Community-Based Cognitive Social Capital and Depressive Symptoms Among Older Adults in Urban China: The Moderating Role of Family Social Capital

2019 ◽  
Vol 90 (3) ◽  
pp. 297-316
Author(s):  
Jingyue Zhang ◽  
Nan Lu
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Social Capital ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Urban China ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Family Social Capital ◽  
Cognitive Social Capital ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Moderating Role

The present study examined the moderating role of family social capital in the relationship between community-based cognitive social capital and depressive symptoms among community-dwelling older adults in urban China. Cross-sectional data were derived from a community survey conducted in Suzhou, China, in late 2015. Data from 441 respondents were included in the final analysis. Multiple group analysis was used to test the hypotheses. The latent construct of community-based cognitive social capital was based on trust and reciprocity indicators. Measurement invariance was established across groups with high or low family social capital. The results show that family social capital had a moderation effect on the relationship between community-based cognitive social capital and depressive symptoms. The effects of community-based cognitive social capital on depressive symptoms were higher among those with low family social capital. The findings demonstrate the interplay between family and community-based cognitive social capital. Policy and intervention implications are discussed.

scholarly journals What Matters Most for Community Social Capital among Older Adults Living in Urban China: The Role of Health and Family Social Capital

2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (4) ◽  
pp. 558 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jingyue Zhang ◽  
Nan Lu
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Social Capital ◽  
Activities Of Daily Living ◽  
Daily Living ◽  
Urban China ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Latent Constructs ◽  
Family Social Capital ◽  
Cognitive Social Capital ◽  
Structural Social Capital

The present study investigated individual-level determinants of community social capital among older adults in urban China, with a particular emphasis on health and family social capital. A quota sampling method was used to select 456 adults aged 60 or older from 16 local communities in the city of Suzhou in 2015. Multiple indicators and multiple courses in structural equation modeling were used to examine the proposed model. Latent constructs of community social capital (i.e., cognitive social capital and structural social capital) were established. The results showed that family social capital and instrumental activities of daily living were the most influential determinants of cognitive social capital, whereas activities of daily living and socioeconomic status were the most important determinants of structural social capital. We demonstrate the application of social capital theory in an urban Chinese context. Future policy development and social work interventions should use a more comprehensive social capital latent constructs and health indicators as screening instruments. The promotion of family social capital could play an important role in enhancing cognitive social capital among older adults.

scholarly journals SOCIAL CAPITAL AND HOME- AND COMMUNITY-BASED SERVICE UTILIZATION AMONG URBAN OLDER CHINESE ADULTS

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S637-S637
Author(s):  
Changmin Peng ◽  
Jeffery A Burr ◽  
Kyungmin Kim ◽  
Nan Lu
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Social Capital ◽  
Behavioral Model ◽  
Chinese Adults ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Older Chinese ◽  
Cognitive Social Capital ◽  
Older Chinese Adults ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Structural Social Capital

Abstract Home- and Community-Based Services (HCBS) are increasingly important for older adults who want to maintain their independence and remain in their communities. Although HCBS systems have been developed widely in many western countries and in some countries in Asia, China is just beginning to grapple with its rapidly aging population by offering HCBS in a limited fashion. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between structural (e.g., citizenship activities, volunteering) and cognitive (e.g., social trust, a sense of belonging) social capital and HCBS utilization among older Chinese adults. The study also examined the mediating effect of structural social capital for the the relationship between cognitive social capital and HCBS utilization. We frame the study within the Andersen behavioral model of health services utilization and argue that within this framework social capital is an enabling factor. We analyzed survey data from 456 community-dwelling older adults living in the Gusu district of the city of Suzhou, China in 2015. Structural equation modeling was used to test the hypothesized relationships. The results showed that both cognitive and structural social capital were significantly associated with HCBS utilization. Structural social capital also served as a mediator between cognitive social capital and HCBS utilization, even after controlling for sociodemographic characteristics and other relevant covariates. The findings supported the utility of employing Andersen’s behavioral model and social capital theory for better understanding older Chinese adults’ utilization of HCBS. Interventions for increasing social capital may be useful for improving HCBS utilization in Chinese urban communities.

scholarly journals Social Capital and Mental Health among Older Adults Living in Urban China in the Context of COVID-19 Pandemic

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (21) ◽  
pp. 7947 ◽  
Author(s):  
Qian Sun ◽  
Nan Lu
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Social Capital ◽  
Life Satisfaction ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Urban China ◽  
Mediation Effect ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Cognitive Social Capital ◽  
Structural Social Capital

Although social capital has been found to be an important social determinant of mental health in later life, research on social capital in the context of COVID-19 and the interplay among subdimensions of social capital is lacking. The present study examined the mediating role of cognitive social capital on the relationship between structural social capital and mental health among older adults in urban China in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Data were collected from the Yangpu district in Shanghai, China, in July–August 2020. A quota sampling approach was used to recruit 472 respondents aged 60 years and older from 23 communities in the Yangpu district. Mental health was measured by depressive symptoms and life satisfaction. Cognitive social capital was assessed through trust and reciprocity, and structural social capital was assessed through organization memberships, and COVID-19 related volunteering and citizenship activity. Structural equation modeling was used to test the mediation model. The results show that cognitive social capital had a full mediation effect on the association between structural social capital and mental health indicators (life satisfaction: b = 0.122, SD = 0.029, p < 0.001; depressive symptoms: b = −0.343, SD = 0.119, p < 0.01). The findings indicate that social capital can play an important role in sustaining and improving mental health in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Policy and intervention implications are discussed.

Does Gender Moderate the Relationship Between Social Capital and Life Satisfaction? Evidence From Urban China

2018 ◽  
Vol 40 (8) ◽  
pp. 740-761 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nan Lu ◽  
Nan Jiang ◽  
Vivian W. Q. Lou ◽  
Yue Zeng ◽  
Meng Liu
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Social Capital ◽  
Life Satisfaction ◽  
Older Men ◽  
Urban China ◽  
Helping Others ◽  
Suzhou City ◽  
Quota Sampling ◽  
The Relationship

The present study aimed to test the moderating effect of gender on the relationship between social capital and life satisfaction among older adults in urban China. A quota sampling method was used to select 456 older adults aged 60 and older from 16 local communities in Suzhou city in 2015. Hierarchical multiple regression was employed to test the proposed models. The associations between family social capital and life satisfaction were higher among older men than women. Trust and helping others were stronger predictors of older women’s life satisfaction than their male counterparts. Citizenship activities affected life satisfaction among older men only. The findings highlight the important role of social capital in sustaining and/or improving life satisfaction among both older women and men. Policy and intervention implications are discussed.

Cognitive Social Capital and Formal Volunteering Among Older Adults in Urban China: Does Gender Matter?

2018 ◽  
Vol 39 (4) ◽  
pp. 404-412 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nan Lu ◽  
Changmin Peng ◽  
Nan Jiang ◽  
Vivian W. Q. Lou
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Social Capital ◽  
Group Analysis ◽  
Moderating Effect ◽  
Urban China ◽  
Formal Volunteering ◽  
Multiple Group ◽  
Quota Sampling ◽  
Cognitive Social Capital ◽  
The Relationship

This study examined the moderating effect of gender on the relationship between cognitive social capital and formal volunteering among older adults in urban China. Cognitive social capital refers to individuals’ perceptions of their social relationships in local communities. We used quota sampling to recruit 456 older adults aged 60 years and older from 16 communities of Gusu district, Suzhou city, in late 2015. Multiple group analysis was used to examine the proposed model. Gender had a moderating effect on the relationship between cognitive social capital and volunteering. The associations between cognitive social capital and volunteering were higher among older men than older women. The findings highlight the important role of cognitive social capital in influencing formal volunteering among older adults in urban Chinese contexts. The findings are particularly important for enhancing volunteering among older adults across different social and economic backgrounds. Policy and intervention implications are discussed.

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