Accepted for/Published in: Journal of Medical Internet Research
Date Submitted: Oct 14, 2025
Date Accepted: Mar 30, 2026
Digital Health Literacy, Technology Acceptance and Competency Among Adults Aged 65+: A cross-sectional study investigating differences between women and men
ABSTRACT
Background:
Digital health literacy (DHL) may have the potential to improve health among the elderly by improving access to health-related information as well as health care services.
Objective:
The aim of this study was to analyse the relationship between digital health literacy and technology commitment in adults aged 65 years and older, investigating possible gender differences.
Methods:
The analytical sample consisted of n = 1.824 individuals. Analysis included descriptive comparisons in terms of DHL, technology acceptance, competency and support and internet use. Multivariate regression models (GLMs) were applied in order to test the association between DHL and technology commitment, controlling for internet use as well as health-related and sociodemographic characteristics.
Results:
Male and female participants did not differ in terms of DHL, however, male subjects reported significant higher technology acceptance, higher technology competencies, but less support with regard to technology use. Within regression models, only higher technology acceptance, as well as support were significantly linked to greater digital health literacy. Subgroup analysis revealed that digital health literacy was only significantly associated with technology acceptance among men, but not women.
Conclusions:
According to the current results, digital health literacy is highly related to technology commitment. Gender differences should be taken into account when developing and evaluating appropriate interventions to improve digital health literacy by addressing acceptance of technologies and optimize support-infrastructures.
Citation
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