The Digital Divide and Cognitive Disparities Among Older Adults: Community-Based Cohort Study in China (Preprint)

• DOI: 10.2196/preprints.59684
• Publication Date: 2024-05-08T22:33:40Z
• Authors: Yumeng Li; Chen Liu; Jiaqing Sun; Junying Zhang; Xin Li; Zhanjun Zhang
• Keywords: Preprint; Population Ageing; Digital Divide

<sec> <title>BACKGROUND</title> The widespread adoption of information and communication technologies (ICTs) further deepens disparities in resource access, particularly among the aging population. However, relationship between these factors their resulting impact on cognitive abilities remains uncertain. </sec> <title>OBJECTIVE</title> This study aims to investigate potential digital divide individuals’ function its association with development reversion mild impairment (MCI). <title>METHODS</title> cohort used data from Beijing Aging Brain Rejuvenation (BABRI) applying a multistage cluster sampling design 2008 2020. was quantified by frequency using ICTs. Analysis covariance (ANCOVA), mixed linear models, Cox proportional hazards models were model multidomain cognition. <title>RESULTS</title> Among 10098 participants, nearly half (n=4941, 48.9%) faced divide, which associated worse performance processing speed (F&lt;sub&gt;10096&lt;/sub&gt;=10.67; &lt;i&gt;P&lt;/i&gt;&amp;lt;.001; effect size &lt;i&gt;r&lt;/i&gt;=0.42), rather than memory, executive function, language. indicated that physical mental health, combined educational occupational prestige, influenced resources they attained, ultimately caused divide. Moreover, longitudinal revealed older adults who successfully crossed during tracking process those had already done so prior showed significantly slower rates decline (B=–1.98, &lt;i&gt;P&lt;/i&gt;&amp;lt;.05; B=–2.62, &lt;i&gt;P&lt;/i&gt;&amp;lt;.01) general (B=3.50, B=3.13, &lt;i&gt;P&lt;/i&gt;&amp;lt;.01). Additionally, overcoming also lower risk developing MCI (hazard ratio [HR] 0.5, 95% CI 0.34-0.74; HR 0.43, 0.29-0.62) greater probability normal cognition (HR 6, 3.77-9.56; 9.22, 5.63-15.11). <title>CONCLUSIONS</title> Overcoming improved rate performance, reduced MCI, higher likelihood reverting