The associations of technology acceptance and social networks with depressive symptoms of community-dwelling older people: A cross-sectional study

Abstract

This cross-sectional study examines the associations between social networks, technology acceptance, and depressive symptoms in community-dwelling older adults aged 60 and above. Key variables included sociodemographic and clinical characteristics, depressive symptoms, social networks, and technology acceptance. Multiple linear and hierarchical regression analyses were employed for data analysis. A total of 380 participants with an average age of 66.5 years were included. Social networks (β = -0.081, p = 0.010) and technology acceptance (β = -0.060, p < 0.001) were independently and negatively associated with depressive symptoms in unadjusted regression models. In the fully adjusted model, social networks (β = -0.036, p = 0.200) were not significantly associated with depressive symptoms, whereas technology acceptance (β = -0.031, p < 0.001) remained negatively associated. Technology acceptance is strongly associated with depressive symptoms in older adults, and its effect outweighs that of social networks. This finding underscores the crucial role of implementing strategies to promote technology acceptance to enhance the mental health of older adults.