are required to improve digital competency and subsequent life satisfaction among Korea’s older adult population.