Improvement of Access to Social Welfare and Utilization of Digital Technology among the Elderly
Keywords:
the elderly, digital health technology, social welfare access, satisfaction, digital literacyAbstract
This article examines the barriers to social welfare access for the elderly andfactors influencing their satisfaction with the use of digital health technology in Thailand. A mixed-methods approach was employed by collecting quantitative data from a nationwide sample of 2,005 elderly individuals, and gathering qualitative data through in-depth interviews of 40 elderly participants in four provinces (Khon Kaen, Lampang, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya and Songkhla). Qualitative data were analyzed using content analysis, and five key themes were identified: familiarity with basic technology; acceptance and understanding of digital health technology; satisfaction with technology usability; behavioral changes driven by health monitoring; and potential of the elderly in healthcare technology. Quantitative data were analyzed using multiple regression analysis. The findings indicate that the two primary barriers to accessing social welfare services for the elderly were health-related issues, which have a significant impact (B = 0.121, p < 0.001), and concerns about using technology (B = 0.048, p = 0.024). However, the use of technology was found to significantly reduce these concerns (B = 2.358, p = 0.026). Factors that increased the elderly’s satisfaction with digital health technology included effective access to welfare services (B = -0.073, p = 0.001), though this did not have a significant effect on overall satisfaction with technology usage (B = -0.011, p = 0.279).
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