Browsing by Author "Ivan, Loredana"

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A Roadmap for the Design of a Public-participation Geographic-Information System to Support Urban Ageing
(AGH University Press, 2025) Aslanoğlu, Rengin; Chrobak, Grzegorz; Van Hoof, Joost; Perek-Białas, Jolanta M.; Ivan, Loredana; Tavy , Zsuzsu K.C.T; Maj, Milena; Kazak, Jan K.
Geospatial technologies have the potential to transform the lives of older adults by providing them with necessary tools to navigate their local communities, access services, connect with others, and access valuable information. However, the usability and accessibility of such technologies often fall short of the needs of older adults. Many existing geospatial tools are not designed with the needs and preferences of older adults in mind; this can lead to usability challenges and limit their usage. This paper explores a participatory approach in developing an inclusive geodata-collection tool that is specifically tailored to older users’ needs. The paper also highlights the importance of incorporating user-centered design principles, participatory design methods, and accessibility guidelines throughout the entire geodata-tool-development process. It also emphasizes the need for ongoing user engagement and feedback in order to ensure that the tool remains relevant and usable in the evolving digital landscape. This participatory approach has resulted in a tool that is easy to use and accessible for older adults; it is available in various languages, thus ensuring that the elderly can actively participate in the prototype’s creation and contribute to the collection of the geospatial information that reflects their lived experiences and needs.
Age as an important predictor for digital health literacy: Cross-sectional evidence of internet users from an international multisite study in North America and EU countries
(Taylor & Francis, 2025) Großschädl, Franziska; Marston, Hannah R.; Ivan, Loredana; Prabhu, Vishnu; Earle, Sarah
This study investigates digital health literacy across North America and Europe to understand the sociodemographic factors influencing eHealth literacy, specifically the role of age. This international, multi-site population employed a convenience sample across nine countries (N = 1,314) between April 2020–2021, presenting significant insights and recommendations for eHealth transformations. Using the eHealth Literacy Scale, a validated self-rated instrument, respondents in North America showed higher (t1641 = 2.18, p-value = .03) eHealth literacy than those in Europe. Respondents from the UK showed the highest scores (34.48 ± 5.45), and those from Spain – the lowest (29.50 ± 6.40). Age had a significant (f4,1292 = 3.73, p-value <.01) impact on the eHEALS scores, whereby respondents aged 50+ years reported higher eHealth literacy than younger respondents. Interaction effects of age*gender and age*employment predicted the highest eHealth literacy among adults aged 50+ years. Our findings reveal high eHEALS scores, suggesting that internet users in North America and Europe are confident in their ability to find and assess eHealth information. The coronavirus pandemic could have led to older people using mobile communication technologies for health purposes and becoming more confident in using digital tools. Offer diverse technology-based learning opportunities for older adults who want to learn about new technologies so that they have better access to their eHealth information.
Ageing and responsible consumption
(National University of Political Studies and Public Administration, Faculty of Management, 2021-12-30) Zbuchea, Alexandra; Ivan, Loredana; Mocanu, Rareș
Multiple studies show that the contemporary society is increasingly more responsible and ask companies to prove responsible citizens, too. The current study aims to a better understanding of the role of age plans in responsible consumption attitudes and values. Investigating the literature in the field, including studies developed worldwide as well as on the Romanian market. The research documents that the younger adults are more responsible and greener than older persons. Nevertheless, the older the consumer, the more trustful in the personal impact of her/his consumption is. The older adults seem to be less inclined towards responsible buying. The available data also suggests that the age gap is closing, and older consumers tend to be increasingly more responsible.
Asking ChatGPT How to Fight Visual Ageism on Websites: Pitfall or Opportunity?
(Springer, 2024) Loos, Eugène; Ivan, Loredana; Sourbati, Maria
This paper explores the extent to which ChatGPT can be used to combat visual ageism, i.e., “the social practice of visually underrepresenting older people or misrepresenting them in a prejudiced way” [1, p.164] on websites. First, insights from earlier empirical studies on visual ageism are presented to illustrate how ageist pictures can be injurious to older people and howto combat this. Then, a chat session with ChatGPT will be used to discover whether the tool can generate reliable advice on how to counter visual ageism on websites. Finally, ChatGPT’s advice will be evaluated from a scientific point of view.
Closing the gap between museums and schools
(Sciendo, 2022-12-12) Zbuchea, Alexandra; Ivan, Loredana; Timofte, Mona Silvia; Iordan, Iulia
Museums’ roles are diversifying considering their dynamic relationships with the present-day economy, society, and communities. Nevertheless, education is the main constant marketing museums’ complex activities. An important part of the educational mission of museums is designed with and for teachers and their students. Nevertheless, these partnerships are complex and they need more understanding for designing more effective educational programs. Having this in mind, the present study analyzes the way primary-school teachers in Bucharest, Romania, interact with museums and how they use their collections as educational resources in class. The qualitative investigation implemented shows that there is a high potential for partnership and teachers need more guidance and cooperation opportunities coming from museum educators and curators.
Critical, connected and caring: older adults’ agency during the COVID-19 pandemic
(Policy Press, 2024) Mandache, Luminița-Anda; Ivan, Loredana
Considering (1) the current context of social and economic polarisation in Eastern Europe, which represents older people as experiencing ‘red nostalgia’ and presents them as passive citizens, and (2) the increased vulnerabilities of older people during the COVID-19 pandemic as a main target of restrictive policies, we explored the experiences of older people during the COVID-19 lockdown period in Romania in 2020. We carried out 12 semi-structured interviews with older people from rural and urban areas to understand how they experienced the lockdown period and made sense of the pandemic. We perceived the pandemic as a holistic experience that affected different aspects of social life. We learned that older people manifested their agency in multiple forms. First, they were critical of lockdown measures imposed on them while at the same time understanding the need to control the spread of the COVID-19 virus, signalling a more complex political subjectivity among this group than popular narratives suggest. Second, older people made heavy independent use of information and communications technology. Lastly, all interviewees shared a sense of care for people they considered to be more vulnerable than themselves, illustrating that older people are not only the target of care and empathy by others in society but also the source of care and empathy for others in society. These aspects situate older people as active citizens, critical of the state, engaged in the use of technology and caring for people other than those in their immediate circle – all signs that they are actively part of the flow of society.
Culture and Aging. Exploring older generations through the lenses of shifting patterns
(Department of International Relations and European Integration of the National University of Political Studies and Public Administration, 2023-07-10) Duduciuc, Alina; Bîră, Monica; Ivan, Loredana
Worldwide, the phenomenon of population aging has been acknowledged by statistics, and the irreversible rate of aging presents exceptional challenges. In 1950, only 22% of the European population belonged to the age group of 50+. In 2019, the same age group accounted for 38% of the European population. In the next 30 years, the percentage of older adults (+50 and above) is projected to reach 46% of the population (Rogelj & Bogataj, 2019). However, despite the significant demographic shift, only recently academic researchers and policymakers have begun to recognize the importance of the rapidly growing silver segment within the population structure and its implications for the social and economic development of society for the coming decades. In response to the rapidly growing older market, the business world has reacted differently (Kohlbacher & Herstatt, 2011) to the demand of population aging: some appear to be unaware of the existence of this phenomenon; others are considering it loss-making; while few are actively seeking for solutions to be age-friendly pioneering by developing and promoting innovative products aiming to silver consumers.
Developing a Digital and Traditional Political Participation (DTPP) Scale for Youth: A Validity and Reliability Study
(College of Communication and Public Relations, NUPSPA, 2023) Kuș, Zafer; Bertani, Michele; Ivan, Loredana; Mert, Hilal
The purpose of this study is to develop and validate a political participation scale for youth, considering both traditional and digital political participation (DTPP). The research was conducted using 458 participants from Turkey, Italy, and Romania, aged between 15 and 29 years. Explanatory Factor Analysis (EFA) and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) were performed to test the structural validity of the scale. EFA results illustrated that scale consisted of three factors and the total variance was 61.23%. These factors were labeled as “digital political support”, “traditional political support” and “digital political following”. During confirmatory factor analysis, the three-factor structure was tested, and the resulting model produced an acceptable goodness of fit The scale consists of 39 items and the reliability coefficients for each subscale vary from .92 and .95. The results show that the scale is valid and reliable to measure traditional and digital political participation of young people.
Four European typologies of older adults concerning environmental sustainability
(Elsevier, 2025) Dikken, Jeroen; Kazak, Jan K.; Pavlovski, Daniel; Ivan, Loredana; Ayalon, Liat; Perek-Białas, J.M.; Hoof, J. van
Transforming our societies towards a more sustainable future requires a good understanding of their citizens. This is of particular importance when considering the phenomenon of population ageing, which means that older people will constitute a significant share of society. The imperative for sustainable development arises from escalating concerns over environmental issues, necessitating tailored interventions for the heterogeneous group of older individuals. In this research, data collected using the SustainABLE-8 in Poland, North Macedonia, Romania, the Netherlands and Israel (N = 2318) were analysed in order to identify European typologies and their drivers for - and contributions to - sustainable practices. Several items of the SustainABLE-8 concerned (limiting) energy use at home as well as attitudes towards the use of sustainable energy and climate change. The study identified the existence of four major typologies, which differ in terms of their financial position, beliefs and behaviours in relation to the environment. These typologies cover 1) inactive people with limited financial resources, 2) inactive believers, 3) active and belief-driven people with limited financial resources, and 4) active and belief-driven people with financial resources. Each typology is separately discussed in terms of its specificities and ways how local governments could support their pro-environmental behaviours. The research is summarised with practical implications for industry, policymakers and environmental, social and governance strategies.
From digital skills to digital repertoires: towards conceptualisation of technology use
(UCL Press, 2025) Ivan, Loredana
"Current literature on digital society often refers to digital skills as key in creating advantages and opportunities – or, conversely, disadvantages and inequalities (Hüsing et al. 2015; Kiss 2017). The concept of a ‘digital divide’ has been built on the idea that there are differences in usage and skills between certain groups of people, with those more affected by related vulnerability being women, older people and those with lower levels of education and/or lower incomes (van eursen & van Dijk 2010; 2011). In such rhetoric, older people are normally portrayed as lacking digital skills or access to the latest communication technologies (see Ivan and Loos 2023). To offer a deeper analysis of the ‘digital skills’ concept in the context of digitalisation today, this chapter argues instead for use of the term ‘digital repertoire’. This concept, which describes the everyday practices of technology use, is more inclusive and brings nuance to the understanding of the way in which different social groups form part of the technological ecology (Edgerly et al. 2018; Peters et al. 2022). This in turn expands on the analysis offered by the dominant ‘digital skills’ concept by describing the relation between people and technology, predominant in today’s global context of competition, fluid labour markets and digital transformations. The Covid-19 pandemic has also accentuated the prominence of the concept of ‘digital skills’ and blocked. Subsequently, the chapter draws attention to how the concept of digital skills has been measured. Traditionally self-assessment and performance tests, a metric that evaluates people’s readiness for the future labour market, have been used. In this way, the term raises serious concerns about the normativity and linearity of the ‘digital skills’ concept, as well as its potential to reinforce a range of prejudices, including ageism, in describing the digital competencies of older adults. Furthermore, the concept of twenty-first-century digital skills is presented in the chapter as a non-linear and less reductionist way of measuring people’s digital skills. It includes a broader perspective of the role of digital transformations in people’s lives. Finally, this chapter departs from a behaviourist approach (‘more is better’) to a functionalist perspective (based on the role played by different technologies in people’s lives) by discussing the value of using ‘digital repertoires’. As noted above, this concept serves to reveal the ways in which people navigate digital realities today, including the norms and conventions of digital interactions. The concept of digital repertoires allows not only for the investigation of individual digital use, but also for the co-use, supported use, non-use and discontinued use of digital technologies. Investigating digital repertoires through ethnographic and narrative research (Hänninen et al. 2021a), as well as the use of longitudinal and cross-cultural data (see Ivan and Nimrod 2021), offers a focus on digital practices. This chapter also puts forward the argument that repertoires evolve through time, place and available technologies. It concludes by considering the role of digital repertoires for policy-making, providing an in-depth exploration of current digital realities"
Involving Older People in Participatory Action Research: An Example of Participatory Action Design
(College of Communication and Public Relations, NUPSPA, 2018) Schiau, Ioana; Ivan, Loredana; Bîră, Monica
Participatory Action Research (PAR) has as a main goal the collaborative construction and production of meanings between the researchers and the participants. PAR has been largely used in the area of technology creation and appropriation involving end-users in different stages of technology designing process. However, research studies concerning older people and their use of technology employ PAR to a lesser extent. In the current paper we provide arguments for the value of different participative action approaches when studying technology appropriation by older people, and present an example of a participatory action design that we have implemented in three Romanian cities, with people 60+, to reveal the way older adults depict their experience in using Facebook. We used a five-step collaborative research design – (1) initial evaluation; (2) training session; (3) immediate evaluation; (4) group co-creation; (5) final evaluation – to reflect on the participants’ experience through groups techniques and participant observation notes. Results reveal the fact that one trainer per each participant, adapting the interaction to the participant’s individual needs, intergenerational trainer-trainee communication and patience, as well as proper timing of the organized sessions are key factors to foster participant engagement with social media. In addition, the proposed participatory action design proved to have some potential to empower older people in long time engagement with social media.
Mapping challenges of the Romanian NGOs. A focus on human resources
(Faculty of Management (SNSPA), 2019-03-29) Zbuchea, Alexandra; Ivan, Loredana; Stan, Sergiu Octavian; Dămășaru, Costin
The effectiveness of NGOs, similar to other types of organizations, depends on the quality and implication of their employees and volunteers. The literature highlights the role of learning capabilities, organizational learning, networking and community capacity building in ensuring organizational sustainable development in the NGO sector. In this framework, professional human resources should be an important part of the management strategy. Continuous and personalized training would be also important for NGOs. The present paper presents a qualitative investigation aiming to map the training needs and practices of the NGO sector in Romania, both from the perspective of its representatives and its stakeholders. The findings show a general agreement and concern related to the professionalism of the workers in the sector, as well as related to the lack of explicit responsibility/the feeling of being accountableassumed by the members of the sector. The study also revealed a need for closer cooperation between the members of the Quadruple Helix.
Mobile phone use before and during the COVID-19 pandemic – a panel study of older adults in seven countries
(SAGE Publications, 2024) Taipale, Sakari; Oinas. Tomi; Ivan, Loredana; Rosenberg, Dennis
The aim of this study was to investigate the changes in older adults’ mobile phone use from before to during the COVID-19 pandemic. The media displacement and digital divide approaches served as the theoretical frameworks of the study. The data were drawn from the 2018 and 2020 waves of the Aging + Communication + Technology cross-national longitudinal panel study. The sample consisted of older Internet users, aged 62 to 96 (in 2018), from Austria, Canada, Finland, Israel, the Netherlands, Romania, and Spain, who participated in both waves (N = 4,398). Latent class analysis and latent transition analysis with multinomial regression models were the main methods applied to the data. With regard to the findings, three mobile phone function use profiles—Narrow Use, Medium Use, and Broad Use—were identified from the data. Lower age, being married, higher income, and place of residence (in 2018) predicted belonging to the three profiles, while country differences in the prevalence of the profiles were substantial. Between 2018 and 2020, transition from one profile to another was relatively rare but typically toward the “Broad Use” category. Profile transitions were most common in Romania, while stability was highest in Finland, Israel, and Canada. In addition, gender, age, marital status, and place of residence predicted the likelihood of changing from one profile to another between 2018 and 2020. The results suggest that older adults’ mobile phone function use is relatively stable over a two-year time span. While new mobile phone functions are adopted, they seem to augment the spectrum of mobile usage rather than displace older similar functionalities. In addition, demographic, socioeconomic, and country-level digital divides, although slightly modified over time, remain significant among older adults.
Not only people are getting old, the new media are too: Technology generations and the changes in new media use
(SAGE Publications, 2022) Loos, Eugène; Ivan, Loredana
This article investigates the changes in the use of traditional and new media by different technology generations. Focusing on the changes in the use of Email, Chat and Social Network Sites by older people, it explores the process by which new media become ‘old’ and reach a saturation point. Collected survey data suggest differences in media use between the three technology generations distinguished in this study: the ‘mechanical’ generation (born in 1938 or before), the ‘household revolution’ generation (born between 1939 and 1948), and the ‘technology spread’ generation (born between 1949 and 1963). This longitudinal and transnational study provides evidence of media saturation, showing that an increase in both the availability of and access to media does not lead to an increase in use, even in older adults who are behind in the adoption of the new media. Finally, the article discusses the findings, arguing for an interplay between individual and structural lag in later life.
Older Adults and the Digital Divide in Romania: Implications for the Covid-19 Pandemic
(2021-10-31) Ivan, Loredana; Cutler, Stephen
At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, Romania invoked the 15th Amendment of the European Convention of Human Rights for emergency situations and issued an Emergency State Presidential Decree (first put into effect on March 16 and extended until May 15, 2020). This amendment allowed for exemptions from broad categories of human rights (e.g., the right to privacy and intimacy). Older people became the main target of the Romanian government’s plans for isolation. Using data from the Romanian National Institute of Statistics and data gathered prior to the COVID-19 pandemic from a longitudinal study on communication technologies used by older people in Romania (Loos, Nimrod, & Fernández-Ardèvol, 2018; 2020), we examine the digital inequalities faced by Romanian elders. The current study addresses the following specific research questions: (1) what digital opportunities and limitations were faced by the older population of Romania: e.g., online shopping, asking for help from various organizations using online platforms, using online medical assistance, etc., and (2) how did digital inequalities shape the lives of older people in Romania? Although the data do not reflect the situation of older Internet users during pandemics, we used the most recent and detailed data regarding Internet behavior of older adults in Romania. The current article discusses the opportunities faced by those who already had access and Internet skills when the pandemic started, and the limitations faced by older people who were less digitally skilled. With many of the daily activities moving online during this period, older adults with poor digital skills or no Internet access risked social isolation. Also, we consider policy recommendations to reduce digital inequalities that affect elders. Although we focus on Romania, the current study typifies vulnerabilities older people face in emergent economies during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Perspectives of older people on environmental sustainability: A cross-cultural validation study between five countries
(Elsevier, 2024) Dikken, Jeroen; Kazak, Jan K.; Ivan, Loredana; Ayalon, Liat; Pavlovski, Daniel; Perek-Białas, Jolanta M.; Hoof, Joost van
The global agenda to move societies towards a more sustainable course of development also affects the lives of older people in our ageing populations. Therefore, it is important to understand the drivers, intentions and behaviours concerning sustainability among older adults. The aim of this study is to translate and cross-culturally validate an existing instrument (SustainABLE-16 Questionnaire), developed in the Netherlands, which measures how older people view the theme of environmental sustainability in their daily lives, for use in Romania, Poland, North Macedonia and Israel. The SustainABLE-16 covers three domains: 1) Pro-environmental behaviours; 2) Financial position; and 3) Beliefs. The scale was translated in Romanian, Polish, Macedonian, Albanian and Hebrew. Its 16 items were appraised for relevance by older people and experts in the field. A total of 2299 older people, including the original Dutch respondents, were included for the assessment of the level of measurement invariance across six languages, spoken in five countries. As the initial validation of the SustainABLE-16 did not meet internationally-recognised fit requirements, the shorter SustainABLE-8 was validated instead. This instrument proved valid for use in all participating countries (configural validity). Subsequently, increasingly constrained structural equation models were applied to test their fit with the data, ensuring that the fit did not deteriorate. The test results of measurement invariance across the countries indicated that items were stable, achieving partial scalar invariance, with five items demonstrating full scalar invariance. The shorter SustainABLE-8 functions uniformly across all language groups and can, therefore, be used to evaluate sustainable practices among older people. A better understanding of the drivers and practices among older citizens across Europe could, in turn, feed into more fitting public policies on sustainability in the built environment.
Romanian Older Adults’ Views of the Age-Friendliness of their City: The Importance of Digital Technologies
(Springer Nature, 2025) Rădulescu, Cristina; Ivan, Loredana; Loos, Eugène
Regions around the world have undergone different patterns of urbanization, with North America and Europe currently being the most urbanized areas: over 75% of the people live in urban communities [1, 2]. Eventually, people will grow old in cities and experience all aspects of the urban environment later in life. The World Health Organization [3] launched the age-friendly city and communities’ movement that proposes solutions for older people to age actively by improving their welfare and social participation. In Europe, numerous urban communities are following the age-friendly city agenda and have become members of the Global Age-Friendly Cities Network. The concept of an age-friendly city comprised eight dimensions: (1) outdoor spaces and buildings; (2) transportation; (3) housing; (4) social participation; (5) respect and social inclusion; (6) civic participation and employment; (7) communication and information; and (8) community support and health services. Using a qualitative explorative approach, we conducted a series of interviews with older adults (60 years and more) in Bucharest (N = 20) from December 2023 to June 2024 to understand their meaning of an “age-friendly” community and the perceived role of digital technology in the process of making urban communities more livable. The results are analyzed by contrasting the views of more vulnerable older adults (over 76 years) with poor health conditions with the younger and more active respondents (aged 60 to 65 with a good health situation). People over 76 with poor health conditions are not able to enjoy the quality of life in the city, compared to the more active seniors, usually below 65 years, who are looking for cultural and social opportunities to live in the urban community. The results reveal the role of digital familiarity in enjoying city opportunities and the importance of communication and information in the way older adults envisage the “age-friendliness” of their community.
Shaping age-friendly cities and communities: A geospatial approach to the assessment of four cities in Europa
(Elsevier, 2025) Swiąder, Małgorzata; Aslanoglu, Rengin; Chrobak, Grzegorz; Ivan, Loredana; Perek-Białas, Jolanta M.; Dikken, Jeroen; Van Hoof, Joost; Kazak, Jan K.
"Public involvement in decision-making processes has become increasingly important in contemporary urban planning. The social valorisation of living spaces is vital for enhancing urban spaces and improving citizens' quality of life. This is particularly relevant to vulnerable groups such as older people, a demographic projected to grow significantly. Ensuring that urban environments are inclusive and accessible for older people is a pressing concern. This research addresses this challenge by investigating the spatial distribution of urban spaces in four European cities – Kraków, Wrocław (Poland), The Hague (the Netherlands), and Bucharest (Romania) – to evaluate their age-friendliness. Using hotspot analysis, the study identifies areas characterised as “places” (age-friendly) and “anti-places” (age-unfriendly) based on older people's perceptions of public spaces. Data were collected using KoBo Toolbox, an open-source geodata collection tool, followed by geocoding, integration, hotspot analysis with Getis-Ord Gi*, and the delimitation of “places” and “anti-places”. The findings show that Kraków's city centre as largely age-friendly, whereas the centres of Wrocław and The Hague's were viewed as anti-places, highlighting areas in need of improvement. In Bucharest, places were primarily located on the city's outskirts, with some overlap between age-friendly and age-unfriendly zones in the east. The study also explored the influence of various urban domains, such as outdoor spaces and transportation, on overall perceptions of age-friendliness. Across all cities, outdoor spaces emerged as a key area for improvement. This research offers critical insights for policymakers, identifying areas requiring intervention to foster more inclusive urban environments for older people and to inform future age-friendly urban development."
Successful Aging Across Middle Versus High-Income Countries: An Analysis of the Role of eHealth Literacy Associated With Loneliness and Well-Being
(Oxford Academic, 2024) Ivan, Loredana; Marston, Hannah R.; Prabhu, Vishnunarayan Girishan; Großschädl, Franziska; Silva, Paula Alexandra; Buttigieg, Sandra C.; Öztürk Çalıkoğlu, Halime; Bilir Koca, Burcu; Arslan, Hasan; Kanozia, Rubal; Browning, Matthew H. E. M.; Freeman, Shannon; Earle, Sarah
Background and Objectives “Successful aging” concerns the process of growing older while maintaining physical, cognitive, and social well-being, emphasizing independence for overall satisfaction and quality of life. We investigate the impact of eHealth literacy on reducing loneliness and sustaining well-being during the pandemic, comparing middle- and high-income countries. Research Design and Methods Online surveys were conducted between April 4, 2020, and September 30, 2021, collecting responses (N = 2,091) from medium- and high-income countries in Europe, Asia, and North America. T-tests and ANOVAs were used to test how sociodemographic predictors were associated with differences in e-Health literacy, loneliness, and well-being. Results Respondents from high-income countries reported significantly higher well-being scores than those from middle-income countries and respondents from high-income countries had significantly higher e-HEALS (e-Health literacy) scores compared to middle-income countries. No significant difference was observed in loneliness scores between high-income and middle-income country respondents. Well-being is associated with age, with younger adults (18–29 years) and those aged 40+ reporting higher levels. Higher education and income are linked to greater well-being. Gender differences are observed, with females and those with a partner reporting higher well-being. In middle-income countries, higher education levels are more linked to loneliness, while in higher-income countries, loneliness is observed across education levels. Discussion and Implications Future interventions by governments and policymakers should consider intersectionality in e-Health planning and offer digital literacy and digital skills training to those with lower education levels.
The impact of ‘technology generations’ on older adults’ media use: Review of previous empirical research and a seven-country comparison
(International Society for Gerontechnology, 2020) Ivan, Loredana; Loos, Eugene; Bird, Ioana
Background: In our information society, media use plays an important role. However, knowledge is lacking about whether specific birth cohorts show preferences for specific traditional or new media and whether technology generations can be identified across different countries. Objective: A cross-cultural research project was carried out with the aim of providing empirical evidence for the concept of ‘technology generations’ formulated by Sackmann & Weymann (1994; 2013) in relation to media use by older adults. The research questions focus on empirical evidence for the existence of technology generations related to media use and preferences. Methods: We tested differences in media use and media preferences (traditional versus new media) in Austria, Canada, Denmark, Israel, the Netherlands, Romania and Spain, using commensurate samples consisting of Internet users aged 60 years and older at the time we started collecting data in 2016 (N=10527). We selected three technology generations: the ‘mechanical generation’ (age group of 78 and above), the ‘household revolution generation’ (age group of 68-77), and the ‘technology spread generation’ (age group of 60-67), and analyzed the differences in media use and preferences between these technology generations and across the seven countries. Results: Our cross-cultural data reveal differences between the technology generations, especially in terms of media use, but not in technology media preference (time spent using different media). We also found the effect of country of origin to be stronger than the effect of generation in explaining older adults’ preferences for traditional vs new media. Conclusions: The results point to the need for a more nuanced view of the concept of ‘technology generation’, i.e., one taking into account contextual aspects, such as country of origin, gender, level of education, working status and the interaction effect between country of origin and ‘technology generation’.