With the rapid aging of the population, an estimated 6.07 million older adults in the United States were living with Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias (ADRD) in 2020. While treatments for ADRD remain limited, information and communication technology (ICT) use has emerged as a potential tool to stimulate and promote cognitive functioning among older adults. However, no studies have systematically examined the effects of different aspects of ICT use—access, frequency, and breadth—on cognitive functioning in a comprehensive manner. This study addresses this gap by analyzing data from 1,509 participants aged 65 and older with normal cognitive functioning, drawn from the Health and Retirement Study. ICT use was assessed across three dimensions: access, use frequency, and use breadth. Multiple linear regressions were conducted to examine the associations between these aspects of ICT use and cognitive functioning, controlling for age, gender, race/ethnicity, education, and baseline cognition. Results revealed that ICT access (B = 1.41, p < .001), use frequency (B = 0.24, p < .001), and use breadth (B = 0.36, p < .001) were all positively associated with cognitive functioning. These findings provide a nuanced understanding of the relationship between ICT use and cognitive health, highlighting the potential of ICT as a tool to prevent cognitive decline. The study underscores the need for more ICT training programs tailored to older adults, which could not only preserve cognitive functioning but also enhance overall well-being in an aging population.

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Exploring the Associations Between ICT Access, Frequency, Breadth, and Cognitive Functioning in Older Adults

  • Yanjun Dong,
  • Charles Johnson,
  • Kun Wang

摘要

With the rapid aging of the population, an estimated 6.07 million older adults in the United States were living with Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias (ADRD) in 2020. While treatments for ADRD remain limited, information and communication technology (ICT) use has emerged as a potential tool to stimulate and promote cognitive functioning among older adults. However, no studies have systematically examined the effects of different aspects of ICT use—access, frequency, and breadth—on cognitive functioning in a comprehensive manner. This study addresses this gap by analyzing data from 1,509 participants aged 65 and older with normal cognitive functioning, drawn from the Health and Retirement Study. ICT use was assessed across three dimensions: access, use frequency, and use breadth. Multiple linear regressions were conducted to examine the associations between these aspects of ICT use and cognitive functioning, controlling for age, gender, race/ethnicity, education, and baseline cognition. Results revealed that ICT access (B = 1.41, p < .001), use frequency (B = 0.24, p < .001), and use breadth (B = 0.36, p < .001) were all positively associated with cognitive functioning. These findings provide a nuanced understanding of the relationship between ICT use and cognitive health, highlighting the potential of ICT as a tool to prevent cognitive decline. The study underscores the need for more ICT training programs tailored to older adults, which could not only preserve cognitive functioning but also enhance overall well-being in an aging population.