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

Author

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  • Qian Sun

    (Department of Social Security, School of Public Administration, Hebei University of Economics and Business, Shijiazhuang 050061, China
    Sau Po Centre on Ageing, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China)

  • Nan Lu

    (Department of Social Work and Social Policy, School of Sociology and Population Studies, Renmin University of China, Beijing 100872, China)

Abstract

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.

Suggested Citation

  • Qian Sun & Nan Lu, 2020. "Social Capital and Mental Health among Older Adults Living in Urban China in the Context of COVID-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(21), pages 1-11, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:17:y:2020:i:21:p:7947-:d:436895
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    2. Jingyuan Liu & Crystal Kwan & Jie Deng & Yuxi Hu, 2022. "The Mental Health Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Older Adults in China: A Systematic Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(21), pages 1-19, November.
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    5. Mitsuru Mori & Toshiaki Seko & Shunichi Ogawa, 2022. "Association of Social Capital and Locus of Control with Perceived Health during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Japan," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(15), pages 1-9, August.

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