Latent Profile Analysis of Self-Supporting Ability among Rural Empty-Nesters in Northwestern China

Lanzhi Wei, Jianou Xu, Caifeng Luo (), Rongzhu Lu and Hui Shi
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Lanzhi Wei: Department of Medical College, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212000, China
Jianou Xu: Department of Medical College, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212000, China
Caifeng Luo: Department of Medical College, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212000, China
Rongzhu Lu: Department of Medical College, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212000, China
Hui Shi: Department of Medical College, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212000, China

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 20, issue 1, 1-21

Abstract: The present study aimed to examine the multi-faceted self-supporting ability profiles of rural empty-nesters in northwestern China on the basis of the self-care ability, economic self-support ability, health self-maintenance ability, physical health self-maintenance ability, and psychological health self-maintenance ability using latent profile analysis. It identified the association of self-supporting ability profiles with demographic variables and sense of coherence. The analysis included 1066 participants (mean age = 70.2; SD = 4.3). The results of latent profile analysis identified three distinctive patterns of self-supporting ability―low physical health self-maintenance ability (C 1 , 20.5%), low psychological health self-maintenance ability (C 2 , 31.4%), and high social self-adaption ability (C 3 , 48.0%). The specific demographic variable age ( p < 0.05), monthly income ( p < 0.05), education level ( p < 0.05), how often their children visit ( p < 0.05), how often their children contact them ( p < 0.05), whether they drink ( p < 0.05), the frequency of physical exercise ( p < 0.05), relationship with children ( p < 0.05), relationship with neighbours ( p < 0.05), medical insurance ( p < 0.05), and the number of chronic diseases ( p < 0.05) were significantly different among the identified three profiles. A statistically significant positive association existed between self-supporting ability profiles and sense of coherence (SOC) ( p < 0.001). The results of multinomial logistic regression showed that a greater sense of coherence (SOC), age ≥ 80, monthly income (RMB) (RMB is the abbreviation for Renminbi) < 1000, a good relationship with neighbours, and one type of chronic disease were significantly associated with C 1 when compared with C 3 ( p < 0.05). Furthermore, a greater SOC, their children visiting and contacting them many times per week or once per week were more significantly related to C 2 than to C 3 ( p < 0.05). This study revealed three groups of self-supporting ability and its related predictors in empty-nesters. The predictors related to particular classes of self-supporting ability can provide information for targeted interventions to improve the self-supporting ability of empty-nesters living in rural areas.

Keywords: self-supporting ability; sense of coherence; rural empty-nesters; latent profile analysis; northwestern China (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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