Relationship between Individual Social Capital and Functional Ability among Older People in Anhui Province, China

Zhongliang Bai, Zijing Wang, Tiantai Shao, Xia Qin and Zhi Hu
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Zhongliang Bai: Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, China
Zijing Wang: Department of Health Services Management, School of Health Services Management, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, China
Tiantai Shao: Department of Health Services Management, School of Health Services Management, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, China
Xia Qin: Department of Health Services Management, School of Health Services Management, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, China
Zhi Hu: Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, China

IJERPH, 2020, vol. 17, issue 8, 1-13

Abstract: This study aimed to explore the relationship between individual social capital and functional ability, with a focus on whether there is an interactive relationship that exists among social capital related to functional ability among older people in Anhui province, China. We conducted a cross-sectional study with a multi-stage stratified cluster random sampling method from July to September 2017. Data were collected through questionnaire including demographic characteristics, individual social capital status, and functional capability status. Binary logistic regression analysis model and classification and regression tree model (CART) were utilized. Overall, this study included 1810 elderly people, 43% of whom had functional disability. After the adjustment, subjects with lower social participation (AOR = 1.60; 95% CI: 1.26–2.03) and lower social connection (AOR = 1.74; 95% CI: 1.34–2.25) had an increased risk of functional disability. However, social support (AOR = 0.73; 95% CI: 0.57–0.94) was inversely related to functional ability. We also observed interactive relationship of social capital associated with functional ability, which indicated that special attention and efforts should be paid to older adults with less educational attainment, with multimorbidity, with advanced age, and with lower level of social participation, cohesion for the purpose of maintaining sound functional ability. Our findings may be of salient relevance for devising more targeted and effective interventions to prevent the onset of functional limitations among community-dwelling older adults.

Keywords: social capital; older people; health; disability (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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