Reaching disadvantaged elderly, poor people by using digital tools and media

Meier, Gisela

Publication type:	Conference poster
Type of review:	Peer review (abstract)
Title:	Reaching disadvantaged elderly, poor people by using digital tools and media
Authors:	Meier, Gisela
et. al:	No
Conference details:	13th European Conference for Social Work Research (ESWRA), Vilnius, Lithuania, 17-19 April 2024
Issue Date:	19-Apr-2024
Language:	English
Subjects:	Digitalization; Elderly people; Old age poverty; Reaching strategies; Access; ICT skills
Subject (DDC):	302.23: Media 305: Groups (age, origine, gender, income)
Abstract:	Access to research participants is critical, especially in studies addressing sensitive or controversial topics. Recruiting can be time-consuming and costly, posing challenges for financially limited studies. Digital tools and media (dtm) offer low-cost and efficient recruitment channels. Yet, success relies on the target group's ICT skills. Previous studies show that the grey digital divide (still) exists, with older people having been shown to face challenges in participating in and benefiting from the digital revolution, showing lower digital skills and being less likely to have access to the internet or digital devices. The Swiss population aged 65 and over shows the lowest interest in gaining/improving ICT skills. Research on the ICT skills of the poor shows similar results: Economic inequalities are reflected in the offline/online world and for households with a difficult financial situation, the risk of low skills is twice as high. Against this background, it is hypothezised that elderly and poor people (epP) are therefore affected by what can be called digital intersectionality. Thus, the level of ICT skills among epP is of interest when it comes to digital access channels for research recruitment. Against this background, I focused on the following research question: What are the strengths and challenges of dtm for reaching the hard-to-reach group of disadvantaged, epP in Switzerland? In summer 2023, three qualitative focus group interviews were conducted with several social work experts who have direct, daily contact with epP. The data was analysed using content analysis. The four main findings point to multiple disadvantages: First, the cumulation of old age and poverty is seen as a significant barrier to accessing digital devices. Only individual and intrinsic motivation regarding the digital revolution lower this barrier but is rarely seen among epP. Even though first initiatives exist, the experts define a lack of strategic, comprehensive scheme to expand this interest and build up digital competences among the older population. Second, low levels of education and/or skills - which often associated with poverty - are thought to minimize both the interest and the ability to acquire ICT skills. Thirdly, there seems to be a relevant difference between younger and older cohorts in terms of ICT skills, but this difference decreases when there is support from family/friends in using dtm. Fourthly, dtm which require a multi-step process to use are considered too complex and therefore inaccessible. Only simple procedures (e.g. watching a video with a single click) are considered to be successful access channels. In conclusion, dtm can access specific groups but may not benefit all. This insight has implications for research and social work. Vulnerable individuals face additional digital disadvantages, but the role of social networks in mitigating these disparities warrants exploration, potentially compensating for basic digital skills gaps.
URI:	https://virtual.oxfordabstracts.com/#/event/4721/submission/42 https://digitalcollection.zhaw.ch/handle/11475/30513
Fulltext version:	Published version
License (according to publishing contract):	Licence according to publishing contract
Departement:	Social Work
Organisational Unit:	Institute of Diversity and Social Integration (IVGT)
Appears in collections:	Publikationen Soziale Arbeit

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Meier, G. (2024, April 19). Reaching disadvantaged elderly, poor people by using digital tools and media. 13th European Conference for Social Work Research (ESWRA), Vilnius, Lithuania, 17-19 April 2024. https://virtual.oxfordabstracts.com/#/event/4721/submission/42

Meier, G. (2024) ‘Reaching disadvantaged elderly, poor people by using digital tools and media’, in 13th European Conference for Social Work Research (ESWRA), Vilnius, Lithuania, 17-19 April 2024. Available at: https://virtual.oxfordabstracts.com/#/event/4721/submission/42.

G. Meier, “Reaching disadvantaged elderly, poor people by using digital tools and media,” in 13th European Conference for Social Work Research (ESWRA), Vilnius, Lithuania, 17-19 April 2024, Apr. 2024. [Online]. Available: https://virtual.oxfordabstracts.com/#/event/4721/submission/42

MEIER, Gisela, 2024. Reaching disadvantaged elderly, poor people by using digital tools and media. In: 13th European Conference for Social Work Research (ESWRA), Vilnius, Lithuania, 17-19 April 2024 [online]. Conference poster. 19 April 2024. Verfügbar unter: https://virtual.oxfordabstracts.com/#/event/4721/submission/42

Meier, Gisela. 2024. “Reaching Disadvantaged Elderly, Poor People by Using Digital Tools and Media.” Conference poster. In 13th European Conference for Social Work Research (ESWRA), Vilnius, Lithuania, 17-19 April 2024. https://virtual.oxfordabstracts.com/#/event/4721/submission/42.

Meier, Gisela. “Reaching Disadvantaged Elderly, Poor People by Using Digital Tools and Media.” 13th European Conference for Social Work Research (ESWRA), Vilnius, Lithuania, 17-19 April 2024, 2024, https://virtual.oxfordabstracts.com/#/event/4721/submission/42.