Abstract
The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between the neighborhood built environment (NBE) aspects of age-friendly cities and communities (AFCCs) and social capital in the Korean context. We described and compared age differences when analyzing misfits of AFCC NBE and impacts on social capital. We collected the data (N = 1246) from two Korean communities; our multiple and binary logistic regression outcomes show that AFCC NBE aspects such as outdoor spaces, transportation, and housing are significant predictors of different subcategories of social capital. For the older group, the outdoor spaces misfit was significant for all three subcategories of social capital, but transportation and housing misfits were significant for the social trust and reciprocity index scores. For the middle-aged group, the outdoor spaces misfit was significant for social networking and participation, and a transportation misfit was significant for participation and social trust and reciprocity. Fewer misfits or better fits of outdoor spaces and transportation encouraged more networking, participation, social trust, and reciprocity. Dwelling type was important to predict social capital, especially for the older group. The present study confirmed the importance of AFCC NBE in predicting social capital and unique factors in the Korean context.
Highlights
In a neighborhood context, social capital refers to the connections and resources made available through social interactions, contacts, networks, reciprocity, norms, and trust between neighbors [1]
The housing misfit index was negatively correlated with all three social capital subscales as well networking with neighbors, participation in neighborhood association activities, and social trust and reciprocity index scores (r = −0.074, p < 0.001; r = −0.011, p < 0.001; r = −0.045, p < 0.001 respectively)
Unlike previous social capital studies in Korea that focused on larger urban cities, this study examined the role of neighborhood built environment (NBE) misfits in the two selected communities, utilizing existing age-friendly cities and communities approaches
Summary
Social capital refers to the connections and resources made available through social interactions, contacts, networks, reciprocity, norms, and trust between neighbors [1]. The neighborhood built environment (NBE) includes features such as well-maintained public spaces, friendly neighbors, and safe streets, which collectively provide opportunities for connectivity and social capital [2]. While some NBE features such as aesthetics of street design, transit stops, sidewalk qualities, and street crossings [3] are important to building social capital for all age groups, some street-level NBE factors such as wayfinding aids, public restrooms, and benches create environments more comfortable for older adults [2]. Incorporating NBE features into communities encourages networking opportunities, social contacts, and participation, which are vital elements for building and maintaining social capital [4]. The purpose of AFCCs is to promote an active living
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