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ORIGINAL RESEARCH article

Front. Public Health
Sec. Aging and Public Health
Volume 12 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1479359

Heterogeneous Effects of Socio-economic Status on Social Engagement Level among Chinese Older Adults: Evidence from CHARLS 2020

Provisionally accepted
WENJIA LI WENJIA LI 1Xinni Zhang Xinni Zhang 1Han Gao Han Gao 1*Qinghe Tang Qinghe Tang 2*
  • 1 University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai, China
  • 2 Shanghai East Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, Shanghai Municipality, China

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    Older adults benefit from social connections as it aids in their adjustment to the physical and psychological changes that come with aging, thereby improving their health, well-being, and overall quality of life. This study utilizes data from the 2020 China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) to investigate the influence of Socio-economic Status (SES) on the social activity levels of older persons and the disparities observed among demographic groups, employing the Heckman two-stage analysis and heterogeneity analysis. The results indicate that SES has a significant positive impact on the social engagement of older adults, and this effect varies across different older groups, with women, married individuals living with a spouse, urban residents, those aged 70-79, and individuals with average health conditions. To effectively address the social needs of older adults, it is essential to prioritize integrating cohesive structural methods that improve social connections. Establishing solid and sustainable social support mechanisms and meeting the social needs of older adults across various SES and demographic groups are crucial in promoting active and healthy aging.

    Keywords: SES, social engagemen, Ageing, CHARLS, heterogeneity analysis

    Received: 12 Aug 2024; Accepted: 07 Nov 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 LI, Zhang, Gao and Tang. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence:
    Han Gao, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai, China
    Qinghe Tang, Shanghai East Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200120, Shanghai Municipality, China

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.