Associations between internet use, internalized ageism and mental health during COVID-19 pandemic among older adults in the Nordic-Baltic region

Purpose Limited internet use and experience of ageism may have made older adults more vulnerable to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, yet studies often lack integration of internalized ageism and regional comparisons. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the associations between internet use, internalized ageism and mental health outcomes during the COVID-19 pandemic among older adults in the Nordic-Baltic region. Design/methodology/approach Data from the Survey of Health, Ageing, and Retirement in Europe Corona Survey 2 was used for this study, including 7263 individuals aged 65 and above from the Nordic and Baltic regions. Multivariate binary logistic regression analysis was conducted to evaluate how internet use and internalized ageism predict anxiety and depressive symptoms among older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic. Control variables included age, gender, having a partner living in the household, employment status and self-rated health. Findings The study found that limited internet use was associated with depressive symptoms among older adults in the whole sample, while internalized ageism predicted both the depressive and anxiety symptoms. Regional differences were observed: internet use predicted depressive symptoms in the Baltic but not in the Nordic region, while internalized ageism predicted anxiety symptoms in the Baltic but not in the Nordic region. Originality/value This study provides a unique regional perspective by comparing the Nordic and Baltic regions and also highlights internalized ageism, a less-represented factor in mental health research regarding older adults during the pandemic.