Association Between Subjective Memory Complaints in Daily Life and Smartphone Proficiency Among Community-Dwelling Middle-Aged and Older Adults: A Cross-Sectional Population-Based Study

Objective The study aims to investigate the association between subjective memory complaints (SMCs) in the daily lives and smartphone proficiency of community-dwelling middle-aged and older adults. Methods This cross-sectional study used a self-administered questionnaire. Participants' SMCs were assessed with seven questions related to daily lives. Smartphone proficiency was evaluated using a short version of the Mobile Device Proficiency Questionnaire (MDPQ-16). Multivariate logistic regression models were used to explore the relationship between SMCs and smartphone proficiency, adjusting for covariates. Additionally, SMCs that were significantly associated with smartphone proficiency were compared by MDPQ-16 subcategory scores. Results A total of 676 participants aged ≥60 years (69.4±6.2 years, 87.0% female) were analyzed. Participants had the highest proportion of SMC for "forgetting names of friends or relatives" (67.9%). SMCs that showed significant associations with smartphone proficiency were "forgetting appointments and tasks" (OR: 0.98, 95% CI: 0.95-0.99, <i>p</i> = .044) and "forgetting the date" (OR: 0.96, 95% CI: 0.93-0.99, <i>p</i> = .007). Among the subcategories of the MDPQ-16, mobile device basics, communication, Internet, calendar, and entertainment were significantly lower in the group with SMCs (<i>p</i> <, .05). Conclusion Middle-aged and older adults with higher smartphone proficiency had significantly lower odds of "forgetting appointments and tasks" and "forgetting the date" among SMCs in daily life and they were more proficient not only in basic smartphone operation but also in various functions. In today's digital society, healthcare professionals may need to pay attention to smartphone proficiency to cover SMCs in daily life.