Effect of Social Participation on the Physical Functioning and Depression of Empty-Nest Elderly in China: Evidence from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Survey (CHARLS)

Dai Su; Zhifang Chen; Jingjing Chang; Guangwen Gong; Dandan Guo; Min Tan; Yunfan Zhang; Yanchen Liu; Xinlan Chen; Xinlin Chen; Yingchun Chen

doi:10.3390/ijerph17249438

Effect of Social Participation on the Physical Functioning and Depression of Empty-Nest Elderly in China: Evidence from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Survey (CHARLS)

Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2020 Dec 16;17(24):9438. doi: 10.3390/ijerph17249438.

Authors

Dai Su^{1

2}, Zhifang Chen^{1

2}, Jingjing Chang^{1

2}, Guangwen Gong^{1

2}, Dandan Guo^{1

2}, Min Tan^{1

2}, Yunfan Zhang^{1

2}, Yanchen Liu^{1

2}, Xinlan Chen^{1

2}, Xinlin Chen^{1

2}, Yingchun Chen^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Health Management, School of Medicine and Health Management, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China.
² Research Center for Rural Health Services, Hubei Province Key Research Institute of Humanities and Social Sciences, Wuhan 430030, China.

Abstract

This study aimed to explore the impact of social participation (SP) on physical functioning and depression among empty-nest elderly taking part in the fourth wave of the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Survey (CHARLS, 2018). The instrumental variable (IV) method and propensity score matching (PSM) method were used to analyse the impact of SP. The two-stage regression results of the IV method showed that SP has a significant negative impact on the physical functioning scores of empty-nest elderly (β = -3.539, p < 0.001) and non-empty-nest elderly (β = -4.703, p < 0.001), and SP has a significant negative impact on the depression scores of empty-nest elderly (β = -2.404, p < 0.001) and non-empty-nest elderly (β = -1.957, p < 0.001). The results of the PSM method were basically consistent with the IV method. Compared with non-empty-nest elderly, SP had more positive effects on the depression of empty-nest elderly (Wald χ² = 6.62, p = 0.010). Providing a friendly and supportive environment for the SP of empty-nest elderly was an important measure to promote healthy ageing. Targeted SP may be one of the greatest opportunities to improve the mental health of empty-nest elderly.

Keywords: China; empty-nest elderly; health; social participation.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Aged
China / epidemiology
Depression*
Health Status
Humans
Longitudinal Studies
Retirement*
Social Isolation
Social Participation*
Surveys and Questionnaires