Smartphone ownership, digital literacy, and the mediating role of social connectedness and loneliness in improving the wellbeing of community-dwelling older adults of low socio-economic status in Singapore

Introduction: During the COVID-19 pandemic, safe-distancing measures resulted in many community-dwelling older adults being socially isolated and lonely, with its attending negative impact on wellbeing and quality of life. While digital technology may have mitigated this, older adults of low socioeconomic status (SES) are more likely to be digitally excluded and hence susceptible to the adverse effects of social isolation and loneliness. This study aims to understand the factors that affect digital literacy, smartphone ownership, and willingness to participate in a digital literacy program (DLP), and to test the hypothesized relations between digital literacy, social connectedness, loneliness, wellbeing, and quality of life amongst community dwelling older adults of low SES. Materials and methods: A questionnaire assessing digital literacy, social connectedness, wellbeing and quality of life was administered. Socio-demographic variables, pre-existing internet-enabled, and willingness to participate in a home-based DLP was also collected. Logistic regression was used to identify demographic factors associated with digital literacy, smartphone ownership, and willingness to enroll in a DLP. Serial mediation analysis was also performed using a structural equation model framework. Results: A total of 302 participants were recruited. Female gender, older age, lower education levels were associated with lower digital literacy. Those who owned a smartphone tended to be younger and better educated. Older adults who were better educated, of Chinese descent (the ethnic majority in Singapore), and who had lower digital literacy, were most willing to enroll in the digital literacy education program. Social-use digital literacy had a positive indirect effect on well-being (b^=0.037,95%CI=[0.007,0.101]) and Quality of life (b^=0.004,95%CI=[0.001,0.010]), mediated by social connectedness and loneliness. In contrast, instrumental-use digital literacy had a negative indirect effect on well-being (b^=−0.030,95%CI=[−0.080,−0.008]) and Quality of life (b^=−0.003,95%CI=[−0.008,−0.001]), mediated by social connectedness and loneliness. Discussion: The results suggest there are demographic barriers to participation in DLPs and highlight the benefit of focusing on enhancing social-use digital literacy. Further study is needed to evaluate how well specific interventions to improve social-use digital literacy help to reduce social isolation and loneliness, and ultimately improve wellbeing and quality of life.