Poverty, demand, and coping: A longitudinal investigation on the impact of public leisure facilities on the health of rural elderly.

OBJECTIVES

This study examines the long-term effects of rural public recreational facilities on the self-rated health of rural older adults, with particular attention to income differences and the role of effective health-related facilities.

STUDY

DESIGN

Using data from the China Longitudinal Aging Social Survey (CLASS) and analyzed with SPSS 22.0 and Mplus 8.0.

METHODS

This study examines the long-term effect of rural public recreational facilities on self-rated health, with comparisons across income levels.

RESULTS

Findings show that elderly activity rooms and outdoor activity areas significantly affect health, while fitness rooms, chess rooms, and libraries do not. The quantity of effective health-related facilities, rather than total public facilities, influences the health trajectory of rural older adults. Moreover, faster growth in health-related facilities accelerates health improvement among low-income older adults.

CONCLUSION

Enhancing elderly activity rooms and outdoor activity areas will help improve the health of rural older adults, particularly those with lower incomes.