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OBJECTIVES: This study explored the relationship between Internet use and informal caregivers' characteristics. METHODS: We used the Chilean Sociodemographic Characterization Survey. A total of 86,172 informal caregivers were identified. We conducted a weighted χ2 to test differences in 10 types of Internet use and weighted logistic regressions with caregivers' characteristics as predictors of Internet use. RESULTS: Younger caregivers engaged in more types of use than the older ones. Education level was positively associated with all types of use, such as searching for information (OR = 3.52, CI 95% [2.34, 5.29]). Age was negatively related to Internet use. Women used the Internet more to communicate via social networks. Being single reduced the likelihood of performing certain types of use, such as information seeking. The number of people living in households has increased entertainment. CONCLUSIONS: Older caregivers with lower education levels are at greater risk of digital exclusion. The same occurred in some types of use with single caregivers, where fewer people lived in the household. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: The Internet can be a tool for coping with caregiving tasks and their negative consequences. Interventions should consider these characteristics when promoting online tools and performing online interventions to reach the broadest possible audience.
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Cuidadores , Uso de Internet , Humanos , Femenino , Chile/epidemiología , Encuestas y Cuestionarios , Adaptación PsicológicaRESUMEN
The negative impact of ageism on the mental health of older persons has been well studied, but the mechanisms underlying this relationship have not been explored in detail. The present study examines the relationship of ageism with depressive and anxious symptoms in older people, evaluating the indirect effect via loneliness. The analysis was carried out with a sample of 577 older adults living in Chile, using structural equation modeling to assess the direct and indirect effects of the proposed model.The results showed the direct and indirect association of ageism with mental health outcomes. Ageism is positively related to loneliness and, in turn, to increased depressive and anxious symptoms. We discuss how loneliness linked with an ageist context contributes to anxiety and depressive symptomatology in the older population and the need to reduce ageism to favor the mental health of this age group.
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Ageísmo , Humanos , Anciano , Anciano de 80 o más Años , Chile , Ageísmo/psicología , Soledad/psicología , Salud Mental , Evaluación de Resultado en la Atención de SaludRESUMEN
The aim is to analyse the relationship between social influence for Internet use and Internet addiction (IA) in older women, considering the use of Internet-based social networks as a mediator. The participants were 480 older women Internet users. Social influence, frequency of use of social networks and IA (including loss of control and emotional dysregulation) were evaluated. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was conducted to analyse the proposed model. The use of social networks was a significant mediator in the relationship between social influence for Internet use and the dimension of loss of control of IA. On the contrary, social network use was not a significant mediator. Older women with more social influence reported more frequency of social networking and, in turn, more loss of control in Internet use. Public policy and clinicians should address addictive behaviours about Internet use in older women, preventing the negative consequences.
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Conducta Adictiva , Red Social , Humanos , Femenino , Anciano , Conducta Adictiva/psicología , Análisis de Clases Latentes , InternetRESUMEN
OBJECTIVES: This study aims to evaluate a comprehensive model that includes predictors of use, types of Internet use, and psychological well-being outcomes in the older population. METHODS: The total sample comprised 650 older Internet users. Structural equation modeling was used to estimate the effect of predictors (i.e., effort expectancy, performance expectancy, social influence, and ageism) on types of Internet use (i.e., information seeking, communication, instrumental use, and leisure) and the impact of the type of use on the psychological well-being of older adults (i.e., depressive and anxious symptomatology). In addition, the indirect effect of different types of Internet use was evaluated, that is, they were considered as mediator variables. RESULTS: Effort expectancy, social influence, and ageism predicted different types of Internet use. The relationship between effort expectancy and anxious symptomatology had an indirect effect via information seeking, whereas the relationship between ageism and anxious symptomatology showed an indirect effect via leisure. DISCUSSION: The findings support the importance of differentiating the types of Internet use to understand its impact on psychological well-being. Information seeking is associated with anxious symptomatology and is predicted by effort expectancy. On the contrary, leisure is crucial because of its relationship with anxious symptomatology, and less ageism can promote it. This information is useful for developing effective interventions that promote the well-being of older adults through the Internet, including strategies to cope with some online challenges that could lead to negative consequences, such as information overload.
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Ansiedad , Uso de Internet , Adaptación Psicológica , Anciano , Ansiedad/psicología , Humanos , Internet , Actividades RecreativasRESUMEN
Using a representative sample, we explored the relationship of organizational (ORA), non-organizational (NORA), and intrinsic religiosity (IR) with depressive and anxious symptomatology and loneliness in Chilean older people, and examined mediating mechanisms. Structural Equation Modeling showed a direct effect between ORA and reduced depressive symptomatology and between IR and anxious symptomatology; for indirect effects, the relationship between ORA and depressive and anxious symptomatology was mediated by friends' social support network, while that between IR and the three outcomes studied was mediated by the family support network and resilience. NORA was not associated with any of the outcomes or mediating variables.