JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

The advent of social media has significantly transformed the realm of health communication and the health-related actions of elderly individuals, therefore offering both obstacles and prospects for older folks to embrace eHealth developments.

Objective:

This study aims to investigate the correlation between social media and eHealth literacy in older individuals, as well as the factors that influence older persons' utilization of social media to enhance their eHealth literacy.

Methods:

Utilizing predetermined keywords and inclusion criteria, the researchers conducted a search on Scopus, Web of Science, and PubMed for English-language journal articles published from 2000 to 2024, following the PRISMA principles. Two separate reviewers conducted a cross-analysis of the chosen papers, and a third reviewer was specifically included to resolve any contradictions.

Results:

A total of 16 papers that satisfied the defined criteria were finally included. 7 papers evaluated the effect of social media on the eHealth literacy of older individuals. 3 articles assessed the influence of older adults' eHealth literacy on their social media usage, while 4 articles investigated the interaction between the two. The study found four theme dimensions that impact the utilization of social media by older individuals to enhance their eHealth literacy: (1) individual factors, including older adults’ inadequate digital skills (n=7) and age (n=3); (2) interpersonal factors, involving social support; (3) institutional/organizational factors, including misinformation on social media (n=7) and privacy and security (n=1); and (4) social factors, including social media penetration (n=8) and cultural norms and values (n=1).

Conclusions:

Social media and older adults’ eHealth literacy influence and interact with each other. Social media positively affects older adults’ eHealth literacy, and older adults’ eHealth literacy in turn affects older adults’ performance of health behaviors on social media. The review affirms that social media has a significant capacity to improve eHealth among older persons, and it is advisable to encourage the expanding usage of social media by older individuals to access health information and services in the next few years. In the context of eHealth literacy, it is imperative to place additional emphasis on digital literacy and critical health literacy among older persons when determining the content weighting.