A Study on the Heterogeneity of Social Engagement among Older Adults: An Empirical Analysis based on the 2018 CLASS Data

Abstract

Abstract Background Social participation, as an important part of actively responding to population aging, plays a key role in promoting the utilization of the elderly population dividend in the context of China's longevity society. This article addresses the flaw in social participation research that ignores the heterogeneity of social participation and explores the heterogeneity of social participation among older people from the perspective of socioeconomic status. Methods Using latent class analysis to generate a comprehensive index of socioeconomic status, and employing multilevel linear models to examine the differences in social participation outcomes among different socioeconomic status groups. Results The results show that the higher the socioeconomic status of the elderly group, the higher their level of social participation. The improvement of the socioeconomic level in the region has a significant positive effect on the social participation of the elderly group with lower socioeconomic status. Conclusions Therefore, this article reveals the heterogeneity of social participation among older people in terms of socioeconomic dimensions, highlighting the need for policy intervention to further improve the regional socioeconomic development level to promote the social participation of older people and advance social participation research.