Bryan D. James|Patricia A. Boyle|Lei Yu|David A. Bennett
Internet use and decision making in community-based older adults
Rush University Medical Center|Rush University Medical Center|Rush University Medical Center|Rush University Medical Center
use internet may provide tools resources better decision making yet little known association internet use decision making older persons examined relationship 661 communitydwelling older persons without dementia rush memory aging project ongoing longitudinal study aging participants asked report access internet frequently used internet email 12item instrument used assess financial healthcare decision making using materials designed approximate used real world settings items summed yield total decision making score associations tested via linear regression models adjusted age sex race education measure global cognitive function secondary models adjusted income depression loneliness social networks social support chronic medical conditions instrumental activities daily living iadls life space size health financial literacy interaction terms used test effect modification almost 70 participants access internet access 55 used internet least several times week higher frequency internet use associated better financial healthcare decision making 011 p 0002 association persisted fully adjusted model 008 p 0024 interaction models indicated higher frequency internet use attenuated relationships older age poorer cognitive function lower levels health financial literacy poorer healthcare financial decision making findings indicate internet use associated better health financial decision making older persons future research required understand whether promoting use internet produce improvements healthcare financial decision making