Few Seniors Go Online for Healthcare Needs

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While hopes have long been high that digital technology would help improve the healthcare for America’s seniors; however, a new study suggests that fewer elderly have made strides online. The study, which surveyed thousands of Medicare patients, determined that only 5%-8% were going online to fill prescriptions, handle health insurance, or communicate with doctors. Also, only 16% were searching for health information online.

“There’s been this general belief that digital health technology will ‘rescue’ seniors, and improve their health care quality,” said Dr. David Levine, lead researcher on the study and an internist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston.

Researchers were surprised by the findings and did acknowledged that some seniors can be tech-wary or unable to afford computers and internet service. According to Pew Research, Latinos are very tech-savvy. Latinos own smartphones, go online from a mobile device and use social networking sites at similar or higher rates than most other American groups.

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Between 2009 and 2012, the rate of Latino adults who go online at least “occasionally” increased from 64% to 78.2%. Among whites, the rates also increased, but by not as much, from 80% in 2009 to 87% in 2012. These numbers do not seem to be translating to senior citizens though.

“When it comes to more-advanced technology, [seniors are] just not using it,” Levine said.

While the trends are worrisome, it is unclear whether or not this has any translation toward senior citizens’ overall health. In 2011, just over 7,600 patients responded to the Medicare survey. They were 75 years old, on average, and 76% said they had cellphones. In terms of computer usage, 67% reported using them, though only 43% used the Internet.

“Only 8 percent were filling prescriptions online?” said Dr. Kavita Patel is a fellow at the Washington, D.C.-based Brookings Institution whose work focuses on health care quality. “Only 7 percent contacted their clinicians [online]? This study shows we can’t make assumptions about people’s use of digital technology.”

Very few seniors went online for health care reasons, according to the survey. By 2014, 14% of the respondents were using more digital health methods, while 10% had cut back on their use. Minorities were nearly 50% less likely than whites to be using digital health technology. Meanwhile, people with at least some college education were about five to 10 times more likely use it, compared to less-educated seniors.