Lindsay C. Kobayashi|Jane Wardle|Christian von Wagner
Internet use, social engagement and health literacy decline during ageing in a longitudinal cohort of older English adults
University College London|University College London|University College London
health literacy skills tend decline ageing often attributed agerelated cognitive decline whether health literacy skills may influenced technological social factors ageing unknownwe investigated whether internet use social engagement protect health literacy decline ageing independent cognitive decline used prospective data 4368 men women aged 52 years english longitudinal study ageing 2004 2011 health literacy measured baseline 20042005 followup 20102011 using reading comprehension test fictitious medicine label influences consistent internet use engagement civic leisure cultural activities health literacy decline followup estimatedafter adjusting cognitive decline covariates consistent internet use 13794368 32 protectively associated health literacy decline or077 95 ci 060 099 consistent engagement cultural activities 17154368 39 or073 95 ci 056 093 number activities engaged increased likelihood health literacy decline steadily decreased ptrend00001 or051 95 ci 033 079 engaging four internet use civic leisure cultural activities versus noneinternet use social engagement particularly cultural activities eg attending cinema art galleries museums theatre may help older adults maintain health literacy ageing support older adults maintain socially engaged lives access internet help promote maintenance functional literacy skills ageing