The influence of domestic living arrangement and neighborhood identity on mental health among urban Chinese elders

Abstract

Objectives: The primary purposes of the present study were (1) to assess the living arrangements among urban Chinese elders, (2) to examine the relationship between household living arrangement and elders’ mental health, and (3) to investigate how individuals’ neighborhood identity affects their mental health.

Method: The random sample was collected in 2011, including 939 respondents aged 60 and above who lived in the Jing’an district of Shanghai, China. The study examined well-being and depression of elders. The domestic living arrangements were assessed by a single item with five options: ‘With whom are you living together?’ The neighborhood identity was measured by four items: the sense of belonging, the sense of pride, volunteer work, and monetary donation for the neighborhood.

Results: Urban Chinese elders’ living arrangement had transited from a traditional intergenerational co-residence pattern to a more self-independent style. However, living with children was positively associated with elders’ mental health after controlling for demographic variables. Although the neighborhood identity had no interaction with living arrangement, it also contributed to elders’ mental health.

Conclusion: The study highlighted the importance of living with children and spouse, the sense of belonging, volunteer work, and the feelings of pride on elders’ mental health. Results of the current study suggested implications for both government and non-governmental organizations to design family-based support for eldercare and improve neighborhood identity for elders.

Keywords:

• living arrangement
• neighborhood identity
• well-being and depression
• Chinese elders

Acknowledgements

We are grateful to Mr Pengbiao Sun and Ms Xiaohua Li in designing the survey. We appreciate the volunteer team of the Gerontology Society of Shanghai for conducting the interview. We thank the following individuals for their guidance: Dr Sheung-Tak Cheng for his suggestion on the manuscript, Dr Gary Lee for his comments on the measurement, and Dr Alfred DeMaris for his suggestion on data analysis. We also thank the Department of Aging of Jin’an district and the Gerontology Society of Shanghai for the permission of using the data-set.