Abstract
The growth of older adults in new regions poses challenges for public health. We know that these seniors live increasingly alone, and this impairs their health and general wellbeing. Studies suggest that social networking sites (SNS) can reduce isolation, improve social participation, and increase autonomy. However, there is a lack of knowledge about the characteristics of older adult users of SNS in these new territories. Without this information, it is not possible to improve the adoption of SNS in this population. Based on decision trees, this study analyzes how the elderly users of various SNS in Chile are like. For this purpose, a segmentation of the different groups of elderly users of social networks was constructed, and the most discriminating variables concerning the use of these applications were classified. The results highlight the existence of considerable differences between the various social networks analyzed in their use and characterization. Educational level is the most discriminating variable, and gender influences the types of SNS use. In general, it is observed that the higher the educational level, the more the different social networking sites are used.
Highlights
The behavior of older adults is increasingly important in our society, but the knowledge we have about it is limited
We present the five analyzes made for the five social networking sites (SNS) used in the study (YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and WhatsApp)
Given that the empirical analysis is conducted in Chile, the practical implications of these results will help both to establish differentiated lines of action in the field of public health for the promotion of the use of SNS in elderly adults, and to generate teaching methodologies in information and communication technologies (ICT) adjusted to each detected segment
Summary
The behavior of older adults is increasingly important in our society, but the knowledge we have about it is limited. The group of people over 65 is growing faster than any other age segment. Demographic data indicates that elderly adults live increasingly alone and without the company of their close relatives [1]. This situation of isolation causes depression problems and, an impairment in the general health and wellbeing of this age group. All these trends pose new challenges for public health, and especially in regions where this fact is recent
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