Table 1 Demographic characteristics of the participants (N = 4871)

Types of disabilities, n (%)^a

Physical disability

1,419

(51.10)

468

(31.89)

951

(58.81)

< 0.001

Brain lesion

640

(9.62)

339

(19.33)

301

(5.72)

Visual impairment

600

(9.83)

202

(6.51)

398

(11.17)

Hearing impairment

893

(19.0)

278

(13.94)

620

(21.03)

Mental disability

246

(3.84)

246

(13.42)

0

(0)

Internal disability

881

(5.64)

495

(12.73)

386

(2.79)

Speech disability

145

(0.85)

92

(1.89)

53

(0.43)

Facial disfigurement

47

(0.11)

26

(0.27)

21

(0.04)

Age (years), mean (SE)

71.02

(0.18)

69.11

(0.24)

71.79

(0.23)

< 0.001

Gender, n (%)

Male

2,763

(54.01)

1259

(57.84)

1504

(52.46)

0.001

Female

2,108

(45.99)

882

(42.16)

1226

(47.54)

Marital status, n (%)^a

Married

2,783

(56.29)

1179

(53.61)

1604

(57.36)

0.025

Others^b

2,088

(43.71)

962

(46.39)

1126

(42.64)

Self-reported economic status, n (%)^a

Lower class

3,445

(70.87)

1578

(75.17)

1867

(69.15)

< 0.001

Middle class

1,378

(27.92)

547

(24.04)

831

(29.48)

Upper class

48

(1.20)

16

(0.80)

32

(1.37)

Education, n (%)^a

None

476

(11.57)

199

(10.27)

277

(12.09)

0.031

High school or below

3,936

(80.10)

1730

(79.94)

2206

(80.17)

College or above

459

(8.33)

212

(9.80)

247

(7.75)

Living arrangements, n (%)^a

Living alone

1,450

(31.49)

611

(28.79)

839

(32.58)

0.015

Living with others

3,421

(68.51)

1530

(71.21)

1891

(67.42)

Living area, n (%)^a

Urban

2,252

(39.92)

953

(38.08)

1299

(40.65)

0.109

Rural

2,619

(60.08)

1188

(61.92)

1431

(59.35)

Chronic disease, n (%)^a

Yes

4,044

(80.73)

1842

(84.42)

2202

(79.25)

< 0.001

No

827

(19.27)

299

(15.58)

528

(20.75)

Internet use, n (%)^a

Yes

1,195

(23.66)

477

(21.56)

718

(24.50)

0.04

No

3,676

(76.34)

1664

(78.44)

2012

(75.50)

Reasons for no internet use, n (%)^a

Total

(n = 3676)

Severe

disability

(n = 1664)

Mild

disability

(n = 2012)

Economic burden or not having

devices

238

(7.01)

96

(6.32)

142

(7.29)

0.52

No need

2,171

(58.25)

1015

(59.72)

1156

(57.64)

Complex to use or hard to learn to use

852

(23.08)

377

(22.85)

475

(23.18)

Lack of awareness of how

the Internet can be used

330

(9.87)

137

(9.03)

193

(10.22)

Other

85

(1.79)

39

(2.08)

46

(1.67)