Gender Differences in the Digital Divide, Digital Back-Feeding, and Health-Related Quality of Life Among Rural Older Adults: Cross-Sectional Study

Xin Che, Shujun Chai, Dan Zhao, Shirong Chen, Chengchao Zhou · 2025 · JMIR Aging

Summary. In rural China, 71% of older adults experience the digital divide, which significantly reduces their health-related quality of life. Digital back-feeding—receiving digital support from family members—buffers this negative effect, but only for women. The study calls for gender-tailored digital inclusion policies that encourage adult children to engage digitally with their mothers in rural communities.

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Che, X., Chai, S., Zhao, D., Chen, S., & Zhou, C.. (2025). Gender Differences in the Digital Divide, Digital Back-Feeding, and Health-Related Quality of Life Among Rural Older Adults: Cross-Sectional Study. JMIR Aging. https://doi.org/10.2196/75925

@article{che-2025-gender-differences-digital-divide-digital,
  title   = {Gender Differences in the Digital Divide, Digital Back-Feeding, and Health-Related Quality of Life Among Rural Older Adults: Cross-Sectional Study},
  author  = {Xin Che and Shujun Chai and Dan Zhao and Shirong Chen and Chengchao Zhou},
  journal = {JMIR Aging},
  year    = {2025},
  doi     = {10.2196/75925},
  url     = {https://doi.org/10.2196/75925}
}

TY  - JOUR
TI  - Gender Differences in the Digital Divide, Digital Back-Feeding, and Health-Related Quality of Life Among Rural Older Adults: Cross-Sectional Study
AU  - Xin Che
AU  - Shujun Chai
AU  - Dan Zhao
AU  - Shirong Chen
AU  - Chengchao Zhou
JO  - JMIR Aging
PY  - 2025
DO  - 10.2196/75925
UR  - https://doi.org/10.2196/75925
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Details

DOI: 10.2196/75925
Countries: China
Regions: Asia
Categories: broadband-and-digital, rural-healthcare
Added: 2026-04-28