The impact of intersectionality of multiple identities on the digital health divide, quality of life and loneliness amongst older adults in the UK

Abstract

The study measures the digital divide between digital/internet users and non-digital/internet users and the intersectional impact of multiple identities, i.e. gender, race and social status, on older adults in the UK. The analysis interviewed 9,246 adults aged fifty-five plus years in 2012 and 8,484 in 2014 in the English Longitudinal Study on Ageing. The digital health divide was evaluated both by CASP-19 (quality of life, QoL) and UCLA-Loneliness Scale with the intersectional effect of respondents’ multiple identities and digital/internet use. The results suggested a reduction in the digital divide amongst elders in the UK. Generalised estimating equations found that, amongst regular internet users having good social status, white females attained good QoL and little loneliness (CASP-19: β = 2.921, p <0.001; Loneliness: β=–0.631, p <0.001); and white and BME (black and minority ethnic) males both scored low on the loneliness scale (white: β=–0.809, p < 0.001 BME: β= –0.549, p <0.05). BME females with poor social status despite regular internet use got lower QoL and greater loneliness scores (CASP-19: β=–3.107, p <0.05; Loneliness: β=0.935, p <0.001), showing inequalities in their health outcomes. The intersectional perspective of cumulative disadvantages can help social workers better understand how the multiplicative effect of multiple identities socially excludes the vulnerable adults. Implications for research and practice are discussed.