The associations between internet use and loneliness among older adults: a three-level meta-analysis

Loneliness is a significant risk factor for physical and mental health in older adults. Internet use was closely associated with loneliness in the older population in the digital age, but consensus on the association is lacking. The present study aims to conduct a meta-analysis to quantify how internet use is associated with loneliness in older adults. Based on the PRISMA method, the present study used a three-level meta-analysis with 41 studies (N = 75,736) to explore the association between internet use and loneliness in older adults and the possible moderating variables of this association. The results revealed a significant negative association between internet use and loneliness in older adults (r = -0.080, p < 0.001), with I-2 = 95.5% indicating considerable heterogeneity. Moreover, age [F (1, 70) = 5.729, p = 0.019], internet use measurement [F (2, 104) = 9.739, p < 0.001], and purposes of internet use [F (3, 48) = 5.428, p = 0.003] were found to moderate the association significantly, as the negative correlation was stronger with age increasing; the negative correlation was stronger by the frequency measure of internet use (r = -0.105) than by the duration measure of internet use (r = 0.067), and the negative correlation was stronger for communication (r = -0.116) than for information acquisition (r = -0.052) and entertainment (r = 0.022). Through a comprehensive exploration of the overall effect and moderating variables, this meta-analysis offers further insights into the relationship between internet use and loneliness among older adults.