While most seniors aged 65 to 79 in South Korea use smartphones, over half of them are unable to install or delete applications (apps) by themselves. (Image courtesy of Kobiz Media)
SEOUL, Jan. 17 (Korea Bizwire) — A recent study has revealed that while most seniors aged 65 to 79 in South Korea use smartphones, over half of them are unable to install or delete applications (apps) by themselves.
The research, conducted by a team from the Department of Geriatric Medicine and the Department of Family Medicine at Bundang Seoul National University Hospital, involved a survey of 505 elderly individuals.
The study aimed to analyze the use of digital healthcare technologies, such as health management apps on smartphones, and the degree of frailty among the participants.
Frailty was assessed using a Korean frailty questionnaire, which included questions about fatigue, existing illnesses, and weight loss. Out of the 505 participants, 153 (30.3%) were identified as being frail or pre-frail, while the rest were considered healthy.
According to the survey, all respondents used smartphones, and 433 (85.7%) of them used the internet on their devices. The most commonly used functions included searching, reading news, and using messenger services.
While a high proportion of respondents, 440 (87.1%), used apps, many admitted to lacking the skills to manage them independently, with 319 (63.2%) respondents reporting that they could not install or delete apps themselves, while more than half, 277 (54.9%), relied on spouses, cohabitants, or children to install apps.
Regarding health-related app usage, 290 (57.4%) of the respondents used them, primarily for measuring physical activity (90.7%), acquiring health information (34.5%), collecting and analyzing physical signs (18.6%), and nutrition management (7.6%).
A notable difference emerged in the use of health apps for acquiring health information between frail and healthy seniors. The survey data showed that 49.3% of frail or pre-frail seniors used health apps for this purpose, compared to 29.5% among healthy seniors.
The researchers emphasized the significance of this study as the first comprehensive examination of the use and purpose of digital healthcare technologies among the elderly, considering their frailty status.
The findings of this study were published in the ‘Journal of Korean Medical Science’ (JKMS), a journal issued by the Korean Medical Association.
M. H. Lee (mhlee@koreabizwire.com)
