Profile of the Authors
Su Yiqing Associate Professor, School of Public Policy and Management, Guangxi University
Zhang Xiaoyin Master's Student, School of Public Policy and Management, Guangxi University
Xuan Yuan Master's Student, School of Public Policy and Management, Guangxi University
Published in
Cities
Citation
Yiqing Su, Xiaoyin Zhang*, Yuan Xuan (2024). Linking neighborhood green spaces to loneliness among elderly residents—A path analysis of social capital. Cities, 149,104952.
Original Article Link
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cities.2024.104952
Population aging is a pressing issue faced by societies worldwide in the 21st century. Among the various challenges posed by an aging population, health concerns stand out, with loneliness emerging as a significant factor that negatively impacts the mental health of the elderly. This sense of loneliness not only affects the physical and mental well-being and quality of life of older adults but also increases the societal burden of healthcare and elderly care costs. As aging trends continue to escalate, actively addressing the challenges brought by population aging has become a strategic priority for countries across the globe.
Recently, Su Yiqing, Associate Professor at the School of Public Policy and Management at Guangxi University, along with master's students Zhang Xiaoyin and Xuan Yuan, conducted a study focused on alleviating loneliness among the elderly to improve their well-being in the context of an aging society. Their research was published in the prestigious international journal Cities (SSCI-indexed, 2023 IF = 6.7) under the title "Linking neighborhood green spaces to loneliness among elderly residents—A path analysis of social capital." The study explores the role and deeper mechanisms by which neighborhood green spaces can mitigate loneliness among the elderly, offering theoretical insights and policy recommendations for aging nations on how to combat loneliness and promote healthy aging, particularly through the use of community spaces and social interaction.
The study utilizes a three-dimensional social capital (SC) framework and is based on survey data from communities in six main districts of Nanning, Guangxi, China. It empirically examines the overall impact of urban green spaces on reducing loneliness among the elderly, delves into the underlying mechanisms, and highlights the existing issues and proposed solutions related to community green spaces.
Figure 1: The conceptual framework utilizing the three-dimensional SC model
The study utilizes IV-OLS regression and a multiple mediation effect model with structural equations to perform its empirical analysis. The finding indicates that, overall, the use of neighborhood green spaces can effectively reduce negative life conditions and psychological issues, thereby helping to alleviate loneliness among the elderly. In terms of mediation effects, the three components of social capital—relationship networks, interpersonal trust and norms of reciprocity—each plays distinct role in how neighborhood green space usage influences the reduction of loneliness among the elderly.
Moreover, the study confirms that social capital serves as a full mediator in the relationship between neighborhood green spaces and the alleviation of loneliness. This mediation effect can be explained by two key reasons: First, the total mediation effect demonstrates the comprehensive influence of social capital, which can impact elderly loneliness by establishing social networks, offering emotional and material support, promoting information flow and sharing, and enhancing community engagement. Second, the full mediation role of social capital also suggests that the impact of neighborhood green spaces is inherently indirect; it is the close-knit, caring, and compassionate social environment fostered through these spaces that is truly essential in mitigating loneliness. Therefore, when designing policies, it is crucial to consider these interconnected factors to fully leverage the benefits of public spaces.
Figure 2: Multiple mediating pathways of SC in the impact of neighborhood green spaces on elderly loneliness
As global aging trends continue to intensify, there has been a growing body of research focused on elderly health. However, there is still a relative lack of attention to the issue of loneliness among older adults, which has resulted in an insufficient understanding of its prevalence and the negative effects it has on this population. The elderly are particularly vulnerable to loneliness due to several factors, including the deterioration of physical abilities, limited mobility, retirement and the loss of social roles, the death of intimate partners, and living apart from their children. These factors can lead to significant changes in interpersonal relationships and the absence of close connections, making the elderly a high-risk group for loneliness. Research has shown that loneliness is a risk factor for various chronic illnesses, which not only severely impacts the physical and mental health of elderly individuals and lowers their life satisfaction and happiness but also escalates the costs associated with social care and medical services for the elderly.
For many elderly individuals, who are often retired and experience reduced mobility, daily activities tend to revolve around their local communities. Neighborhood green spaces, as an integral part of the community environment, are closely linked to the daily lives of older residents. These spaces provide various social and ecological services, such as opportunities for leisure, exercise, and social interaction, which play a significant role in enhancing the physical and mental health and overall well-being of elderly residents. However, in practice, the importance and elder-friendly aspects of neighborhood green spaces have not been fully recognized or utilized, leading to various issues.
This paper delves into the relationship between the use of neighborhood green spaces and loneliness among the elderly through the lens of social capital theory, focusing on its dimensions of social networks, interpersonal trust, and norms of reciprocity. Social capital is a multifaceted and heterogeneous concept, and its different dimensions influence loneliness among the elderly in varying ways. Unlike previous studies that treated social capital as a singular concept, this paper dissects its various dimensions to explore the distinct connections between each aspect of social capital and loneliness in the elderly, thus contributing new insights to the development of social capital theory. The paper also proposes a more tailored explanatory framework for understanding how neighborhood green spaces can alleviate loneliness among the elderly. Finally, from the perspectives of community space utilization and social interaction, the paper advocates for a greater emphasis on the elder-friendly features of green spaces in aging communities. It calls for reserving adequate green spaces and adapting them to meet the physical needs and preferences of elderly residents, ensuring that these resources are allocated in a way that both meets the general population’s needs and specifically benefits the elderly. These insights offer valuable policy recommendations for promoting healthy aging.
This paper was supported by the National Social Science Fund of China (22GBL225).
- Journal Overview -
Cities is a top-tier international academic journal in the field of development studies, with an impact factor of 6.7 in 2023. It is ranked as a Q1 journal in the JCR and is recognized as a TOP journal by the Chinese Academy of Sciences. The journal serves as a platform for scholars, policymakers, and practitioners to analyze and assess urban development and management practices, both past and present, and to highlight the effectiveness or shortcomings of various planning policies. It supports the implementation of appropriate urban policies in both developed and developing countries. The journal's scope includes a broad array of topics such as urban climate change adaptation, urban management, public-private partnerships, development and planning issues, urban renewal, neighborhood preservation and urban design, migration and international labor migration, urban politics, urban theory, urban governance, smart cities and regions, infrastructure, livability and quality of life, greening, and the challenges of creating sustainable cities.
