TY - JOUR
T1 - Community Social Capital and Self-Reported Oral Health among Chinese Older Adults
T2 - The Moderating Role of Income and the Mediating Role of Depressive Symptoms
AU - Lu, Nan
AU - Wu, Bei
AU - Mao, Shan
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2024 Nan Lu et al.
PY - 2024
Y1 - 2024
N2 - This study examined the associations between community social capital and self-reported oral health among older adults in urban China, as well as the moderating effect of household income and the mediating role of depressive symptoms in these associations. Data were obtained from a community survey conducted in 2020 in Tianjin and Shijiazhuang City, China; the final analytical sample comprised 776 adults aged 60 years and above. To test the proposed moderation and mediation models, the data were analysed using binary logistic regression models and a path analysis, respectively. The findings showed that cognitive social capital and social participation (i.e., an indicator of structural social capital) were significantly associated with self-reported oral health. Additionally, the results revealed that while income significantly moderated the association between cognitive social capital and self-reported oral health, depressive symptoms significantly mediated it. The findings not only highlight the crucial role of community social capital in promoting oral health in later life among low-income older adults but also provide important evidence for a psychosocial pathway between social capital and oral health. Given the impacts of income and depressive symptoms on the relationship between community social capital and oral health among older adults, future social policies and interventions to support oral health should target financially vulnerable older adults with poor psychological well-being.
AB - This study examined the associations between community social capital and self-reported oral health among older adults in urban China, as well as the moderating effect of household income and the mediating role of depressive symptoms in these associations. Data were obtained from a community survey conducted in 2020 in Tianjin and Shijiazhuang City, China; the final analytical sample comprised 776 adults aged 60 years and above. To test the proposed moderation and mediation models, the data were analysed using binary logistic regression models and a path analysis, respectively. The findings showed that cognitive social capital and social participation (i.e., an indicator of structural social capital) were significantly associated with self-reported oral health. Additionally, the results revealed that while income significantly moderated the association between cognitive social capital and self-reported oral health, depressive symptoms significantly mediated it. The findings not only highlight the crucial role of community social capital in promoting oral health in later life among low-income older adults but also provide important evidence for a psychosocial pathway between social capital and oral health. Given the impacts of income and depressive symptoms on the relationship between community social capital and oral health among older adults, future social policies and interventions to support oral health should target financially vulnerable older adults with poor psychological well-being.
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U2 - 10.1155/2024/8991939
DO - 10.1155/2024/8991939
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85199533317
SN - 0966-0410
VL - 2024
JO - Health and Social Care in the Community
JF - Health and Social Care in the Community
M1 - 8991939
ER -