Use of mobile phones, living arrangements and subjective well-being among older people: Evidence from a small survey in Japan

Background: After the COVID-19 pandemic, older people are increasingly expected to use information and communication technology to maintain social relationships and opportunities for social participation. Research Aim: This study examines how mobile phone use among community-dwelling older adults i...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Keishi Ebisawa, Qin Liu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: International Society for Gerontechnology 2025-03-01
Series:Gerontechnology
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Online Access:https://journal.gerontechnology.org/currentIssueContent.aspx?aid=3605
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Summary:Background: After the COVID-19 pandemic, older people are increasingly expected to use information and communication technology to maintain social relationships and opportunities for social participation. Research Aim: This study examines how mobile phone use among community-dwelling older adults is related to subjective well-being (SWB). In particular, this study analyzes both social connections through online means, focusing on the purpose of mobile phone use, and real-life connections, which are based on household composition and the residential location of children. Methods: A postal questionnaire survey was conducted in 2023 targeting residents aged 65 and over living in a city in Japan with a population structure similar to the national average. From a pool of individuals aged 65 and over, 804 participants were randomly selected through simple random sampling and received the survey. There were 280 valid respondents (valid response rate: 34.8%). Results: Multiple regression analysis revealed that the use of mobile phones for calls and map searches had a statistically positive relationship with subjective well-being (SWB). On the other hand, household composition and the residential location of children were not statistically significant. Conclusion: Among the purposes of use, ‘calls’ and ‘map searches’ were suggested to contribute to the improvement of subjective well-being among older adults.
ISSN:1569-1101
1569-111X