(How) did self-rated health status shape Internet use among older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic in Germany?

Abstract

This study aims to shed light on health disparities in Internet use among older adults at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Using data from the 2020 German Ageing Survey short survey ( N = 2243), we examined the links between self-rated health (SRH, independent variable) and four Internet use purposes (dependent variables) that might have been particularly relevant for older adults with health limitations during the pandemic: online information search, maintaining social contacts, religious purposes, and consultations with doctors or therapists. Multivariate regression analyses revealed that older adults with poor SRH were more likely than those with good SRH to use the Internet for online consultations with doctors or therapists, whereas they were less likely to use the Internet to search for information and to maintain social contacts at least once per week. This hints to health-related inequalities in Internet use which merit further investigation.