What Affects Digital Divide for the Elderly During the Pandemic: An Empirical Study of Use of COVID-19 E-government Services

With focus on the deepening digital divide among the elderly after the COVID-19 pandemic, this study aims to empirically identify the multidimensional factors affecting the digital divide. As for the research sample, survey data of 428 elderly individuals aged 55 and over from South Korea’s 'National report on digital divide 2020' were analyzed. As for the research model, the Bélanger and Carter’s model was modified and applied to the South Korean context. The Independent variables included demographic factors such as household type, income, education, age and gender, as well as digital capacity with PC and mobile devices, while the dependent variable measured the level of e-government service use. ANOVA and crosstab analysis were hired for the analysis. The analysis revealed that all demographic factors namely income, education level, age and gender but household type had a statistically significant effect on the elderly's level of e-government service use. Furthermore, digital capacity, encompassing both PC and mobile device proficiency, was also proven to be a critically important predictor of service utilization. This study confirms that the digital divide among the elderly is still influenced by key demographic characteristics. In conclusion, for the successful digital inclusion of the elderly, policy support for education that promotes practical digital skills is required, in addition to considering structural factors.