Perceived cognitive slowing and online health information seeking among older adults: motivational beliefs as pathways and community IT culture as a buffer

Background: Online health information seeking (OHIS) can support self-management and health decision-making among older adults, yet many still face barriers to digital health engagement. Perceived declines in information processing speed may constrain older adults' ability and motivation to seek health information online, but the potential explanatory pathways and contextual conditions remain insufficiently understood. This study examined the associations between perceived information processing speed decline and older adults' OHIS, with a focus on the roles of self-efficacy, outcome expectations, and community IT culture. Method: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 295 adults aged 60 years and older. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire and analyzed with partial least squares structural equation modeling to test the proposed research model. Results: Perceived declines in information processing speed were negatively associated with self-efficacy but were not directly associated with outcome expectations or online health information seeking. Self-efficacy was positively associated with outcome expectations, and outcome expectations were positively associated with online health information seeking. Community IT culture moderated the association between perceived declines in information processing speed and self-efficacy, such that the negative association was weaker among older adults reporting stronger community IT culture. Bootstrapping further showed a significant sequential indirect association linking perceived declines in information processing speed to online health information seeking through self-efficacy and outcome expectations. Conclusion: Perceived declines in information processing speed were indirectly associated with online health information seeking through motivational beliefs rather than through a direct pathway. A supportive community IT culture may buffer the negative association between perceived processing speed decline and self-efficacy. These findings highlight the importance of strengthening self-efficacy and outcome expectations while fostering supportive community-level digital environments to promote digital health engagement among older adults.