Resumen de Association of Internet Use Frequency and Purpose with Subjective Well-Being in Japanese Older Adults: A Cross-Sectional Exploratory Study from the Chofu-Digital-Choju Project

Tsubasa Nakada, Kayo Kurotani, Satoshi Seino, Takako Kozawa, Shinichi Murota, Miki Eto, Junko Shimasawa, Yumiko Shimizu, Shinobu Tsurugano, Fuminori Katsukawa, Kazunori Sakamoto, Hironori Washizaki, Yo Ishigaki, Maki Sakamoto, Keiki Takadama, Keiji Yanai, Osamu Matsuo, Chiyoko Kameue, Hitomi Suzuki, Kazunori Ohkawara

• The association between patterns of internet use for older adults’ well-being is unclear. We examined the association between the frequency and purpose of internet use and subjective well-being in older Japanese adults. We analyzed cross-sectional data from 2343 community-dwelling older adults (aged 65–84 years). Subjective well-being was measured using the World Health Organization Well-Being Index as a continuous score, and internet use was categorized by frequency and purpose. Hierarchical linear regression analysis was controlled for sociodemographic and health-related covariates. After full adjustment, only daily (B = 1.04, 95% CI [0.53, 1.56]) and dual-purpose use (i.e., for both practical and social communication purposes; B = 0.80, 95% CI [0.28, 1.31]) were independently associated with higher well-being. The analysis of the combined patterns further suggested that daily use was the primary factor. For older adults, regularity of internet use was more strongly associated with well-being than diversity of purpose. Daily integration appears to be a key factor for realizing benefits, suggesting that sustained practice is the foundational step in building the digital capital necessary for a flourishing later life. Longitudinal studies are needed to confirm these findings and untangle the causal relationship between sustained internet use and improved well-being among older adults.