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Neighborhood Environment, Internet Use and Mental Distress among Older Adults: The Case of Shanghai, China

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  • Dan Ma

    (Department of Sociology, Shanghai Administration Institute, Shanghai 200233, China)

  • Hao Yuan

    (School of Sociology and Political Science, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, China)

Abstract

As the Internet evolves in urban communities, its consequences on mental distress have drawn significant research attention. We examine the relationships of mental distress with neighborhood environment and Internet use among older adults, using data from a representative sample of 2036 adults aged older than 60 years in Shanghai, China. We assess mental health with a 10-item scale from the Symptom Checklist 90 and Internet use with a 4-item scale and obtain information of neighborhood environment from an online map platform. Results from multilevel models show that both neighborhood environment and Internet use are significantly related to mental distress. Moreover, a worse neighborhood environment may strengthen the correlation between Internet use and mental distress, indicating the strong moderating role of the neighborhood environment. Thus, promoting Internet use among elderly people might result in a reduction in the prevalence of mental distress in disadvantaged neighborhoods.

Suggested Citation

  • Dan Ma & Hao Yuan, 2021. "Neighborhood Environment, Internet Use and Mental Distress among Older Adults: The Case of Shanghai, China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(7), pages 1-12, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:7:p:3616-:d:527341
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Wei Chen & Jia Miao, 2023. "Does the Internet Moderate the Neighborhood Effect? Internet Use, Neighborhoods, and Mental Health among Older Adults in Shanghai," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(3), pages 1-14, January.
    2. Huan Zhang & Hongyang Wang & Huiyu Yan & Xiaoyu Wang, 2021. "Impact of Internet Use on Mental Health among Elderly Individuals: A Difference-in-Differences Study Based on 2016–2018 CFPS Data," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(1), pages 1-13, December.

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