Social Engagement Among U.S. Chinese Older Adults—Findings From the PINE Study

The elderly aged 65 and older account for 13.7% of the U.S. population in 2012 and projected to exceed 20.3% by the year 2030 (1,2), which calls for additional attention to the needs and well-being of older adults. Although Disengagement Theory indicates that it is natural for older adults to gradually decrease their social interactions with others (3), many researchers and health organizations support Activity Theory, which emphasizes that continuing participation in all kinds of activities can improve the well-being of older adults in late life and achieve successful aging (4). With recognition of the importance for older adults to maintain an active life style, research in social engagement has flourished. Researchers have focused on different aspects of social engagement, such as social participation, social networks, and social support (5). Generally speaking, social participation refers to engagement in daily social activities. Studies of social networks examine older adults’ interactions with friends, relatives, and groups; studies of social support focus on assistance; and resources provided to individuals. Social engagement activities range from watching TV to volunteering. Depending on research aims, data availability, and cultural diversity, researchers may include different activities in their studies (6,7). Some studies examined social engagement patterns, characteristics, and associations at the group level. Social engagement activities that focus on information processing and require less social interaction or physical movement have been categorized as cognitive activities (eg, reading, playing games, listening to radio) (8–10). Activities requiring less mental exercise but more social interaction have often been grouped as social activities (eg, visiting friends, participating in cultural events, joining social organizations). The productive activity category usually includes attending work on a regular basis and completing assigned tasks such as gardening and volunteering. Categorization of social engagement activities is “intuitively meaningful,” (11) and may lead to a better understanding of social engagement patterns of older adults and how these activities may impact health. For example, one study found that older adults in Malaysia were unlikely to participate in different categories of activities, which calls for efforts to promote diversification of activities among older adults so that they can enjoy better physical well-being (10). In a study of community-dwelling Chinese older adults in Singapore, productive activities were more strongly associated with preserving cognitive functions than social activities (11). Prior studies found that social engagement levels are associated with sociodemographic characteristics such as age, education, income, and physical health. In comparison with younger people, older people were found to participate in fewer activities (12), especially activities with high physical and mental demands (13). On the other hand, older adults with higher educational attainment more frequently dined out and attended cultural activities (14). In addition, older adults with more education, higher income, and better health were more likely to have social networks with multiple contacts (15). Although several studies have examined social engagement patterns and its association with the older adults’ health outcomes, most of these studies focused on the general population in the United States or Scandinavia (5). The Chinese community is the largest and fastest growing Asian American group in the United States, but because of its unique cultures, traditions, and values, the social engagement patterns of Chinese Americans may be different from those of the general population. Although there are some studies of leisure activities (16,17), social networks (18), and social support (19) for Chinese Americans, few studies have comprehensively examined elderly Chinese Americans’ social engagement patterns. To fill in the knowledge gap, this study examines the social engagement patterns among community-dwelling Chinese older adults in the greater Chicago area and the correlates of social engagement in Chinese older adults.