Internet and the elderly in Spain: Time dedicated to search and communications
José Alberto Molina,
Juan Campaña and
Raquel Ortega
MPRA Paper from University Library of Munich, Germany
Abstract:
Internet use reduces the isolation or exclusion of individuals in specific socio-economic groups and, consequently, increases the quality of life, with this being especially the case for the elderly. Knowing that the elderly are becoming particularly active in dedicating time to the Internet, we provide evidence of the time that Spanish individuals aged 65 and older dedicate to two online activities: search and communications. Thus, our work contributes to the central objective of the Digital Agenda for Europa, which sets out to ensure universal broadband coverage across the European Union. We estimate a simultaneous SUR model with data from the 4,036 individuals aged 65 years (inclusive) and older from the Spanish Time Use Survey for 2009-2010. Results indicate that being male has a positive influence on the time devoted to search on the Internet, whereas age has a negative effect. Time devoted to both Internet activities increases with higher levels of education and at the highest level of individual health. By contrast, a greater number of family members has a negative influence on the time spent on search and, more so, on communications. Finally, living in a larger city produces a positive effect on the time dedicated to search.
Keywords: Elderly; Internet; Time use; SUR model; Digital Agenda for Europa (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: D12 J14 J22 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2016-10-10
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-age, nep-edu, nep-eur, nep-ict and nep-pay
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (9)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:pra:mprapa:74419
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