Influencing factors of digital health technology anxiety in the elderly: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Ying Han^1,2Jiquan Zhang²Wei Qing²Shouqi Zheng³Lin Xia¹Yuxin Li²Lin He^2*

• ¹Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
• ²Deyang People's Hospital, Deyang, China
• ³North Sichuan Medical College, Nanchong, China

Background: With the acceleration of global population aging, the widespread application of digital health technologies provides new opportunities for health management of older adults, but older adults generally face "digital health technology anxiety", which is manifested by irrational fear and resistance to emerging technologies, resulting in significantly lower technology adoption rates than younger adults, and exacerbating health inequalities. The influencing factors of digital health technology anxiety in the elderly were comprehensively evaluated through meta-analysis to provide evidence-based basis for formulating targeted intervention measures. Methods: According to the PRISMA statement, a systematic search of Chinese and English databases (as of February 2025) included cross-sectional OR cohort studies of older adults ≥60 years old, and the outcome measures were factors influencing technology anxiety (OR value and 95%CI). Statistical analyses were performed using RevMan 5.3 software, combining effect sizes by fixed or random effects models, heterogeneity was tested by I² test, and sensitivity analyses as well as publication bias assessment were performed. Results: After screening, 11 studies were included. Meta-analysis showed that age (OR=1.09, 95%CI 1.03~1.14), digital health literacy (OR=0.67, 95%CI 0.49~0.92), monthly income (OR=0.73, 95%CI 0.62~0.87), household registration (OR=0.19, 95%CI 0.08~0.45), family support (OR= 0.85, 95%CI 0.81~0.90), social network (OR=0.60, 95%CI 0.54~0.66), information application ability (OR=0.46, 95%CI 0.28~0.74) and self-efficacy (OR=0.96, 95%CI 0.92~0.99) were significantly associated with technology anxiety. Sensitivity analyses showed stable overall results, but there was some fluctuation in the size of age. Discussion: Digital health technology anxiety among the elderly is affected by multiple factors, including individual characteristics, technological capabilities and social support. It is importdesign ands on the elderly, low-income, and rural populations to improve digital literacy, optimize age-appropriate design, and strengthen family-community support to alleviate anxiety. Future studies need to expand the sample size and include longitudinal data to validate the causal association.