Work

Rural digitalization and the multidimensional wellbeing of older adults in China: evidence from the active aging framework

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Background: Building a more inclusive digital environment is a key strategy for promoting rural digitalization, narrowing the digital divide, and enhancing the wellbeing of older adults in rural areas. However, despite its increasing relevance, research on how rural digitalization affects the wellbeing of older adults in developing countries remains scarce. Objective: This study aims to examine the relationship between rural digitalization and the wellbeing of older residents in rural areas, with a particular focus on its underlying mechanisms and heterogeneous effects. Method: Grounded in the World Health Organization (WHO) framework for active aging and the multidimensional measurement approach of the Active Aging Index (AAI), this study develops a comprehensive index for evaluating the wellbeing of older adults in rural China while accounting for the specific socioeconomic and contextual characteristics of rural areas. Using matched data from the China Provincial Digital Development Index (2016-2022) and the China Family Panel Studies (CFPS), to systematically analyze the relationship between rural digitalization and the wellbeing of the older adults in rural areas, as well as the mechanisms underlying this relationship, and the underlying mechanisms are explored through a double machine learning approach. Conclusions and discussion: Analysis indicates that rural digital development significantly enhances self-efficacy, expands social networks, and strengthens social trust among rural older residents. These factors constitute key mechanisms through which digital development is associated with improved wellbeing among rural older residents. The heterogeneity analysis further reveals that the positive impact of digitalization on wellbeing are more pronounced among older adults with lower educational attainment, those with moderate or low income levels, and those living with their children, and the positive correlation is stronger in China's central and western regions. Overall, this study extends active aging theory to rural digital contexts in developing countries, thereby improving its contextual applicability, while also enriching the existing framework for evaluating the wellbeing of rural older adults and providing policy insights for promoting an inclusive digital society and a more equitable distribution of digital dividends.

Source: Frontiers in Public Health

DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2026.1900178