AUTHOR=Wang Yunhua , Zeng Hongyu , Lv Fengli , Wang Jiancheng 

TITLE=Analysis of demand and influencing factors for smart senior care among older adults in underdeveloped regions of western China: a case study of Lanzhou

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Public Health

VOLUME=Volume 12 - 2024

YEAR=2024

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/public-health/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2024.1337584

DOI=10.3389/fpubh.2024.1337584

ISSN=2296-2565

ABSTRACT=Introduction: With the rapid development of artificial intelligence and Internet-of-Things technology, internal support systems among families are gradually weakening, which can no longer satisfy the current demands of older adults. In this context, smart elderly care has become a new development direction. However, existing studies on the demand for smart elderly care are primarily concentrated in economically developed provinces and mega-cities in eastern China; their research results or conclusions may not apply to underdeveloped areas in the Western region. Therefore, our study selects Lanzhou as a representative city in an underdeveloped western region to investigate the demand of older adults for smart elderly care and analyze the influencing factors. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 4815 older adults from Lanzhou, China. A structured questionnaire was designed to investigate the demands of the older adults for smart elderly care and analyze the influencing factors. The Chi-square test was used for single factor analysis of each variable. The logistic regression model included the statistically significant variables to analyze factors influencing older adults' demand for smart elderly care. A significance level of p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.Results: Among the surveyed older adults, 1,625 (33.75%) expressed a demand for smart elderly care. The finding indicated that participants' age, level of education, marital status, monthly income, number of children, type of endowment insurance, and knowledge of smart elderly care were significantly associated with their demands for smart elderly care (p < 0.05). Notably, medical care emerged as the smart elderly care service with the highest demand rate (79.45%).In Lanzhou, older adults show a low level of knowledge but a high demand for smart elderly care. Their demand is influenced by personal, family, health conditions, elderly care security, and other factors. To advance smart elderly care, government departments should accelerate the improvement of the laws and regulations on smart elderly care while vigorously enhancing the service's publicity to raise knowledge about it. Additionally, the service contents for smart elderly care should be expanded to meet the diversified demands of older adults.