Research and analysis

Understanding digital engagement in later life

A University of Manchester report on use of the internet and digital technologies among older people and its relationship to wellbeing.

Documents

Key findings - Understanding digital engagement in later life

Request an accessible format.
If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of this document in a more accessible format, please email enquiries@dcms.gov.uk. Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.

Full report - Understanding digital engagement in later life

Request an accessible format.
If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of this document in a more accessible format, please email enquiries@dcms.gov.uk. Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.

Details

This report is focussed on examining factors that relate to older people’s use of digital technologies. It concentrates on those aged 50 or older, and examines within this group how age, gender, socioeconomic position and where people live influences:

  • access to the internet
  • frequency of internet use
  • where they use the internet
  • types of devices they use
  • what they use the internet for

It begins with a review of existing literature and then moves on to analyse data from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA) (Steptoe et al. 2013).

Published 29 January 2016