Abstract: The Effects of Family Support on the Technology Usage Among Older Adults with Type-2 Diabetes (Society for Social Work and Research 22nd Annual Conference - Achieving Equal Opportunity, Equity, and Justice)

Schedule:

Friday, January 12, 2018: 4:14 PM

Marquis BR Salon 12 (ML 2) (Marriott Marquis Washington DC)

* noted as presenting author

Kexin Yu, BA, Doctoral Student, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA

Shinyi Wu, PhD, Associate Professor, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA

Iris Chi, DSW, Professor, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA

Hsinyi Hsiao, PhD, Research Associate Professor, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA

Peyjiuan Lee, MA, Data Analyst, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA

Juping Lin, PhD, Professor, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei, Taiwan

Background: Technology is one tool to improve social inclusion for older population (Chen & Schulz, 2016). Research and practice efforts have been put into facilitating older adults’ learning and usage of technology. While the effects of social support on technology learning and usage among older adults have been reported in former studies, the specific role of family support on technology usage is less understood (Ma, Chan, & Chen, 2016). This study examined the association between family support and technology usage among type-2 diabetes patients.

Methods: The study sample was drawn from the Intergenerational Mobile Technology Opportunities Program (IMTOP) which employed mobile technology to enhance older diabetes patient’s self-care ability. In a wait-list comparison trial, 334 Chinese adults aged 55 and above with type 2 diabetes participated in eight weekly intervention sessions at two general hospitals in Taiwan. IMTOP baseline survey data was used to examine the influence of family support on general technology usage among type-2 diabetes patients.

Technology usage was measured by frequency of use in the past month ranging from never to everyday in a six-point scale. Three types of technology usage were assessed: computer, tablet and smart phone. The technology usage was defined as high (more than once a week) versus low for usage.

To capture family support within the socio-cultural context in Taiwan, the research team developed a 17-item Family Support Scale based on intergenerational solidarity theory. The scale measured self-reported family support from adult children and grandchildren. Participants rated their interaction with family members on a five-point scale ranging from none to always. The sum score of all items was calculated as a measure of total family support, Cronbach’s Alpha=0.93.

Logistic regression models were conducted to evaluate family support effects on the technology usage, adjusted for age, gender, education, financial situation, employment, self-rated health, and clinic site.

Results: A total of 308 participants completed the family support scale (mean age = 65, 58.03% are male). 239 (71.13%) participants received education at high school level or below; 97 (28.87%) participants’ education level was above high school. Greater family support was significantly associated with participants’ usage of computer/laptop (OR=1.02, 95% CI 1.001, 1.048) and tablet (OR=1.03, 95% CI 1.006, 1.056). However, the result indicated family support had no significant effect on smartphone usage.

Discussion and Implications: The finding shows smartphone usage is not tied to family support, unlike the cases of computer and tablet, suggesting a different pattern of acceptance of smartphones to other computing devices among older adults. Family support in solidarity seems to facilitate older adults use computing technology. However, smartphone as a “smart” mobile communication technology have other factors than family support facilitating its adoption and use to be further investigated. Nevertheless, future interventions aiming at using computing and communication technology as an enabling and social inclusion tool for older population should consider involving family members in the intervention process.