Internet Use and Cognitive Health Among Older Brazilians: A Cross-Sectional Examination on National Representative Survey

Background and Purpose: Growing numbers of older adults use the Internet daily, suggesting its potential to improve general cognitive functioning, memory, and verbal fluency. Yet, a significant gap exists in understanding the Internet use status among older adults and the association between Internet use and cognitive health within low- and middle-income countries, such as Brazil. This study addresses this gap by examining the predicted factors of Internet use among older adults in Brazil and evaluating whether Internet use is associated with their general cognitive functioning, memory, and verbal fluency.

Method: For this study, we utilized data from the second wave of the Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Aging (ELSI-Brazil), which included a sample of 9,877 older adults. Our analysis involved univariate and bivariate analyses to better understand how demographic, social, geographic, and health factors may vary across Internet and non-Internet users. Furthermore, we applied multivariate logistic regression models to assess the likelihood of Internet use based on these factors, and a series of multivariate linear regressions were employed to evaluate the association of Internet use with cognitive function, memory, and verbal fluency.

Result: Our finding suggested that about 17% of the older adults in the sample were Internet users, and 69% of them use the Internet daily. The analysis revealed that the likelihood of Internet use decreased with increased age and was significantly lower among non-White individuals, those with less education and lower income levels, and those residing in rural areas. Additionally, older adults who lived alone or those experiencing limitations in ADLs and IADLs or depressive symptoms were also less likely to use the Internet. Moreover, Internet use was positively associated with general cognitive functioning (β=0.14, 95% CI 0.07-0.20) and memory (β =0.19, 95% CI 0.10-0.28), accounting for demographic, social, geographical, and health factors. Daily Internet use was positively associated with general cognitive function (β=0.14, 95% CI 0.06-0.22) and memory (β=0.19, 95% CI 0.09-0.29). However, no statistically significant association was found between Internet use, use frequency, and verbal fluency.

Conclusion and Implication: The study underscores the need for policies to increase digital engagement among older adults to improve cognitive health outcomes. Enhancing Internet access and usability for older adults, particularly through tailored educational programs that boost digital skills, could foster better cognitive function and potentially reduce the incidence of cognitive decline.