New Research: Internet Can Ease Depression Among Elderly

Posted by Shana Glickfield on 10-15-2009 in Home, News and Blog Clips

The Phoenix Center hosted an event today to discuss their new policy paper, which finds that Internet use makes a positive contribution to the mental well-being of America’s seniors. The FCC’s John Horrigan began the event with a short discussion of where we stand with broadband adoption. He has found in his research, both with the FCC and before that with Pew Internet, that broadband adoption is unevenly distributed among age demographics, with seniors falling below the national average. Horrigan believes it is critical to help with broadband adoption in this demographic not only for the reasons that the paper finds, but because the costs of digital exclusion are substantial and growing.

The author of Internet Use and Depression Among the Elderly is Dr. George Ford, Chief Economist for the Phoenix Center. Using a dataset of 7,000 elderly retired persons, Dr. Ford rated well-being in relation to Internet use, considering several variables including education, income and marital status. The research indicates that Internet use leads to about a 20% reduction in depression classification in this group. Dr. Ford noted that since depression is estimated to cost the U.S. about $100 billion annually, Internet use also offers substantial collateral economic benefits.

There were several advocacy organizations representing seniors in attendance at the event to weigh in on the findings. The National Council of the Aged found Dr. Ford’s connection of Internet communications helping reduce loneliness and thereby reducing depression to be consistent with their findings. AARP was excited about the research since they are increasingly moving their communications and information into online formats and need to continue to reach their target demographic. SeniorNet noted that they provide learning centers for older adults across the county and see the benefits of Internet use for seniors every day.

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