Social and satisfied? : Social uses of mobile phone and subjective wellbeing in later life

Abstract

The current study examined the associations between socio-demographic background and engagement in social uses of mobile phone, and between the engagement in these uses and life satisfaction and health satisfaction in later life through the lens of digital divide and uses and gratifications theories. The data, collected from the retired Internet users (62 and older) residing in seven countries (N = 5713), were analyzed using logistic and linear regression models. The results show that education and age predicted the engagement in social uses in the most consistent way. A number of social uses positively related to both life and health satisfaction. Of the particular uses, e-mailing and instant messaging were positively associated with life and health satisfaction. The results imply that socio-demographic background predicts the engagement in social uses of mobile phone in later life, that the engagement in such uses plays an overall significant role in wellbeing in later life, and that some particular uses play a greater role than others in this regard.