Mediating Effect of Social Participation on the Relationship Between Mental Health and Self-rated Health Among Urban Elderly Retirees
Objective To explore the mediating effect of social participation on the relationship between mental health and self-rated health among urban elderly retirees,aiming to provide a reference for improving their mental health.Methods From October 2021 to September 2022,a total of 600 elderly retirees were selected by convenience sampling in two community health service stations directly subordinate to Tangshan Gongren Hospital.They were investigated using the General Information Questionnaire,Mental Health Inventory for the Urban Elderly(MHIE-UV)and Social Participation Questionnaire for the Elderly.Results Among the 600 elderly retirees,the scores of social participation,self-rated health and mental health were(28.45±4.27)points,(3.31±0.86)points and(35.24±7.44)points,respectively.Among the urban elderly retirees,the self-rated health score was positively correlated with the social participation score and mental health score(r1=0.387,P<0.001;r2=0.367,P<0.001);the social participation score was positively correlated with the mental health score(r=0.548,P<0.001);the social participation exerted a partial mediating effect on the relationship between self-rated health and mental health,accounting for 37.87%of the total effect.Conclusion The social participation,self-rated health and mental health of urban elderly retirees require further improvement.Self-rated health can affect mental health either directly or indirectly through social participation.The leaders of community aging affairs offices should focus on the elderly with low self-rated health and limited social participation,and take corresponding measures to facilitate improvements in these two areas,thereby enhancing their mental health.