Press Release: Publication of the DIHAC Study on Loneliness and Internet use

2026.01.11

New Study Reveals How Loneliness and Time Spent Online Shape Health Among Older Adults in Thailand

Tokyo, Japan – January 2026

The DIHAC team is pleased to announce the publication of a new peer‑reviewed article in the Journal of Aging and Environment, titled “Influence of the Loneliness and Time Spent Online on the Health Status Among Community‑Dwelling Older Adults in Chiang Mai, Thailand: A Cross‑Sectional Study.” The findings provide timely evidence on how digital engagement and loneliness influence healthy ageing among older adults in rapidly ageing Asian societies – Thailand.

Key Findings

  • Moderate internet use (1–23 hours per week) was associated with lower loneliness scores among older adults.
  • Loneliness was strongly linked to poorer self‑rated health, highlighting its importance as a public health concern.
  • Older adults who engaged online showed better subjective health, even after adjusting for age, gender, education, income, and living arrangement.
  • The study reveals the role of digital inclusion in promoting healthy ageing and social participation.

Why This Matters

Thailand is one of the fastest‑aging countries in Asia, yet many older adults remain digitally excluded. Loneliness is also common among older adults, whose social network naturally shrink with age. Research understanding whether emerging digital technologies and internet use can help reduce loneliness and improve health in later life remains limited. To address this gap, the DIHAC team investigated the relationship between weekly internet use and loneliness on self-rated health. A community survey with 500 older adults showed that moderate internet use (1-23h/week) and volunteerism play complementary roles in maintaining social connection, supporting healthy ageing. However, 30% of older adults in our study reported not using the internet at all, and they were more likely to experience loneliness compared with moderate internet users. Efforts to promote digital inclusion should integrate both online and offline volunteering opportunities to strengthen social participation among older adults in the digital era. Policies, environment, and programs that enable and empower older people  to engage with the internet and digital technologies are urgently required to promote social inclusion and healthy ageing in culturally similar countries.

The first author Li Li, MSc, is affiliated to the Department of Global Health Research, Juntendo University, Tokyo Japan as 4th year PhD candidate.

For more information, please read the full article here.

The authors would like to thank all those involved for working together.

Reference 

AuthorsLi Li 1, Myo Nyein Aung 1,2,3,*, Myat Yadana Kyaw1, Thet Htoo Pan1,Yuka Koyanagi 1,4, Saiyud Moolphate 5, Thin Nyein Nyein Aung 6, and Motoyuki Yuasa 1,2
Title of original research articleInfluence of the Loneliness, and Time Spent
Online, on the Health Status Among Community
Dwelling Older Adults in Chiang Mai, Thailand: A
Cross-Sectional Study
JournalJournal of Aging and Environment

Special issue “Empowering Healthy Aging through the Internet Environment in Cross-cultural Context” in Journal of Aging and Environment.”

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1080/26892618.2025.2606317
Affiliations1Department of Global Health Research, Graduate School of Medicine, Juntendo University, Tokyo 113-8421, Japan

2Faculty of International Liberal Arts, Juntendo University, Tokyo 113-8421, Japan

3Advanced Research Institute for Health Sciences, Juntendo University, Tokyo 113-8421, Japan

4Department of Judo Therapy, Faculty of Health Sciences, Tokyo Ariake University of Medical and Health Sciences, Tokyo 135-0063, Japan

5Department of Public Health, Faculty of Science and Technology, Chiang Mai Rajabhat University, Chiang Mai, Thailand

6Global Health and Chronic Conditions Research Group, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand

*Correspondence: Myo Nyein Aung, Principal investigator, DIHAC study

About DIHAC study

Digitally Inclusive, Healthy Ageing Communities (DIHAC) is a cross-cultural study primarily based on Japan, the Republic of Korea, Singapore, and Thailand, further expanding to India, Malaysia, Vietnam, Europe and Latin America. The study aims to explain the contextual influences of digital inclusion and its consequences on healthy ageing in the digital era. The DIHAC study is led by Principal Investigator Associate Professor Myo Nyein Aung. DIHAC team is a collaboration of Chiang Mai Rajabhat University, Thailand, Yonsei University, ROK, Singapore University of Social Sciences, Singapore, and Juntendo University, Japan.

This research was funded by the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research 21H00795 and 23K20657. The authors declare no COI.

Contact

For media inquiries or collaboration opportunities, please contact us:
https://digital-ageing.com/contact-us/