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. 2025 Nov 18;25(1):4030.
doi: 10.1186/s12889-025-25419-9.

Internet use and frailty in Chinese middle-aged and older adults: empirical evidence from CHARLS 2020

Qian Wang  1 , Yinliang Ge  2 , Yan Tang  3
Affiliations

Internet use and frailty in Chinese middle-aged and older adults: empirical evidence from CHARLS 2020

Qian Wang et al. BMC Public Health. .

Abstract

Background: At present, the impact of Internet use on health remains controversial. This article verifies the impact of the Internet on the health of middle-aged and older adults from a reverse perspective through the relationship between Internet use and frailty. The key research focuses on whether Internet use is associated with reducing the risk of frailty, and how its levels and multiple types affect this risk.

Methods: We conducted our analysis using data from the 2020 wave of China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS), selecting a total of 10,727 Chinese adults aged 45 years or older. To examine the relationship between Internet use and frailty, we employed logit regression and addressed endogeneity by employing propensity score matching to match Internet-using and non-Internet-using middle-aged and older adults. Additionally, we tested the robustness of our results by replacing the independent variables with WeChat.

Results: The logit regression results indicated a significant negative effect of Internet use, level of internet use and type of internet use on frailty (p<0.001). The propensity score matching test further confirmed that Internet use had a negative effect on frailty (p<0.001). Moreover, when WeChat was used as a replacement for the independent variable, it also exhibited a negative effect on frailty (P<0.001). Lastly, we conducted a heterogeneity test for gender, age and household registration factors, which revealed persistent heterogeneity in Internet use across these three variables.

Conclusion: Our findings suggest that Internet use, level of internet use and type of internet use has a negative effect on frailty among middle-aged and older adults, scilicet promoting geriatric health. It is recommended that middle-aged and older adults be encouraged to access the Internet, receive guidance on how to use electronic devices such as cell phones and tablets, and engage in social and recreational activities through online media. By employing the Internet in a rational manner, the physical and mental health of middle-aged and elderly individuals in China can be enhanced.

Keywords: Frailty; Internet use; Middle-aged and older adults.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declarations. Ethics approval and consent to participate: This study was conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki (for human subjects research) and relevant national/institutional guidelines. All study procedures were ethically reviewed and approved by the Biomedical Ethics Review Board of Peking University. (IRB Approval Number: IRB00001052–11015). The research was conducted in strict accordance with relevant guidelines and regulations. Prior to data collection, written informed consent was obtained from all participants. This ensures full compliance with ethical standards throughout the study. Consent for publication: Not applicable. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Flowchart of the participant selection process
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
kernel density plot
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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