The psychological mechanisms of older adults being defrauded by healthcare products: a mixed methods research study

The current study seeks to investigate the psychological mechanisms that lead older adults to fall victim to healthcare product scams. Initially, we conducted semi-structured, in-depth interviews with with victims and used grounded theory coding to develop a theoretical model. Subsequently, we applied structural equation modeling to validate and refine this theoretical model, which demonstrated a good fit. Our findings indicate that older adults' perceptions of cognitive aging, health status, health anxiety, and loneliness influence irrational consumption tendencies, including impulsive experimentation, conformity, emotional manipulation, trust in repetitive information, and manipulation by social support. These tendencies lead them to form risky consumption goals-pursuing positive effects, avoiding negative effects, pursuing physical well-being, pursuing product credibility, and avoiding medical treatment. These goals ultimately increase their likelihood of being defrauded.