Association between social capital and loneliness among older adults: a cross-sectional study in Anhui Province, China

Zhongliang Bai, Zijing Wang, Tiantai Shao, Xia Qin, Zhi Hu, Zhongliang Bai, Zijing Wang, Tiantai Shao, Xia Qin, Zhi Hu

Abstract

Background: We aimed to examine the association between social capital and loneliness in Anhui Province, China.

Methods: Data were collected from a cross-sectional study using a multi-stage stratified cluster sampling strategy. Data on demographic characteristics, socioeconomic factors, social capital, and loneliness in 1810 older adults (aged 60 years and older) were used for analysis. Binary logistic regression models and a classification and regression tree model were performed to assess the association of social capital and loneliness.

Results: Our results indicated that social capital in terms of lower level of social participation (AOR = 1.38; 95% CI: 1.10-1.74), social connection (AOR = 1.51; 95% CI: 1.18-1.93), and reciprocity (AOR = 1.47; 95% CI: 1.13-1.90) were associated with higher odds of developing loneliness. We noted the interactive effect of different social capital dimensions on loneliness, suggesting that the risk for suffering loneliness was greatest in older people limited in functional ability, with less trust, less social connection, and less social participation.

Conclusions: Our findings show that social capital is associated with loneliness in older adults. This implies that social capital, especially in terms of trust, social connection, and social participation may be significant for alleviating loneliness in later life.

Keywords: Aging; China; Health; Loneliness; Social capital.

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
CART model analysis examing the interactive association between social capital and loneliness. (This classification and regression tree shows the variables related to the development of loneliness and the likelihood of experiencing loneliness in the node boxes, which also displays the interactive relationship between social capital and demographic factors and health-related factors associated with loneliness)

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