Information Communication Technology Use to Improve eHealth Literacy, Technophobia, and Social Connection among Community Dwelling Older Adults

The Intergenerational Forum (IF), an innovative intervention, offers andragogic programs for community-dwelling older adults, enabling them to engage in youth-led tutorials to learn about Information Communication Technology (ICT). This study examines the outcome of a 12-week class focused on encouraging intergenerational exchange and mutual aid between college students and older adults. Fifty older adults in South Korea participated in the 12-week IF program. First, older adults’ Internet usage patterns were examined. Using a pretest-posttest nonequivalent control group design with multiple outcome measures, we compared older mentees’ e-health literacy, technophobia, feelings of social isolation, and social capital following the IF classes. Our findings suggest that older adults’ adoption and employment of ICT skills improved their overall eHealth literacy and perceived usefulness of the Internet. Consequently, older IF participants with technophobia saw a decrease in anxiety, and an improvement in their confidence in using computer technology throughout the study period. Study findings imply that developing educational programs specifically designed for community dwelling elders with restricted access to ICT and little digital literacy is both desirable and feasible.