Does technology matter? Effects of technology use on health literacy in older adults

This study explored the healthy aging process by: (a) examining the selected
demographics of older adults in South Florida; (b) examining technology use of older adults in
South Florida; (c) examining the health literacy levels of older adults in South Florida; and (d)
determining whether a relationship exists between older adults living in South Florida use of
technology and their health literacy levels. Variables explored included health literacy,
education, ethnicity, and technology use.
The sample study included 102 older adults (age > 60) living in South Florida that had
completed profiles on the South Florida Quality Aging Registry, a part of the Healthy Aging
Research Initiative (HARI). The ethnicities of the participants among the South Florida Quality
Aging Registry were African American (17%); Afro Caribbean (7.8%); Hispanic (10.7%); and
European American (63.7%). The education mean was 15, indicating that the majority of
participants had an education level equivalent to completing high school. The mean health
literacy score was 3.88, demonstrating that the majority of the participants had moderate levels
of health literacy. The mean technology use score was 7.5 on a scale of one through ten,
indicating that the majority of the participants had a moderate level of technology use. Analysis
of variance, correlation coefficients, and multiple regression analysis was used to explore the
variables that may influence health literacy.