THE IMPACT OF SOCIAL PARTICIPATION ON MENTAL HEALTH AMONG OLDER ADULTS: A COMPARATIVE STUDY BETWEEN URBAN AND SUBURBAN AREAS IN HO CHI MINH CITY

Tóm tắt

In Vietnam, traditional family and community culture has enabled older adults to maintain certain forms of social participation, such as living in multigenerational households, attending elderly association meetings at the ward level, and participating in religious or village festivals. However, urbanization and modern lifestyles risk narrowing these avenues for social engagement, particularly in urban settings where busy lifestyles and weakened neighborhood ties prevail. Research on social participation and mental health among older adults in Vietnam remains relatively sparse, especially studies comparing urban and suburban contexts. This study examines the impact of social participation on mental health among older adults, with a comparative focus between those residing in urban areas (District 5) and suburban areas (Hoc Mon District) of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. The analysis revealed that older adults living in urban areas reported significantly higher levels of social participation compared to those their suburban counterparts. Similarly, the urban older adults reported greater satisfaction with their mental health than suburban older adults. Social participation demonstrated a moderate positive correlation with mental health and was identified as a statistically significant positive predictor of mental health. These findings highlight social participation as a crucial protective factor in enhancing the mental well-being of older adults.