社会隔离与老年人自评健康:老化态度的中介作用

Social Isolation and Self-rated Health of the Older People:the Mediation Effects of Aging Attitude

社会隔离是影响老年健康的重要社会性因素。基于中国老年社会调查(CLASS)2014年数据,使用OLS回归模型及中介效应检验方法检验了客观社会隔离(家庭隔离、朋友隔离和社区隔离)和主观社会隔离(感知隔离)对老年人自评健康的独立影响作用,分析了老化态度发生的中介作用。研究发现,客观社会隔离和主观社会隔离均对老年人自评健康有独立的影响作用,且老化态度发生了中介作用。具体来说,相比于没有遭遇社会隔离的老年人,遭遇社会隔离的老年人自评健康状况更差;朋友隔离、感知隔离不仅对老年人自评健康产生直接影响,而且通过老化态度产生间接影响。本研究表明,社会隔离是老年人自评健康的重要风险因素,且老化态度是这一影响的重要解释机制。因此,政府、社区和家庭应努力帮助老年人建立更加广泛的社会联系,减少社会隔离,促进老年人形成积极的老化态度,最终实现健康老龄化。

Social isolation is an important social factor which affects the health of the older people.Based on the data from 2014 Chinese Longitudinal Aging Social Survey(CLASS),this paper explores the mechanism and effects of objective social isolation(family isolation,friend isolation,and community isolation)and subjective social isolation(perceived isolation)on the self-rated health of the older adults.By using multiple linear regression model and path analytical methods,the current study examines the intrinsic mechanism of social isolation and self-rated health and the mediation effects of aging attitude was analyzed.The study found that objective social isolation and subjective social isolation have independent effects on the self-rated health of the elderly,and the aging attitude has mediation effects between them.Specifically,compared with the older people who did not experience social isolation,the self-rated health of the isolated older was worse.The results were robust after tested by the propensity score matching method.Friend isolation and perceived isolation not only directly affect the self-rated health of the elderly,but also indirectly affect the self-rated health through aging attitude.The foundings show that social isolation is an important risk factor which affects the self-rated health of the elderly,and the aging attitude contributes to the explanation of social isolation in self-rated health.The government,the community and the family should work hard to help the elderly establish more extensive social connections,reduce social isolation,help them to form a positive attitude towards aging,and ultimately achieve healthy aging.