Self-harm injury among older adults is a pressing problem that demands social attention in South Korea. This study sought to identify the association between physical and mental illness and hospitalization following self-harm injuries, compared to non-self-harm injuries, among older adults living in Korea. We analyzed individuals aged 65 and older who were admitted to hospitals either for self-harm or non-self-harm from a population-based survey of the Korea National Hospital Discharge In-depth Injury Survey (KNHDIS). A logistic regression analysis was performed. Compared with non-self-harm-related hospitalization, self-harm hospitalization was associated with higher odds of depression, other disorders of the nervous system, malignancies, alcohol misuse and dependence, and drug-related dependence. Dementia, anxiety disorder, diabetes, arthritis, cerebral palsy, and other paralytic syndromes had a lower likelihood of leading to self-harm than non-self-harm hospitalization. The findings of this study can inform medical professionals to identify older adults with a heightened risk of self-harming behavior leading to hospitalization.

This study examined how access to Information and Communication Technology (ICT) devices, prior online experience, and ICT training (with or without assistance) influenced eHealth use among homebound Medicare beneficiaries in the U.S. during COVID-19. Data were obtained from the National Health and Aging Trends Study, and participants ( N = 653) were categorized as non-users, patient portal users, video telehealth users, or dual users. Multinomial logistic regression models showed that access to ICT devices was initially associated with eHealth engagement. However, this association became non-significant after accounting for prior online experience and ICT training. Prior online experience significantly predicted patient portal use, while ICT training, particularly when provided with assistance, significantly predicted video telehealth use and dual usage. The study highlights that providing ICT devices alone may be insufficient to reduce eHealth disparities among homebound older adults. Educational programs promoting digital engagement and targeted training are essential to ensure equitable healthcare access.

Background and Objectives: This study identified latent domains and usage-breadth patterns of everyday digital technology (EDT) engagement among older adults and examined their concurrent and prospective associations with cognition. Research Design and Methods: The analytic sample comprised 2,910 adults aged ≥65 who completed the 2020 Leave-Behind Questionnaire of the Health and Retirement Study. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses identified latent domains across 31 digital activities, and latent class analysis (LCA) identified subgroups differing in engagement breadth. Structural equation models and class-based models examined associations with concurrent (2020) and prospective (2022) cognition, adjusting for prior cognition (2018) and other covariates. Results: Four domains—information access, routine tools, social engagement, and logistic tasks—were identified and confirmed. The domains were intercorrelated and loaded on a second-order general factor, reflecting a graded propensity toward digital engagement. LCA distinguished low-, moderate-, and broad-use groups, with engagement broadening in a patterned way in which the more demanding logistic tasks were endorsed least often, even among moderately engaged users. The general EDT factor, selected domain factors, engagement breadth, and digital gaming were positively associated with concurrent cognition, but none prospectively predicted cognition after adjustment for prior cognition. Discussion and Implications: EDT engagement is best understood as a graded propensity that varies primarily in breadth. Its concurrent associations, absent prospective prediction over a two-year interval, are more consistent with cognitive status shaping EDT engagement than with short-term cognitive benefits of EDT engagement. These findings caution against strong claims that digital engagement preserves cognition, while supporting older adults’ digital participation may remain valuable on other grounds.