Age-friendly eHealth strategies: Qualitative insights from older persons in Sri Lanka on digital health information access

Background Rapid population aging in Sri Lanka is paralleled by the rising burden of chronic diseases, prompting older adults to seek web-based health information. However, the factors that enable or hinder this behavior in low-resource, urbanizing settings remain poorly understood. In this study, we explored the individual, technological, and sociocultural determinants of online health information retrieval among community-dwelling older persons in the Colombo district, Sri Lanka. Methods A qualitative descriptive study employed five focus group discussions with 40 adults (60–83 years; 62% women) purposively sampled for variation in gender, education, and digital literacy. Semi-structured guides, developed in Sinhala, Tamil, and English, and pilot-tested for clarity, elicited experiences of searching for health information online. The sessions were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, translated, and thematically analyzed in NVivo 14 by two independent coders using an inductive approach. Methodological rigor was supported through member checking, reflexive journaling, an audit trail, and saturation monitoring. Results Three overarching themes emerged from the data. Individual influences included: (i) belief in the usefulness of online health information, (ii) desire to learn, and (iii) prior positive eHealth experiences as facilitators; countered by (iv) age-related functional decline, (v) technophobia, (vi) mistrust of online accuracy, and (vii) English-language dominance as barriers. Technological influences featured audio-visual formats as the sole facilitator, while barriers comprised limited device ownership, complex interfaces, poor connectivity, dense content, and lack of formal training. Socio-cultural influences revealed family encouragement, peer learning and perceived cost-savings as motivators, contrasted with reduced interpersonal contact and a cultural perception that “the Internet is for the young.” Conclusions Older adults’ engagement with digital health content is shaped by a dynamic interplay of personal motivation, age-friendly technology, and supportive social networks. Interventions should pair intergenerational digital-literacy training with intuitive multimedia platforms and culturally sensitive messaging to narrow the digital health divide.