Study: Men are more likely to accept care robots than women

A research team from the University of Oxford and the University of Melbourne have shown that men are more willing than women to be cared for by a robot when they become frail. The study was conducted in 28 European countries.

The study "Silicon caregivers: a multilevel analysis of European perspectives on robotic technologies for elderly care", which was published in Community, Work & Family, examined three main questions: Are women more willing than men to be cared for by robots in old age? Are those who are under greater time pressure and have higher opportunity costs more willing to receive care through technology? Do macro-level factors influence individual attitudes towards robot care?

The researchers surveyed people from a total of 28 European countries. They took into account local factors such as gross domestic product, the employment rate of women and expenditure on care for the elderly. First of all, the researchers found that care needs differ significantly with regard to the use of technology. This depends on the local context as well as personal factors and therefore also influences attitudes towards care provided by robots.

Generally little enthusiasm for care provided by robots

In general, people show very little enthusiasm for being cared for by a robot. However, it was found that men are more open to robotic care than women. However, the prerequisite for this is that the people themselves are old and frail and no longer able to cope with everyday life themselves.

However, attitudes towards care robots also depend on the level of education. Men and women with a higher level of education were more likely to support the use of robots for their own care than people with a lower level of education. The same was true for people who worked in a management position, in specialist professions and in permanent employment. Younger people and people who have already gained experience with robots in a professional or domestic environment are also more inclined to use them as care assistants. Acceptance is also increasing in communities where there is a high female employment rate and low spending on adult care.

Feel-good factor

"Conversely, we find that people who invest more in eldercare are, on average, less comfortable relying on robots in the home to care for frail and elderly people," says Professor Leah Ruppanner of the University of Melbourne and co-author of the study.

It is therefore important that policy makers consider and weigh up the opportunity costs of technology in adult care compared to human care.

"As such digital care technologies are introduced, it is imperative that we consider how adult care technologies can be integrated in a way that maintains, and ideally enhances, the ability of human caregivers to maintain a connection with the person being cared for," warns Professor Ekaterina Hertog, lead author of the study.

Technical solutions for care will increase as the population ages, female participation in the workforce rises and technology improves. However, the questions of how comfortable people feel about being cared for by robots and what might influence their preferences are still unanswered.

(olb)