2026/07/07 by Arlind Reuter, Stefan Johansson, Junia Joffer +1 · 1 voice
Social Sciences · Health Professions · Computer Science · #Technology Use by Older Adults #Assistive Technology in Communication and Mobility #Innovative Human-Technology Interaction
paper · pdf · doi:10.16993/sjdr.1364
openalex publication_date 2026/07/07 · openalex created_date 2026/07/08 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/01
The aim of this study was to explore to what extent older adults with and without impairments feel included in and participate in digital society. Drawing on data from a nationwide survey conducted in 2023, ‘Swedes with impairment and the Internet’, and from matched participants without impairments, responses from older adults (aged ≥65 years) were analysed using a mixed-methods convergent approach: quantitative analyses using the chi-square test and uni- and multivariable binary logistic regression for questions with fixed response options, and reflexive thematic analysis for free-text responses. Our findings highlight three themes: autonomy as a pillar of digital participation; compounding vulnerability at the intersection of age, impairment, and structural exclusion; and exclusion by design. Structural limitations in society’s digital infrastructures shape the digital participation of older adults with and without impairments. This underscores the need for universally accessible digital environments as a key policy response.