From digital material poverty to digital skills poverty: the impact of digital poverty on subjective well-being among older adults in China

Against the backdrop of intertwined population aging and digital transformation, this study explores the impact of different types of digital poverty on the subjective well-being of older adults and examines the underlying mechanisms. Digital poverty is categorized into three types: digital material poverty, digital awareness poverty, and digital skills poverty. Utilizing Ordinary Least Squares regression models, the study analyzes the direct effects of these three types on subjective well-being. Furthermore, a multiple mediation model is constructed to systematically investigate the mediating pathways and differentiated roles of online participation and offline participation. The results indicate that all three types of digital poverty negatively affect older adults’ subjective well-being. Multiple mediation analysis further reveals that specific online participation (online life participation, online leisure participation, and online social interaction participation) and offline participation (leisure and interaction participation) may serve as potential mediating pathways. Notably, online leisure participation exhibits differentiated suppressing effects. This suggests that the impact of online leisure activities on the well-being of older adults may be context-dependent. This study deepens the understanding of the relationship between digital poverty and subjective well-being and provides important policy implications for promoting active aging and developing a categorized, multi-layered digital inclusion policy framework.