Productive aging patterns and associations with health outcomes among Chinese urban older adults

Abstract

Background: Previous studies have primarily examined the impact of a particular type of productive activity on the health of older adults. However, older adults' activity participation is multifaceted and simultaneous, and it is relatively unknown what patterns of productive aging will affect the health of older people in urban areas of China. The mechanisms linking them have also not been thoroughly explored. This study identified the patterns of productive aging among urban Chinese older adults and tested whether the latent classes were associated with their health. Methods: This study analyzed 1,258 urban older adults from the 2018 China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Survey. Patterns of participation in productive activities among urban older adults were first investigated using latent class analysis (LCA). Then, explore associations between the patterns and health using linear regression models and an automatic Bolck, Croon, and Hagenaars (BCH) approach. Results: Older adults' participation in productive activities in Chinese cities can be divided into three patterns: informal activities, caregiving-social-leisure, and caregiving-centered. Informal activities pattern have the best health outcomes. Conclusions: This study identified heterogeneity in the participation of productive activities among older adults in urban China and revealed their co-occurring patterns. This information is critical for tailoring interventions and designing programs that can improve the health of urban older adults and provide valuable insights for follow-up research and policy formulation.