Older adults’ technology use and its association with health and depressive symptoms: Findings from the 2011 National Health and Aging Trends Study

BACKGROUND: Information and communication technology (ICT) provides older adults with access to information and resources that benefit their health. PURPOSE: To explore ICT use among older adults and examine the influence of information technology (IT), communication technology (CT), or ICT use on older adults’ self-rated health status and depressive symptoms. METHOD: A sample of community-dwelling Medicare beneficiaries aged 65 and older in the United States (N = 4,976) from the 2011 National Health and Aging Trends Study. FINDINGS: Older adults who embraced ICT and used this technology for a variety of purposes were more likely to report better health status, and were less likely to experience major depressive symptoms than nonusers. DISCUSSION: In accordance with the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act, nursing professional can play an important role by responding to older adults’ diverse technology preferences and effectively incorporating them into nursing practice.