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According to a study, many senior citizens lack digital health literacy. (symbolic image)
Keystone
Senior citizens in Switzerland make extensive use of the internet for health tips. However, according to a new study, the vast majority are unable to correctly assess the information they find.
According to a survey conducted by the School of Social Work at the University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland (FHNW), four out of five people over the age of 60 use the internet to improve their understanding of their health, the school announced on Thursday.
While many respondents said they found it easy to find and understand information online, they found it difficult to evaluate it critically. In particular, they found it difficult to assess the trustworthiness and relevance of information to their own situation.
According to the study, 86% of senior citizens have limited digital health literacy. Around half of those surveyed had poor digital health literacy and a further third had problems. People with a lower level of education or in a difficult financial situation are particularly affected.
According to the FHNW, the lower the level of formal education, the more strained the financial situation and the worse the self-assessed state of health, the lower the level of digital health literacy.
The study "Regional Health Promotion in an Age-Friendly Digital World in Switzerland" (ReDiH) ran from April 2023 to March 2026 and was funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation. It was based on a survey of 1,325 people over the age of 60 and workshops.
The research team derived several recommendations from the results. Low-threshold learning opportunities such as "digital cafés" and more support from specialists are needed. In addition, platform providers should be obliged to provide more transparency and comprehensible content. It is also important that analog information channels continue to exist.
16.04.2026, 10:34
16.04.2026, 11:30
