부산대학교 도서관

Introduction: The Internet may bring an opportunity for community creation. This study aimed to assess patterns of Internet use among Iranian elderly people. Furthermore aimed to clarify its impact on the time participants spend in other social activities and their life satisfaction. Methods: Participants of this cross-sectional study were recruited through retired teacher centers. From 445 older adults participated in the study, 43 subjects were Internet users. Data collected by a questionnaire consisted of three sections including demographic questions, frequency and history of the Internet use, and 30 questions in terms of the breadth of Internet use. Results: The most common Internet application was using the Internet for doing social activities and getting information. Regarding the impact of Internet use on the time they spend in other social activities and their life satisfaction, the majority of the respondents reported that spending time on the Internet did not change the time they spend on other activities and improvement on their satisfaction in contacting family and friends, their overall happiness, and involvement with hobbies or other interests. Conclusion: All this suggests that it is appropriate to make older adults aware of the different effects the Internet may have, and to encourage them towards more beneficial usages, thus making the Internet an effective way to facilitate their social life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]