Using Technology to Measure Older Adults' Social Networks for Health and Well-Being: A Scoping Review.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Social networks affect the health and well-being of older adults. Advancements in technology (e.g., digital devices and mHealth) enrich our ability to collect social networks and health data. The purpose of this scoping review was to identify and map the use of technology in measuring older adults' social networks for health and social care. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: The Joanna Briggs Institute methodology was followed. PubMed (MEDLINE), Sociological Abstracts, SocINDEX, CINAHL, and Web of Science were searched for relevant articles. Conference abstracts and proceedings were searched via Conference Papers Index, the American Sociological Society, and The Gerontological Society of America. Studies published in English from January 2004 to March 2020 that aimed to improve health or social care for older adults and used technology to measure social networks were included. Data were extracted by 2 independent reviewers using an a priori extraction tool. RESULTS: The majority of the 18 reviewed studies were pilot or simulation research conducted in Europe that focused on older adults living in the community. The various types of technologies used can be categorized as environment-based, person-based, and data-based. DISCUSSION AND IMPLICATIONS: Technology facilitates objective and longitudinal data collection on the social interactions and activities of older adults. The use of technology to measure older adults' social networks, however, is primarily in an exploratory phase. Multidisciplinary collaborations are needed to overcome operational, analytical, and implementation challenges. Future studies should leverage technologies for addressing social isolation and care for older adults, especially during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic.

Measurement of older adults' social networks using technologies in the context of health and social care: a scoping review protocol.

OBJECTIVE: This scoping review aims to identify and map the use of technology in measuring and analyzing older adults' social networks in the context of health and social care. INTRODUCTION: Research has shown that social networks impact the health and well-being of older adults. Advancements in the internet, electronic and digital devices, social media, and healthcare technology enhance our ability to collect social network and health data. These rapidly evolving technologies present opportunities to overcome limitations in social network measurement and promote improved understanding of the impact of social networks on the health and well-being of older adults. INCLUSION CRITERIA: This scoping review will include studies of older adults that measured social networks using technology and were related to health or health and social care. Studies published in English from 2004 to the present will be included. Books, editorials, letters, and commentaries will be excluded. METHODS: PubMed (MEDLINE), Sociological Abstracts, SocINDEX, CINAHL, and Web of Science will be searched for related articles. Gray literature will be included by searching conference abstracts via Conference Papers Index and hand-searching conference proceedings from the American Sociological Society and the Gerontological Society of America. Data will be extracted by two independent reviewers using an a priori data extraction tool. Tables and summary narratives will be used to map and synthesize existing approaches to measuring social networks using technology, the settings for measurement development or testing, and the use of approaches in discovery science, implementation science, or clinical care.