Uso de smartphones, dependência digital e saúde física e mental em idosos de comunidade: uma pesquisa de base populacional

Abstract

Studies have shown the influence of mobile technology and internet use on the health of different age groups. However, few studies investigating digital addiction in older adults have been conducted. Aimed evaluate the use of mobile technology (cell phones and smartphones), level of digital addiction, and association of these factors with physical, mental and social health and quality of life in community-dwelling older adults. A cross-sectional, observational, population-based study of community-dwelling elderly from a low-income city in the interior of Brazil was carried out. Sociodemographic questionnaires and scales assessing cognition (MMSE), mental health (DASS-21), quality of life (WHOQOL-bref), sleep quality (Pittsburgh Index), instrumental activities of daily living - IADL (Lawton), loneliness (UCLA), digital addiction (Internet Addiction Test) and cell phone/smartphone use were applied. A total of 668 older adults (93.6% of city´s elderly population) were included. Regarding technology use, 175 elderly (26.2%) had a cell phone, 172 (25.7%) a smartphone and 321 (48.1%) had no mobile devices. The individuals who had smartphones were younger, had lower income, were predominantly white, had higher MMSE scores, were less dependent for IADL, had better quality of life on psychological and environment domains and greater social support. However, no differences were observed for depression, anxiety or stress symptoms, nor for sleep disturbances or loneliness. Digital addiction was correlated with hours of cell phone use, poorer sleep quality, and better quality of life on physical and environment domains. Hours of use was correlated with lower stress symptoms and worse quality life on social domains, whereas greater importance of the smartphone in life correlated with less depressive symptoms and lower loneliness. Results showed that elderly smartphone users had better health outcomes than the other groups assessed. Digital addiction was correlated with hours of cell phone use, poorer sleep quality, and better quality of life on both physical and environment domains. These findings serve to further our understanding on technology use in this age group.