Effects and Mechanisms of TikTok Use on Self-Rated Health of Older Adults in China During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Mediation Analysis
Luo Y, Yu H, Kuang Y
Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 3 citations
How it was studied
- Design
- Cross-sectional study (classified by our AI screen)
- Studied in
- People
- Main outcome
- Health markers and function
Who paid for it
- Funding
- Independent funding
- University or hospital
- Peking University
- Government
- National Office for Philosophy and Social Sciences
- Government
- Sichuan Philosophy and Social Sciences Planning Key Research Base Project “Research on the Cultivation Mechanism of Top Innovative Talents in Sichuan Province Driven by Digitalization”
- Government
- Sichuan Philosophy and Social Sciences Planning Special Project “Research on the Construction of Sichuan Smart People’s Congress”
- Government
- National Social Science Fund project “Research on the Difficulties and Countermeasures of Digital Social Integration of Elderly People in Western Rural Areas Based on User Profile”
Based on 5 listed funder(s) and full-text disclosure statement.
Publication
- Published
- 2024-11-06 · Healthcare (Basel) · vol. 12 · issue 22 · p. 2209
- Publisher
- Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute
- Cited
- 7 citations · more than 98% of similar papers · 8.1× the field average
- Impact
- Top 10% most cited in its field
- References
- 85 works
- Access
- Open access (journal) · CC-BY
- Research areas
- Technology Use by Older Adults · Mobile Health and mHealth Applications · Impact of Technology on Adolescents
- Keywords
- TikTok, older adults, self-rated health, COVID-19 pandemic, short video platforms, exercise frequency, protein intake, health information dissemination, digital health behavior, China Family Panel Studies
3 authors
From CN
- Yunfeng LuoUniversity of Electronic Science and Technology of China
- Han YuUniversity of Electronic Science and Technology of China
- Yalin Kuang · correspondingUniversity of Electronic Science and Technology of China
Abstract
Background/objectives
During the COVID-19 pandemic, TikTok emerged as a significant app for entertainment and information acquisition for the general public, gradually extending its reach to the older population. Digital technology, exemplified by TikTok, has become an indispensable part of older adults' lives. However, while prior studies have extensively focused on the impact of internet use on older adults' health, research on the impact of TikTok during the COVID-19 pandemic remains insufficient.
Methods
Utilizing data from the China Family Panel Studies (CFPS) 2020, this study explored the impact of TikTok use on older adults' self-rated health and its underlying mechanisms through multiple regression and mediation analysis.
Results
The study found that (1) TikTok use had a significant positive effect on the self-rated health of older adults; (2) while TikTok use increased the exercise frequency of older adults, exercise frequency did not affect their self-rated health; and (3) TikTok use boosted older adults' protein intake, contributing substantially to their self-rated health, accounting for 38.7% of the total effect.
Conclusions
It is advisable to actively promote the popularity of short video apps such as TikTok among older adults, as they serve as an effective tool for disseminating health information and encouraging healthier lifestyles and behaviors.
Abstract via Europe PMC. Copyright remains with the authors or publisher (CC BY).
Community trust
Loading…
How much do you trust this study's findings?
Comments
Sign in to rate, comment on or flag this study.Sign inSomething wrong here?
Flag this study if its information, labels or funding look wrong. An editor reviews every flag.
Sign in to rate, comment on or flag this study.Sign inEducational information about published research. Not medical advice, and not a recommendation to start or stop anything.