IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v18y2021i7p3616-d527341.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

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

Author

Listed:
  • 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
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/7/3616/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/7/3616/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Yingzhi Qiu & Yuqi Liu & Yi Liu & Zhigang Li, 2019. "Exploring the Linkage between the Neighborhood Environment and Mental Health in Guangzhou, China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(17), pages 1-15, September.
    2. Qian Liu & Haimin Pan & Yuanyuan Wu, 2020. "Migration Status, Internet Use, and Social Participation among Middle-Aged and Older Adults in China: Consequences for Depression," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(16), pages 1-13, August.
    3. Rannveig Sigurvinsdottir & Ingibjorg E. Thorisdottir & Haukur Freyr Gylfason, 2020. "The Impact of COVID-19 on Mental Health: The Role of Locus on Control and Internet Use," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(19), pages 1-15, September.
    4. Yafei Tan & Ying Chen & Yaogui Lu & Liping Li, 2016. "Exploring Associations between Problematic Internet Use, Depressive Symptoms and Sleep Disturbance among Southern Chinese Adolescents," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 13(3), pages 1-12, March.
    5. Lutz Wartberg & Rudolf Kammerl, 2020. "Empirical Relationships between Problematic Alcohol Use and a Problematic Use of Video Games, Social Media and the Internet and Their Associations to Mental Health in Adolescence," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(17), pages 1-11, August.
    6. Arcaya, Mariana C. & Tucker-Seeley, Reginald D. & Kim, Rockli & Schnake-Mahl, Alina & So, Marvin & Subramanian, S.V., 2016. "Research on neighborhood effects on health in the United States: A systematic review of study characteristics," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 168(C), pages 16-29.
    7. Carol S. Aneshensel & Richard G. Wight & Dana Miller-Martinez & Amanda L. Botticello & Arun S. Karlamangla & Teresa E. Seeman, 2007. "Urban Neighborhoods and Depressive Symptoms Among Older Adults," The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, The Gerontological Society of America, vol. 62(1), pages 52-59.
    8. Porter, Constance Elise & Donthu, Naveen, 2006. "Using the technology acceptance model to explain how attitudes determine Internet usage: The role of perceived access barriers and demographics," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 59(9), pages 999-1007, September.
    9. Mariusz Duplaga & Katarzyna Szulc, 2019. "The Association of Internet Use with Wellbeing, Mental Health and Health Behaviours of Persons with Disabilities," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(18), pages 1-16, September.
    10. Aleksandar Višnjić & Vladica Veličković & Dušan Sokolović & Miodrag Stanković & Kristijan Mijatović & Miodrag Stojanović & Zoran Milošević & Olivera Radulović, 2018. "Relationship between the Manner of Mobile Phone Use and Depression, Anxiety, and Stress in University Students," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(4), pages 1-11, April.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    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.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Courtney J. Bolstad & Reagan Moak & Cynthia J. Brown & Richard E. Kennedy & David R. Buys, 2020. "Neighborhood Disadvantage Is Associated with Depressive Symptoms but Not Depression Diagnosis in Older Adults," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(16), pages 1-10, August.
    2. Sékou Samadoulougou & Laurence Letarte & Alexandre Lebel, 2022. "Association between Neighbourhood Deprivation Trajectories and Self-Perceived Health: Analysis of a Linked Survey and Health Administrative Data," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(1), pages 1-14, December.
    3. Alvarez, Camila H. & Evans, Clare Rosenfeld, 2021. "Intersectional environmental justice and population health inequalities: A novel approach," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 269(C).
    4. Yoshida, Masayuki & James, Jeffrey D. & Cronin, J. Joseph, 2013. "Sport event innovativeness: Conceptualization, measurement, and its impact on consumer behavior," Sport Management Review, Elsevier, vol. 16(1), pages 68-84.
    5. Brenda Mak & Paul Beckman & Nicole Bohn, 2016. "Perceived Usefulness and Satisfaction of Mobile Phone for Users with Disabilities," International Journal of Innovation and Technology Management (IJITM), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 13(02), pages 1-16, April.
    6. Sohn, Stefanie, 2017. "A contextual perspective on consumers' perceived usefulness: The case of mobile online shopping," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 38(C), pages 22-33.
    7. Sanal Kumar Velayudhan, 2019. "Factors influencing online shopping in rural India: A review," Working papers 314, Indian Institute of Management Kozhikode.
    8. Tom Brandsma & Jol Stoffers & Ilse Schrijver, 2020. "Advanced Technology Use by Care Professionals," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(3), pages 1-16, January.
    9. Yang, Byunghwa & Kim, Youngchan & Yoo, Changjo, 2013. "The integrated mobile advertising model: The effects of technology- and emotion-based evaluations," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 66(9), pages 1345-1352.
    10. Chen, Chien-fei & Nelson, Hannah & Xu, Xiaojing & Bonilla, Gregory & Jones, Nicholas, 2021. "Beyond technology adoption: Examining home energy management systems, energy burdens and climate change perceptions during COVID-19 pandemic," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 145(C).
    11. Qing Lu & Jing Ning & Hong You & Liyan Xu, 2023. "Urban Intensity in Theory and Practice: Empirical Determining Mechanism of Floor Area Ratio and Its Deviation from the Classic Location Theories in Beijing," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(2), pages 1-16, February.
    12. Geoff Boeing, 2020. "Online rental housing market representation and the digital reproduction of urban inequality," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 52(2), pages 449-468, March.
    13. Andriosopoulos, Kostas & Bigerna, Simona & Bollino, Carlo Andrea & Micheli, Silvia, 2018. "The impact of age on Italian consumers' attitude toward alternative fuel vehicles," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 119(C), pages 299-308.
    14. Attié, Elodie & Meyer-Waarden, Lars, 2022. "The acceptance and usage of smart connected objects according to adoption stages: an enhanced technology acceptance model integrating the diffusion of innovation, uses and gratification and privacy ca," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 176(C).
    15. Finlay, Jessica & Esposito, Michael & Langa, Kenneth M. & Judd, Suzanne & Clarke, Philippa, 2022. "Cognability: An Ecological Theory of neighborhoods and cognitive aging," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 309(C).
    16. Yang, Tse-Chuan & Shoff, Carla & Kim, Seulki & Shaw, Benjamin A., 2022. "County social isolation and opioid use disorder among older adults: A longitudinal analysis of Medicare data, 2013–2018," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 301(C).
    17. Sixsmith, J. & Sixsmith, A. & Fänge, A. Malmgren & Naumann, D. & Kucsera, C. & Tomsone, S. & Haak, M. & Dahlin-Ivanoff, S. & Woolrych, R., 2014. "Healthy ageing and home: The perspectives of very old people in five European countries," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 106(C), pages 1-9.
    18. Martin Vejačka, 2017. "Social Media Marketing in Comparison With Other Forms of Marketing in the Slovak Banking Sector," Tržište/Market, Faculty of Economics and Business, University of Zagreb, vol. 29(1), pages 23-38.
    19. Messer, Lynne C. & Vinikoor, Lisa C. & Laraia, Barbara A. & Kaufman, Jay S. & Eyster, Janet & Holzman, Claudia & Culhane, Jennifer & Elo, Irma & Burke, Jessica G. & O'Campo, Patricia, 2008. "Socioeconomic domains and associations with preterm birth," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 67(8), pages 1247-1257, October.
    20. Nathalie Gröfke & Valérie Duplat & Christopher Wickert & Brian Tjemkes, 2021. "A Multi-Stakeholder Perspective on Food Labelling for Environmental Sustainability: Attitudes, Perceived Barriers, and Solution Approaches towards the “Traffic Light Index”," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(2), pages 1-23, January.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:7:p:3616-:d:527341. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.