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Effects of Digital Device Ownership on Cognitive Decline in a Middle-Aged and Elderly Population: Longitudinal Observational Study
Jin Y, Jing M, Ma X.. Journal of medical Internet research, 2019-07-29
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
Background Cognitive decline is a major risk factor for disability and death and may serve as a precursor of dementia. Digital devices can provide a platform of cognitively stimulating activities which might help to slow cognitive decline during the process of normal aging. Objective This longitudinal study aimed to examine the independent protective factors of desktop and cellphone ownership against cognitive decline in mid-life and older adulthood and to examine the combined effect of desktop and cellphone ownership on the same outcome. Methods Data was obtained from a China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Studies (CHARLS) cohort made up of 13,457 community-dwelling adults aged 45 years or above in 2011-2012. They were followed for 4 years, with baseline measurements taken as well as 2 two-year follow-up visits. Cognitive function was tested during the baseline test and follow-up visits. A global cognition z-score was calculated based on two domains: word recall and mental intactness. The key independent variables were defined as: whether one had desktops with internet connection at home and whether one had a cellphone. An additional categorical variable of three values was constructed as: 0 (no desktop or cellphone), 1 (desktop or cellphone alone), and 2 (desktop and cellphone both). Mixed-effects regression was adjusted for demographic and health behavior as well as health condition risk factors. Results Adjusted for demographic and health behavior as well as health condition risk factors, desktop and cellphone ownership were independently associated with subsequent decreased cognitive decline over the four-year period. Participants without a desktop at home had an adjusted cognitive decline of -0.16 standard deviations (95% CI -0.18 to -0.15), while participants with a desktop at home had an adjusted cognitive decline of -0.10 standard deviations (95% CI -0.14 to -0.07; difference of -0.06 standard deviations; P=.003). A similar pattern of significantly protective association of 0.06 standard deviations (95% CI 0.03-0.10; P Conclusions Findings from this study underscored the importance of digital devices as platforms for cognitively stimulating activities to delay cognitive decline. Future studies focusing on use of digital devices are warranted to investigate their longitudinal protective factors against cognitive decline at mid- and later life.
Key findings
- Results Adjusted for demographic and health behavior as well as health condition risk factors, desktop and cellphone ownership were independently associated with subsequent decreased cognitive decline over the four-year period.
- A similar pattern of significantly protective association of 0.06 standard deviations (95% CI 0.03-0.10; P Conclusions Findings from this study underscored the importance of digital devices as platforms for cognitively stimulating activities to delay cognitive decline.
Why it matters
In a longitudinal study, owning a desktop and cellphone was associated with less cognitive decline over four years in middle-aged and older adults. This is an observational association and does not show that digital devices treat, cure or prevent dementia.
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Study details
- Study designlongitudinal study
- Evidence strengthModerate
How this study scored 55/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal, and it is a longitudinal study following the same people over time. Scored zero for sample size, effect reported and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Journal of medical Internet research) |
| Journal's citation record | 3 / 4 | Journal of Medical Internet Research: journal h-index 286 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 7 / 12 | A longitudinal study following the same people over time |
| Strength of evidence | 3 / 5 | Rated “moderate” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 2 / 5 | 2019 — within 10 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 3 / 3 | Studied in people (pubmed indexes it as a clinical or observational study) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 4 / 7 | Cited 67 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 2 / 5 | 7.4 citations a year over 9 year(s) since 2019 |
| Impact for its field and year | 3 / 6 | Cited 4.6× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 1 / 6 | Cited by 1 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 2 / 4 | Cited 36 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 2 / 4 | Last-listed author Xiaochen Ma: h-index 21 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | Peking University: institution h-index 1,098 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 2 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 31359864) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Total | 55 / 100 | — |
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Read the original
- DOI: 10.2196/14210
- PubMed: 31359864
- Original source →
- Free full text: Journal of Medical Internet Research →
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Jin, Y., Jing, M., & Ma, X. (2019). Effects of Digital Device Ownership on Cognitive Decline in a Middle-Aged and Elderly Population: Longitudinal Observational Study. Journal of medical Internet research. https://doi.org/10.2196/14210
Vancouver
Jin Y, Jing M, Ma X. Effects of Digital Device Ownership on Cognitive Decline in a Middle-Aged and Elderly Population: Longitudinal Observational Study. Journal of medical Internet research. 2019. doi:10.2196/14210. PMID: 31359864.
BibTeX
@article{jin2019-31359864,
author = {Jin, Y. and Jing, M. and Ma, X.},
title = {{Effects of Digital Device Ownership on Cognitive Decline in a Middle-Aged and Elderly Population: Longitudinal Observational Study}},
journal = {Journal of medical Internet research},
year = {2019},
doi = {10.2196/14210},
pmid = {31359864},
url = {https://doi.org/10.2196/14210}
}
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