Living Arrangements and the Digital Divide Among Older Adults: Evidence from a Survey of Smartphone Use

Abstract

Population aging has increased the demand for digital support in later-life care, yet many older adults remain excluded from smartphone-based services. Using a questionnaire survey and interviews with 4,236 older adults conducted in 2018 in Jiangxi Province, China, this study examines how living arrangements are associated with smartphone adoption and usage competence. The study found that co-residence with adult children was significantly positively associated with smartphone use, with the odds ratios of 18.1%, whereas spousal co-residence was positively associated with usage competence, reflected in a coefficient of 0.288. Additionally, spousal co-residence also weakened the negative associations between some personal disadvantages and usage competence, while co-residence with adult children tended to amplify these gaps. The analysis provides important insights for policymakers to formulate more pertinent policies to promote older adults to cross the digital divide.