Digital Device-Related Interference, Living Alone, and Unmet Healthcare Needs: A Population-Based Study of Healthcare Access Barriers

Background/Objectives: To examine the associations between digital device-related interference and living alone with unmet healthcare needs and barrier types in a nationally representative sample of Korean adults. This study had a cross-sectional design. Methods: Data from the 2023 Korea Community Health Survey (n = 213,820) were analyzed. Weighted multivariable logistic regression analyses were used to examine the association between digital device-related interference and living alone with unmet healthcare needs. Among those with unmet healthcare needs, additional analyses examined the associations with reporting individual-level rather than external barriers. Results: Overall, 5.7% of adults reported unmet healthcare needs. Digital device-related interference was associated with higher odds of unmet healthcare needs (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 1.696, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.569–1.834), whereas digital non-use was not. Living alone was also associated with higher odds of unmet healthcare needs (aOR = 1.277, 95% CI: 1.171–1.392). Among those with unmet healthcare needs, digital interference was associated with higher odds of reporting individual-level barriers, whereas living alone was associated with lower odds. No significant interactions were observed. Conclusions: These findings suggest that unmet healthcare needs in highly digitized societies may arise through distinct behavioral and structural pathways. Therefore, public health strategies to improve healthcare access should address not only the structural barriers faced by individuals living alone but also functional disruptions related to digital device use. These findings should be interpreted in light of cross-sectional design and reliance on self-reported data.