Abstract
Objectives: This study aimed to determine whether use of certain types of online communication technology is associated with subsequent depressive symptoms. Design: Nationally representative, population-based prospective cohort. Setting: Data were obtained from the 2012 and 2014 waves of the Health and Retirement Study (HRS). Participants: 1,424 community-residing older adults (mean age, 64.8) in the United States. Measurements: We examined associations between use of four communication technologies (email, social networks, video chat, and instant messaging) in 2012 and depressive symptoms (eight-item Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression scale) at two-year follow-up. Results: 564 participants (39.6%) did not use any communication technologies, 314 (22.1%) used email only, and 255 (17.9%) used video chat (e.g., Skype). Compared to non-users (13.1%, 95% CI: 9.5-16.7%) or those who used only email (14.3%, 95% CI: 10.1-18.5%), users of video chat had approximately half the probability of depressive symptoms (6.9%, 95% CI: 3.5-10.3%, Wald Chi 2 test, Chi 2 (1) =13.82, p < 0.001; 7.6%, 95% CI: 3.6-11.6, Wald Chi 2 test, Chi 2 (1) =13.56, p < 0.001). Use of email, social media, and instant messaging were not associated with a lower risk of depression. Conclusions: Older adults who use video chat such as Skype, but not other common communication technologies, have a lower risk of developing depression.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 254-262 |
Number of pages | 9 |
Journal | American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry |
Volume | 27 |
Issue number | 3 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Mar 2019 |
Keywords
- Health and Retirement Survey
- aging
- communication technology
- computer-mediated communication
- depression
- major depressive disorder
- social interaction
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Geriatrics and Gerontology
- Psychiatry and Mental health