BMC Public Health · Oct 21, 2026
Internet use and health related quality of life in older adults: longitudinal analysis of a population-based cohort
By Henriques AR, Mendonça N, Aguiar P et al.
The relationship between Internet use and the health of older adults remains unclear. Therefore, we aimed to assess the association of Internet use on quality of life and physical function among Portuguese older adults (60 + years). This study included 60 + year olds from a nationwide population-based cohort (EpiDoC Cohort), who were followed from 2013 to 2021. Internet usage (status, years, frequency) was self-reported. Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) was assessed using EQ-5D-3L, and physical function via Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ). Covariates included sex, age, residence, education, marital status, body mass index (BMI), smoking, alcohol use, exercise, and multimorbidity. Linear mixed models and random intercept Tobit regressions were used. The study followed 1604 participants for an average of 3.2 ± 2.6 years and for a maximum of 3 waves. Among them, 366 (22.8%) used Internet for 9.4 ± 6.5 years, with an average usage of 8.4 ± 9 h/week. Compared with non-users, Internet users had, on average, HRQoL scores 0.05 points higher and HAQ scores 0.13 points lower during follow-up (95%CIs:0.02–0.08 and − 0.23 to − 0.03, respectively), after adjustment for time since baseline and socioeconomic and health covariates. Our results suggest that Internet use among older adults is associated with modestly higher HRQoL and and better physical function during the follow-up. These findings highlight the potential relevance of promoting safe and accessible Internet use among older adults.