Personas mayores usuarias habituales de Tecnología de la Información y la Comunicación: análisis del perfil.

Background: The ICT (Information and Communication Technologies) are important tools for social participation. Seniors are one of the cohorts with higher risk of social exclusion by the digital gap. However, they are increasingly regular users of these technologies, showing differentiating characteristics from former senior patterns.The main objective of this contribution is the analysis of the characteristics that define the profile of older people regular users of ICT. To achieve this objective, it was necessary to analyze the type of equipment they have, how they use it and the level of importance they attach to ICTs, by age, educational level and gender.121 people over 60 from Valencia (Spain) took part in the study, descriptive and correlational. The data were analyzed using exploratory, descriptive and relational (Chi-square). The direction and strength between variables were assessed by correlation (Tau b Kendall) techniques.Results show wide use compared of ICT in the older people with respect previous reference studies. Although general usage follows similar patterns, younger people showed more interest and wider use. However, the use of computers has moved to dwelling which is a sign of increased competence and inde- pendence compared to previous studies in which the main use of computers was at social centers. The use is widespread in the case of mobile phones, and there is an increase of use of Internet and internet-based social networks.