From Bytes to Bodies: How Does Internet Use Affect Subjective Health?

Although an extensive research tradition has examined the impact of Internet access on individual well-being, limited attention has been given to its effect on subjective health. This study addresses this gap by utilizing data from the Chinese General Social Survey to explore the association between these two indicators in a developing country scenario. We find a significant positive correlation between Internet use and improvements in subjective health. Furthermore, this paper shows that Internet use can increase subjective health through income effect, health literacy, social relations, and the learning effect. Heterogeneity analysis indicates that the beneficial impact is more pronounced among women and individuals with lower education levels compared to men and those with higher education. Moreover, individuals in less developed regions experience greater improvements in subjective health from Internet access. Additionally, this study confirms that using the Internet as a primary source of information leads to greater improvements in subjective health than traditional media, and both work-related and leisure-related Internet use are confirmed to improve individuals’ subjective health. These findings suggest that expanding Internet access, particularly in economically disadvantaged areas, can serve as an effective strategy for developing countries to enhance public health outcomes.