Older adults who are web-savvy are better at retaining "health literacy" and are more likely to obtain, understand, and process basic health information and services, so that they can make appropriate decisions about his/her health, according to a recent study.

Researchers found that low levels of health literacy among older adults are associated with poorer self-care. Particularly of long term conditions, higher than average use of emergency care services, low levels of preventive care, and an overall increased risk of death.

The most important factor governing a decline in health literacy in later years is thought to be dwindling cognitive abilities as a result of ageing, which gradually dulls the brain functions involved in active learning and vocabulary.

"Internet use and engagement in various social activities, appear to help older adults maintain the literacy skills required to self-manage health," researchers wrote in their study.

For the study, researchers assessed the health literacy skills of almost 4,500 adults aged 52 and older, all of whom were taking part in the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA) between 2004 and 2011. Information on internet use and engagement in civic, leisure, and cultural activities was collected every two years. Health literacy was assessed in 2004-5 and again in 2010-11, using a health-related reading comprehension test.

Researchers found a link between age and declining health literacy, and being non-white, having relatively low wealth, few educational qualifications, and difficulties carrying out routine activities of daily living.

Poorer memory and executive function scores at the start of the study were also linked to greater health literacy decline over the subsequent six years.

Around 40 percent of the entire sample said they never used the internet or email, while one in three said they did so regularly. Similar proportions said they had consistently engaged in civic (35 percent) and/or leisure (31 percent) activities over the six year follow-up period.

Across all time points, internet use and engagement in civic, leisure, or cultural activities were lower among those whose health literacy declined. After taking account of influential factors, only the links between regular internet use and engaging in cultural activities remained statistically significant.

"The results indicate that health literacy skills are fluid over time, that loss of literacy skills during ageing is not inevitable, and that technological and social factors should be understood as influences on literacy skills," researchers concluded.

The findings are detailed in The British Medical Journal.