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Does Education Moderate the Relationship between Social Capital and Cognitive Function among Older Adults? Evidence from Suzhou City, China

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  • Jingyue Zhang

    (Institute of Gender and Culture, Changchun Normal University, Changchun 130032, China
    Department of Sociology, School of Philosophy and Sociology, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, China)

  • Nan Lu

    (Department of Social Work and Social Policy, School of Sociology and Population Studies, Renmin University of China, Beijing 100872, China
    Sau Po Centre on Ageing, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China)

  • Wenxiu Wang

    (Department of Population, Resources and Environment, Northeast Asian Studies College, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, China)

Abstract

While social capital is recognized as an important protective determinant of cognitive function in later life, there is a lack of research examining the potential moderators and mediators in the mechanisms linking social capital to cognitive function. This study investigated the moderating role of education on the relationship between social capital and cognitive function among older adults in urban Chinese communities. Data were derived from a community survey conducted in Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, China, in late 2015. A quota sampling method was applied to recruit respondents aged 60 years or older from 16 communities in the Gusu district. The final analytic sample size was 446. Multiple group analysis was applied to test the proposed model. The results show that cognitive social capital was significantly associated with cognitive function in the high education group only. Structural social capital was not significantly associated with cognitive function. The findings highlight the important role of social capital in influencing cognitive function in later life. Social capital interventions could be particularly useful as a preventive approach to help older adults sustain their cognitive function levels. Policy and intervention implications are discussed.

Suggested Citation

  • Jingyue Zhang & Nan Lu & Wenxiu Wang, 2020. "Does Education Moderate the Relationship between Social Capital and Cognitive Function among Older Adults? Evidence from Suzhou City, China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(18), pages 1-11, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:17:y:2020:i:18:p:6560-:d:411030
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    6. Jingyue Zhang & Shicun Xu & Nan Lu, 2019. "Community-Based Cognitive Social Capital and Self-Rated Health among Older Chinese Adults: The Moderating Effects of Education," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(15), pages 1-11, July.
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