IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v20y2023i6p4731-d1090653.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The Role of Contextual Factors in Shaping Urban Older Adults’ Intention of Institutional Care in China: A Mixed-Methods Study

Author

Listed:
  • Yuekang Li

    (Brown School, Washington University in St. Louis, Saint Louis, MA 63130, USA
    These authors contributed equally to this work.)

  • Jinbao Zhang

    (Department of Social Work and Social Administration, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong 999077, China
    These authors contributed equally to this work.)

  • Hao Luo

    (Department of Social Work and Social Administration, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong 999077, China)

  • Xiaomei Pei

    (Department of Sociology, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China)

  • Tao Wu

    (Gallup China, Beijing 100022, China)

  • Jun Jing

    (Department of Sociology, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China)

Abstract

Background: This mixed-methods study explores older people’s intention of institutional care and its contributing contextual factors, and the meaning given to their intention by older adults in the transitioning Chinese society. Methods: Guided by the extended Anderson model and frameworks of the ecological theory of aging, survey data collected from 1937 Chinese older adults were used. Transcripts from six focus group interviews were analyzed to incorporate the voices of the participants. Results: Community environment and services, health services, financial services, and regional service organizations were related to the institutional care intention of older people. The qualitative analysis showed that the reported conflicting feelings about institutional care was driven by the lack of supporting resources and age-friendly environment. The findings of this study suggested that the reported intention of Chinese older adults for institutional care may not be an ideal choice but a compromise or, in some cases, a forced choice. Conclusions: Rather than treating the stated institutional intention as a simple expression of older Chinese people’s likes or desires, the intention of institutional care should be understood within a framework that fully considers the influence of psycho-social factors and contextual organizations.

Suggested Citation

  • Yuekang Li & Jinbao Zhang & Hao Luo & Xiaomei Pei & Tao Wu & Jun Jing, 2023. "The Role of Contextual Factors in Shaping Urban Older Adults’ Intention of Institutional Care in China: A Mixed-Methods Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(6), pages 1-15, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:20:y:2023:i:6:p:4731-:d:1090653
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/20/6/4731/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/20/6/4731/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Lawton, M.P., 1974. "Social ecology and the health of older people," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 64(3), pages 257-260.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    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. Renato Soares & Helena Corvacho & Fernando Alves, 2021. "Summer Thermal Conditions in Outdoor Public Spaces: A Case Study in a Mediterranean Climate," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(10), pages 1-26, May.
    2. Miguel Lopes & Fernando Alves, 2021. "Digital Tools to Foster Inclusiveness: Porto’s System of Accessible Itineraries," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(11), pages 1-16, May.
    3. María Ángeles Molina-Martínez & Sara Marsillas & María Sánchez-Román & Elena del Barrio, 2022. "Friendly Residential Environments and Subjective Well-Being in Older People with and without Help Needs," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(23), pages 1-14, November.

    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:20:y:2023:i:6:p:4731-:d:1090653. 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.