Impact of Smartphones on Self-Rated Health of Rural Older Adults Using the PSM Method

Smartphones equipped with the internet have made Smart Senior Care to be true, providing older adults with more efficient and targeted high-quality services. However, ageing rural populations tend to have low smartphone usage, limiting their ability to enjoy the convenience brought by technological advancements in the internet era. This study investigates the impact of smartphones on self-rated health (SRH) of older adults in rural areas. Using the rural elderly service survey data from Yueyang County, Hunan Province in 2022, the Logit model was used to explore the influencing factors of smartphone use among older adults in rural areas. Propensity Score Matching (PSM) was used to examine the potential effects of smartphones on older adults’ SRH, while also dealing with confounding factors. The results show that age, education, marital status, annual income, and number of children significantly influenced smartphone use among older adults in rural areas. Furthermore, controlling for the same confounding variables, smartphone use had a positive effect on SRH of older adults in rural areas, improving SRH of 6.4% of older adults. Theoretically, this study may enrich and expand the data acquisition methods and theoretical framework of health influence effect studies. Practically, this study may provide a basis for improving SRH of older adults in rural China and promoting the implementation of Smart Senior Care.