Barriers to Digital Health Adoption in Older Adults: Scoping Review Informed by Innovation Resistance Theory.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The transformation of digital health technologies has reshaped health care delivery in primary care. Despite these benefits, older adults remain among the most resistant users. Traditional technology adoption models may not fully capture this reluctance, which is shaped not only by usability challenges but also by emotional, psychological, and identity-related concerns. Innovation resistance theory (IRT) offers a complementary framework focused on barriers to adoption rather than solely on facilitators.

Objective

This study aims to map and synthesize evidence on older adults' resistance to digital health in primary care through the lens of IRT, and to examine how resistance factors align with, extend, or refine IRT's functional and psychological barriers.

Metho

SUBMITTER: Birati Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12863245 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature