Font Sizes and the Older Population

Research in the web development world is so fast-paced. Some methodologies go out of date in the blink of an eye. For example, I research paleontology subjects in my spare time, and manuscripts from the early 1800s still offer insights into specimens found today. In contrast, research on something as simple as font size and how it affects people as they age seems out of date quicker. In a recent study, I reviewed examples showing screenshots of old mobile devices with physical keyboards and low resolution.

It’s not a stretch to say that newer research would benefit those curious. A fascinating insight from the study is that users of all ages appreciate a well-designed interface (Darroch 2005). You can up the contrast and make the web experience easy to read, but they won’t enjoy it if it’s not pretty. In a recent (Ho 2021; n=187) study of older adults using mobile reading user interfaces, researchers found that users wanted font style and line-height more than other customizations. Of all tested reading apps, only two could adjust for line-height.

Medicare websites and communication materials can benefit from this type of research. Medicare is federal insurance for people 65 or older, some young people with disabilities, and people with End-Stage Renal Disease. In the United States, medicare enrollment included over 63 million people in October 2021. The majority of registration is for people 65 or older. Only 13.9% of enrollment in 2019 were younger people. Research targeting these metrics is essential with this large population of older people. Yet, the more significant problem is keeping up to date as technology advances.

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