The Association Between Digital Engagement and Unmet Healthcare Needs Among Older Korean Adults

Information-seeking behavior has become more diversified with the proliferation of digital technologies. This study investigated the relationship between digital engagement in searching for information and experience of unmet healthcare needs among older adults in South Korea Data from the 2017 and 2020 National Survey of Older Koreans were used to examine the relationship between digital engagement and unmet healthcare needs across four dimensions of access, based on Levesque's model: approachability, acceptability, availability, and affordability. Older adults with no digital engagement were more likely to experience unmet healthcare needs overall, with the strongest association observed in the domain of acceptability, which relates to ability to accept and seek healthcare services. This suggests that enhancing digital engagement may help reduce unmet needs by strengthening trust and perceived relevance, key aspects of the acceptability domain. Policy interventions and educational programs should be developed to provide older adults with the essential digital skills they need to better engage with healthcare services.