Mapping the second-level digital divide: A study of Internet skills and usage among older adults in European countries

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dc.citation.epage576
dc.citation.rankM33
dc.citation.spage568
dc.contributor.authorStojanović, Anđelka
dc.contributor.authorArsić, Sanela
dc.contributor.authorMilošević, Isidora
dc.date.accessioned2025-01-10T12:01:19Z
dc.date.available2025-01-10T12:01:19Z
dc.date.issued2024
dc.description.abstractThe adoption of information and communication technologies (ICT) is rapidly increasing, leading to a global narrowing in the digital access gap. However, digitalization changes everyday patterns, work processes, and necessary skills required to avoid social deprivation and exclusion. Some individuals have lower digital competencies and struggle to adapt to technological changes. Therefore, digital divides have become an important issue in the transformation of society. Although access to ICTs is the initial and most apparent factor used to examine digital inequalities, there is a growing gap related to users' motivation, capabilities, and skills to use ICT safely and confidently. The phenomenon is known as the second-level digital divide. Despite the advancements and efforts made by policymakers, a second-level digital divide still exists, whether referring to disparities between countries (the global digital divide) or within different groups in the population (the social and demographic digital divide). The vision for digital Europe is for residents to attain the necessary level of digital knowledge and competence to address the challenges brought by the digital transformation era. On the other hand, the population and the labor force are growing older, and the aim is to prolong the employment duration of elderly individuals, thus decreasing the financial burden of pensions and the ratio of old-age dependency. The workers aged 55-64 are particularly vulnerable due to the increasing digital transformations. Older employees face the challenge of mastering new skills and meeting specific qualifications, which can lead to potential job loss if they are unable to meet these requirements adequately. This study investigates how the digital skills of older adults (55-64 years) contribute to the digital divide among European countries. Data from the Eurostat database on the composite indicator, The Digital Skills Indicator 2.0 (DSI), was used to shed light on this question. Using the Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) method, Evaluation Based on Distance from Average Solution (EDAS), European countries were ranked based on the components of DSI for five specific digital skill areas. Since multidimensional scaling is used, the EDAS method has enabled the analysis of similarities and differences between European countries. The results highlighted a digital divide and indicated significant variation in digital skills among European countries' older population (55-64 years). Also, certain countries requiring specific attention and efforts to tackle digital challenges were singled out.
dc.description.sponsorshipThe research presented in this paper is supported by COST Action 21107 Work inequalities in later life redefined by digitalization (DIGI-net) http://diginet.eu/
dc.identifier.isbn978-625-94141-3-3
dc.identifier.urihttps://icelis.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Proceedings.pdf
dc.identifier.urihttps://repozitorijum.tfbor.bg.ac.rs/handle/123456789/5949
dc.language.isoen_US
dc.publisherNational University of Science and Technology POLITEHNICA Bucharest, Romania
dc.rights.licenseARR
dc.rights.uriAll rights reserved
dc.sourceProceedings Book - 5th International Congress on Engineering and Life Science, 10-12 September, 2024, Piteşti, Romania
dc.subjectDigital skills
dc.subjectDigital divide
dc.subjectOlder adults
dc.subjectEDAS
dc.subjectEuropean countries
dc.titleMapping the second-level digital divide: A study of Internet skills and usage among older adults in European countries
dc.typeconferenceObject
dc.type.versionpublishedVersion

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