How digital economy shapes older adult care services: evidence from China

BackgroundIn the context of an aging society and the burgeoning development of the silver economy, enhancing older adult care services has emerged as a pivotal concern. The technological advancements and industrial shifts driven by the digital economy have provided a novel solution to this challenge...

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Main Authors: Qingyang Bian, Zihe Kong, Jiangming Kong
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-07-01
Series:Frontiers in Public Health
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2025.1610952/full
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author Qingyang Bian
Zihe Kong
Jiangming Kong
author_facet Qingyang Bian
Zihe Kong
Jiangming Kong
author_sort Qingyang Bian
collection DOAJ
description BackgroundIn the context of an aging society and the burgeoning development of the silver economy, enhancing older adult care services has emerged as a pivotal concern. The technological advancements and industrial shifts driven by the digital economy have provided a novel solution to this challenge. Besides, social organizations, as institutionalized networks of social relations, are important providers of social support for older adult people.MethodsDrawing on panel data from 30 provinces in China over the period from 2013 to 2023, this paper empirically investigates the impact mechanism through which the digital economy affects older adult care services.ResultsIt is found that the digital economy can enhance the quality of older adult care services, primarily by boosting innovation in older adult care-related corporations and driving the development of the older adult care industry (industrial agglomeration and increase in output value). Meanwhile, the positive impact of the digital economy on older adult care services is further strengthened by the social support provided by social organizations. Additionally, the digital economy can also facilitate the improvement of older adult care services in neighboring provinces to a certain extent through spatial spillover effects.ConclusionThe findings of this paper offer policy insights and confidence for accurately understanding the relationship between the digital economy and older adult care services, and for effectively enhancing older adult care services through the development of the digital economy and the improvement of social governance.
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spelling doaj-art-e1ee65d26d834ecba3a597eb08df90c82025-08-20T03:28:26ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Public Health2296-25652025-07-011310.3389/fpubh.2025.16109521610952How digital economy shapes older adult care services: evidence from ChinaQingyang Bian0Zihe Kong1Jiangming Kong2School of Public Affairs, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, ChinaSchool of Public Affairs, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, ChinaJinhua Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Jinhua, ChinaBackgroundIn the context of an aging society and the burgeoning development of the silver economy, enhancing older adult care services has emerged as a pivotal concern. The technological advancements and industrial shifts driven by the digital economy have provided a novel solution to this challenge. Besides, social organizations, as institutionalized networks of social relations, are important providers of social support for older adult people.MethodsDrawing on panel data from 30 provinces in China over the period from 2013 to 2023, this paper empirically investigates the impact mechanism through which the digital economy affects older adult care services.ResultsIt is found that the digital economy can enhance the quality of older adult care services, primarily by boosting innovation in older adult care-related corporations and driving the development of the older adult care industry (industrial agglomeration and increase in output value). Meanwhile, the positive impact of the digital economy on older adult care services is further strengthened by the social support provided by social organizations. Additionally, the digital economy can also facilitate the improvement of older adult care services in neighboring provinces to a certain extent through spatial spillover effects.ConclusionThe findings of this paper offer policy insights and confidence for accurately understanding the relationship between the digital economy and older adult care services, and for effectively enhancing older adult care services through the development of the digital economy and the improvement of social governance.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2025.1610952/fulldigital economyolder adult care servicetechnological innovationolder adult care industrysocial supportsocial governance
spellingShingle Qingyang Bian
Zihe Kong
Jiangming Kong
How digital economy shapes older adult care services: evidence from China
Frontiers in Public Health
digital economy
older adult care service
technological innovation
older adult care industry
social support
social governance
title How digital economy shapes older adult care services: evidence from China
title_full How digital economy shapes older adult care services: evidence from China
title_fullStr How digital economy shapes older adult care services: evidence from China
title_full_unstemmed How digital economy shapes older adult care services: evidence from China
title_short How digital economy shapes older adult care services: evidence from China
title_sort how digital economy shapes older adult care services evidence from china
topic digital economy
older adult care service
technological innovation
older adult care industry
social support
social governance
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2025.1610952/full
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