The mechanism of digital feedback on health information anxiety among older adults: information processing self-efficacy as a mediating variable

Digital feedback not only directly mitigates HIA among older adults but can also indirectly reduce health information anxiety by enhancing their information processing self-efficacy. It should be emphasized that inappropriate digital feedback from children, such as insufficiently thorough instruction or lack of patience, may exacerbate health information anxiety among older adults. Therefore, children should actively participate in the digital feedback process, demonstrate patience during feedback, and provide targeted assistance based on the actual needs of older adults. This approach can help older adults maintain their physical and mental wellbeing while better facilitating their integration into the digital society.