Community social capital and cognitive function among older adults in rural north‐east China: The moderator role of income

Abstract

This study investigated the moderating role of income in the relationship between community social capital and cognitive function among community-dwelling older adults in rural China. Data were derived from a community survey conducted in Dongliao county, Jilin province, China, in 2019. Trained interviewers completed face-to-face interviews with 458 respondents. Multiple group analysis was applied to examine the proposed model. The latent constructs of cognitive social capital and structural social capital were established in low-income and high-income groups in rural Chinese contexts. Factor loading invariance of social capital constructs was established across the two income groups. The results showed that income has moderating effects on the relationship between social capital constructs and cognitive function. Social capital that was significantly associated with cognitive function was statistically significant in low-income group only. The findings highlight the important role of income in understanding the mechanism linking social capital to cognitive function in a rural Chinese context. Social policies and interventions should pay particular attention to older adults with low economic status. Policy and intervention implications are discussed.