Association between residential environment and emotional wellbeing among older adults in China: the mediating effect of health lifestyle.

INTRODUCTION: The association between the residential environment and emotional wellbeing (EWB) in older adults has received extensive attention from gerontologists, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic; however, the mediating mechanism of how residential environment affects emotional wellbeing has not been fully explored. This study examined the effects of the residential environment on EWB and the mediating role of health lifestyle.

METHODS: This study analyzed the survey data of 493 rural and 515 urban older adults from 2021 Chinese General Social Survey. General linear regression and structural equation models were used to examine the effects of residential environment and health lifestyle.

RESULTS: Urban participants exhibited clear advantages in EWB, residential environment, and physical activity. Residential environment significantly affected the EWB of older adults, and health lifestyle played a mediating role in this relationship. The residential environment and health lifestyle did not significantly affect EWB in rural participants.

DISCUSSION: This study revealed differences in the effects of health lifestyles and residential environments on EWB among older adults in rural and urban settings in China. This study provided empirical evidence of mental health disparities between older rural and urban Chinese residents.