Intergenerational patterns of digital use: Evidence from a large cross-sectional study

Clinical Snapshot

Key Findings

• P Value: Reported as statistically significant for generational differences on one-way ANOVA and Tukey-Kramer HSD post-hoc tests; specific p-values not stated in abstract.

• Effect Size: Not reported in abstract. No mean differences, Cohen's d, or eta-squared values provided.

• Primary Outcome: Self-reported weekly hours of digital tool and internet use at home, compared across six generational cohorts. Baby Boomers and Generation X showed statistically significant differences in digital use compared to all other generations. Generations Y and Z reported the highest average digital use; Greatest and Silent Generations reported the lowest.

• Nnt Or Sensitivity: Not applicable to this descriptive cross-sectional study. No diagnostic, therapeutic, or prognostic effect measure is calculable from the reported data.

• Confidence Interval: Not reported. Absence of confidence intervals is a significant methodological reporting deficiency.

Clinical Application

The study's recommendations — intergenerational digital literacy pairing programs and user-friendly digital health platforms — are feasible in principle and align with existing NHS digital inclusion frameworks. However, these recommendations are not causally supported by the study design and should be considered hypothesis-generating only. Implementation would require prospective evaluation with representative sampling and validated outcome measures. Direct applicability to Australian practice is limited. Australia has distinct demographic, geographic, and socioeconomic characteristics. The Australian Digital Health Agency (ADHA) and My Health Record framework address digital health equity through different mechanisms than the NHS. RACGP guidelines on digital health (including telehealth and patient-facing digital tools) acknowledge the digital divide but are informed by Australian-specific data. The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) and ADHA publish national digital inclusion indices that would be more relevant to Australian policy than this single-district UK study. PBS and TGA considerations are not relevant to this study's scope. Clinicians and health services considering digital health equity initiatives in Australia should consult the Australian Digital Inclusion Index (ADII) and RACGP's digital health position statements rather than extrapolating from this study. The findings, with significant caveats, may have limited applicability to older adult populations in socioeconomically deprived regions of the UK who are already engaged enough to respond to a household survey. They are not directly applicable to younger generations, digitally excluded populations (who would not respond), or populations outside North East England.

Abstract

This study aims to determine the level of digital use across six generations (Greatest, Silent, Baby Boomers, and Generations X, Y and Z) within a district in North East England (population ~200,000). A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted via an online and paper-based survey from February to May 2022, mailed to households in the district (N = 98,260). Respondents estimated their weekly use of digital tools and the internet at home. One-way ANOVA and Tukey-Kramer HSD tests were used to analyse differences in digital resource uses across six generations. To account for underlying sociodemographic characteristics, a follow-up ANCOVA analysis was also performed. Content Analysis was used for qualitative responses from an open-ended survey question. A total of 9,181 completed surveys were analysed. The sample was skewed towards older, homeowner adults (mean age 63, 60% female). Findings revealed that respondents spend less time online than other British cohorts. Baby Boomers and Generation X self-reported statistically significant differences in the level of digital use compared to all other generations. Younger generations (Y and Z) self-reported, on average, a larger amount of time spent on both digital tools and the internet. Members of Greatest and Silent Generations had the lowest hours spent on digital tools and the internet. The results suggest that public health initiatives should prioritise strategies bridging the digital divide between generations. Targeted training programs pairing younger, tech-savvy individuals with older adults could enhance digital literacy. Additionally, integrating user-friendly digital health platforms that cater to varying levels of technological proficiency will encourage wider adoption. These strategies not only foster intergenerational collaboration but also drive successful digital health and care transformations, ensuring equitable access to technological advancements for all age groups.

References

1. 1.Erfani, G., Steven, A., Young-Murphy, L., Charlton, W., De Luca, H., & Wilson-Menzfeld, G. (2026). Intergenerational patterns of digital use: Evidence from a large cross-sectional study. PLOS ONE. PubMed ID: 42418440. Note: The DOI provided (10.1080/02601370500309477) does not correspond to this publication and should be independently verified by readers.