JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

The number of older adults with vision impairment (VI) is growing. As healthcare services increasingly incorporate patients’ use of technology, it is important to examine Interent/HIT use among older adults with VI.

Objective:

To examine: (1) rates of Internet/HIT use among older adults with VI compared to a matched sample of their peers without VI; (2) associations between VI and Internet/HIT use; and (3) association of HIT use with psychological distress, assessed with the Kessler-6 Screen.

Methods:

Data came from the 2013-2018 U.S. National Health Internview Survey. Older adults (age 65+) with self-reported VI were matched with older adults without VI, one-to-one, based on age, gender, number of chronic medical conditions, and functional limitation (N=2,866). Descriptive statistics and multivariable logistic and linear regression models, with sociodemographic factors, health conditions, health insurance type, and healthcare service use as covariates, were used to examine the research questions.

Results:

3.3% of older adults (compared to 0.8% of those aged 18-64) reported VI, and 26% of them were aged 85+. Those with VI were significantly more socioeconomically disadvantaged than those without VI and less likely to use the Internet (AOR=0.64, 95% CI=0.49-0.83) and HIT (AOR=0.74, 95% CI=0.56-0.97). However, among Internet users, VI was not associated with HIT use. VI was associated with psychological distress but HIT use was not.

Conclusions:

Older adults with VI who do not know how to use the Internet/HIT but want to learn should be provided instruction, and those who cannot afford Internet service need financial assistance to insure continuous connectivity.