CECS researchers award-winning poster on US congress

Patrícia Silva, Alice Matos (both from CECS) and Roberto Martinez-Pecino (University of Seville), won a award for the presentation of a poster at an international congress. The poster was presented at the 75th ICP Conference, which took place from 27-30 July this year at Dyson College Center for Global Psychology, at Pace University, New York (USA), which was subordinated to the theme “”Psychologys Contribution to People, the Planet, and the World”.

According to the poster´s abstract, which reflects a study that was developed in four countries (Portugal, Estonia, Hungary and Slovenia), and analyzed the influence of the use of the Internet on the quality of life of the elderly, in the context of the SHARE project – SHARE Survey of Health, Aging and Retirement in Europe (wave 4), based on the CECS, “the results encourage the need for research and the design of strategies to promote the electronic inclusion of the elderly”.

Complete Abstract:
The internet revolution and the demographic shift are two of the major worldwide challenges. The internet has transformed society and aroused both the interest and recognition by international organizations ranging from UNESCO to UN, and the debates about its potential benefits and drawbacks. Studies on seniors’ quality of life has tended to focus on variables such as sociodemographic characteristics, financial situation, social networks and health. Internet use have been left apart implicitly assuming -but not empirically testing- a positive effect on quality of life. In this study we analyze the influence of internet use on seniors’ quality of life once controlled for the effects of those variables traditionally considered in literature. We also test if this influence remains in countries with different welfare regimes. The sample is composed of 14445 individuals aged 50 and over residing in four European countries with different welfare regimes (Portugal, Estonia, Hungary, Slovenia) who participated in the SHARE project – Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe, wave 4. Results of linear regression analysis evidence the influence of age, gender, educational level, financial situation, social network and physical and mental health in quality of life of individuals 50+. The most important outcome is that once controlled for those effects there is also a positive impact of internet use on seniors’ quality of life. Thus, internet users show a higher level of quality of live compare to non-users. These same effects are found in the four countries. The study expands current literature about seniors` quality of life determinants by empirically supporting the positive impact of the internet. It also shows this influence in countries with different welfare regimes. The outcomes encourage the need for research and the design of strategies to promote seniors e-inclusion.

Congress information, here