互联网使用对老年人劳动供给的影响探讨 ——基于 CHARLS2020 的实证分析

The Impact of Internet Use on Labor Supply among Senior Adults: An Empirical Analysis Based on CHARLS2020

摘要:

老年人的劳动参与作为缓解劳动力短缺的重要方式，受数字经济发展的深刻影响。在积极应对人口老龄化的国家战略背景下，基于2020年中国健康与养老追踪调查数据，本研究系统考察互联网使用对老年人劳动供给的影响。研究发现：互联网使用显著促进老年人的劳动参与，但对就业老年人的工作时长并无显著影响；异质性分析表明，使用互联网更有利于提升农村地区、西部地区、小学及以下受教育程度与中低收入老年人群体的劳动参与，体现互联网技能的普惠性；机制分析结果表明，互联网使用通过社会参与和身体健康两类中介机制提升老年人的劳动参与。研究建议，进一步提升老年人的互联网普及水平，加强西部地区和农村地区的互联网基础设施建设，弥合城乡、区域间的数字鸿沟，通过提升老年人群体的社会参与和健康水平实现老有所为。

Abstract:

As a critical approach to mitigating labor shortages, senior adults' labor participation is profoundly infl uenced by the digital economy. Against the backdrop of China's national strategy for active aging, this study, employing the data from the 2020 China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS), systematically examines the impact of internet use on senior adults' labor supply. The findings of this study indicate that Internet use significantly increases labor force participation among senior adults but shows no significant effect on working hours for employed individuals.Heterogeneity analysis reveals stronger positive effects for rural residents, western regions, those with elementary education or below, and middle-tolow income groups, demonstrating the inclusive nature of digital skills. Mechanism analysis identifi es two pathways—enhanced social participation and improved physical health—through which internet use promotes labor engagement. The research suggests further expanding internet accessibility among the elderly population, strengthening internet infrastructure construction in western regions and rural areas, bridging the digital divide between urban and rural areas as well as across regions, and ultimately enabling senior adults to maintain social engagement and improve health outcomes through enhanced digital inclusion, thereby achieving active participation in society during their later years.