Li Haimei, Li Mingyang, Peng Panyu, Long Yi, Ao Yibin, Bahmani Homa
Humanities and Law School, Chengdu University of Technology, Chengdu, China.
College of Management Science, Chengdu University of Technology, Chengdu, China.
Front Public Health. 2024 Feb 16;12:1333510. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1333510. eCollection 2024.
The global concern surrounding the aging population has brought the well-being of older individuals to the forefront of societal attention. Unfortunately, studies focusing on the well-being of older people residing in rural areas are frequently overshadowed by the developmental disparities between rural and urban regions. Thus, this study aims to delve into the non-linear impact of walking accessibility on the subjective well-being of rural older adults. The goal is to gain a comprehensive understanding of this relationship, ultimately contributing to an improved quality of life and health for older adults in rural areas.
In this study, the Random Forest algorithm was employed to explore the non-linear effects of demographic variables, perceived safety, subjective built environment (including perceptions and preferences of the built environment), and walking accessibility on the subjective well-being of older adults.
The findings of this study underscore the pivotal role of walking accessibility in influencing the well-being of older adults, particularly in terms of access to bazaars and health centers, where non-linear and threshold effects are evident. Furthermore, community safety, road conditions, and walking preferences were identified as positive influencers on the well-being of older adults. Well-being trends varied with age, revealing noteworthy non-linear relationships for certain variables.
The insights gained from this study provide crucial theoretical guidance for the development of policies tailored to the unique context of rural aging. By taking into account factors such as walking accessibility, community safety, health support, and social interaction, we can create an improved living environment for rural older adults, ultimately enhancing their happiness and overall quality of life.
全球对老龄化人口的关注已将老年人的福祉置于社会关注的前沿。不幸的是，关注农村地区老年人福祉的研究常常因城乡发展差距而黯然失色。因此，本研究旨在深入探讨步行可达性对农村老年人主观幸福感的非线性影响。目标是全面了解这种关系，最终为改善农村地区老年人的生活质量和健康状况做出贡献。
在本研究中，采用随机森林算法来探究人口统计学变量、感知安全、主观建成环境（包括对建成环境的感知和偏好）以及步行可达性对老年人主观幸福感的非线性影响。
本研究结果强调了步行可达性在影响老年人福祉方面的关键作用，特别是在前往集市和健康中心的便利性方面，其中非线性和阈值效应明显。此外，社区安全、道路状况和步行偏好被确定为对老年人福祉有积极影响的因素。幸福感趋势随年龄而异，某些变量呈现出值得注意的非线性关系。
本研究获得的见解为制定适合农村老龄化独特背景的政策提供了关键的理论指导。通过考虑步行可达性、社区安全、健康支持和社会互动等因素，我们可以为农村老年人创造一个改善的生活环境，最终提升他们的幸福感和整体生活质量。
