Abstract
This study examines the impact of social engagement on elderly health in China. A two-stage residual inclusion (2SRI) regression approach was used to examine the causal relationship. Our dataset comprises 9253 people aged 60 or above from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Survey (CHARLS) conducted in 2011 and 2013. Social engagement significantly improved the self-rated health of the elderly and reduced mental distress, but had no effect on chronic disease status. Compared with the rural areas, social engagement played a more important role in promoting the elderly health status in urban areas. Social engagement could affect the health status of the elderly through health behavior change and access to health resources. To improve the health of the elderly in China and promote healthy aging, the government should not only improve access to effective medical care but also encourage greater social engagement of the elderly.
Highlights
China has the largest elderly population in the world, with a projection of over 345 million people aged 60 years or above by the end of 2030, and this number is projected to increase rapidly over the couple of decades [1,2]
Across a range of studies, researchers have consistently shown the effect of social engagement on elderly health
This study builds upon the broader literature that links elderly health to social capital and focuses on the impact of social engagement on health
Summary
China has the largest elderly population in the world, with a projection of over 345 million people aged 60 years or above by the end of 2030, and this number is projected to increase rapidly over the couple of decades [1,2]. Health is a critical determinant of healthy aging. Much is of concern in regard to the health of China’s elderly. On October 31, 2016, Wang Peian, the former deputy director of The Nation Health Commission of the People’s Republic of China, issued that among those aged 60 or above, 150 million had at least one chronic disease; approximately 7 million were diagnosed with dementia; 10 million, with permanent disability; and 40 million, with partial disability, and over 30% suffered from a variety of mental diseases. Identifying the factors that affect elderly health is a crucial first step in providing help. Among the social determinants of health, social capital emerges as an important concept [3,4]
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