Use of digital health technologies by older US adults

Use of digital health technologies by older US adults
JAMA Network Open; Cornelius A. James, MD; Tanima Basu, MS, MA; Brahmajee K. Nallamothu, MD, MPH; Jeffery T. Kullgren, MD, MPH, MS; 1/25
Older adults use various types of DHT [digital health technologies], and they use patient portals most often. Although some older adults have unique physical and cognitive needs that can affect the utility and usability of DHTs, in aggregate they share some predictors of DHT use with younger adults. Additionally, our study showed a statistically significant association between non-Hispanic Black race and ethnicity and DHT use. Various factors may contribute to this finding, including medical mistrust among Black patients leading to decreased engagement with the health system and increased reliance on DHTs. This study highlights the need to carefully consider the unique characteristics of older adults when developing and deploying DHTs to avoid worsening the digital divide.