An evaluation of use of information technology equipment among Japanese elderly women--relation between health status and the preferred input device for the Internet.
This study was conducted to determine how mobile phones (MP) and the Internet through personal computers (IPC) have been used among Japanese elderly women. It also aims to examine the relationship between the input devices and factors such as age, health status, and future needs for a MP and the IPC. The magnitude of the relation was evaluated by the odds ratio (OR). The survey was done in December 2000 and January 2001. The study sample was forty women, 78.5 +/- 4.5 years of age (70-89), who lived in their own houses in Y Town near Himeji City, Hyogo, Japan. Findings reveal that use of a MP was 10.0% and none used the IPC. On the other hand, 60.0% of the subjects were interested in using a MP in the future and 27.5% in using the IPC. The touch screen was the most preferred input device among the elderly with high age [OR = 3.86, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.83-18.98]. It was also preferred by subjects with more difficulties (OR = 5.00, 95% CI 1.05-25.41) and less future need for a MP and the IPC (OR = 7.22, 95% CI 1.34-43.88). On the other hand, the Japanese kana syllabary (JKS) was the most preferred input device among those with a low age (OR = 4.33, 95% CI 0.68-35.00) and with a more future need for a MP and the IPC (OR = 6.33, 95% CI 1.14-39.59). Considering these results, we intend to create a type of keyboard that combines the features of touch screen and JKS for the elderly women.
Uchida
H
H
Department of Health Education, Himeji Institute of Technology, 1-1-12 Shinzaikehoncho, Himeji, 670-0092, Japan. uchida@hept.himeji-tech.ac.jp
Hata
Y
Y
Matsuura
S
S
Morotomi
Y
Y
Aoyama
H
H
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003258:Consumer Behavior / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003625:Data Collection; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008838:Microcomputers / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D020380:Needs Assessment; D013685:Telecommunications / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013689:Telephone / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014584:User-Computer Interface; D014930:Women / Q000523:psychology*