Association between different patterns of social participation and loneliness among the Chinese older people: is there a local-migrant gap?

• Published in: BMC geriatrics Vol. 24; no. 1; pp. 802 - 16
• Main Authors: Chen, Rui, Liu, Guangwen, Li, Shixue, Kong, Fanlei
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London BioMed Central 01.10.2024; BioMed Central Ltd; BMC
• Subjects: Adult children; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Aging; China - epidemiology; COVID-19; Demographic aspects; East Asian People; Families & family life; Female; GDP; Geriatrics/Gerontology; Gross Domestic Product; Health aspects; Humans; Immigrants; Intergenerational relationships; Local older people; Loneliness; Loneliness - psychology; Male; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Middle Aged; Migrant older with children; Older people; Overseas Chinese; Pandemics; Psychological aspects; Qualitative research; Rehabilitation; Social aspects; Social participation; Social Participation - psychology; Sociodemographics; Transients and Migrants - psychology; China; United States; United States > US; Shandong China; Germany; Loneliness; Migrant older with children; Local older people; Social participation
• ISSN: 1471-2318; 1471-2318
• DOI: 10.1186/s12877-024-05391-6

Background Little empirical evidences were provided on the disparity in the level of loneliness between the migrant older with children (MOC) and their local counterpart in China. This study aimed to explore the association between social participation and loneliness and verify whether there was a local-migrant difference in this association. Methods A total of 1332 older people (60 +) were included in this study with 656 MOC and 676 natives. Loneliness was assessed by the University of California Los Angeles Loneliness Scale with eight items (ULS-8). Social participation was evaluated by three kinds of social activities concerning sports activities, hobby activities and community resident interaction. Univariate analysis was conducted to compare the local-migrant disparity as well as the level of loneliness between different subgroups. Hierarchical multiple linear regression analysis was used to examine the proposed relationship and the moderating influence of migration status. Results The average ULS-8 scores were 11.73 ± 4.02 for local subjects and 12.82 ± 4.05 for MOC respectively, indicating a lower level of loneliness among local older people. Participating in hobby activities (β = -0.092, P  = 0.003) and interacting with residents (β = -0.216, P  = 0.001) more frequently were related to lower level of loneliness while participating in square dancing was related to higher level of loneliness (β = 0.087, P  = 0.001). The negative relationships between hobby activities as well as resident interaction and loneliness were more profound in migrants than natives. Conclusions Only two types of social participation could help alleviate loneliness. More attention to older migrants’ loneliness and extending the scale and types of social activities were recommended for policymakers.