Cross-sectional relationship between social trust and health in middle-aged and older Chinese adults: Can social trust explain the education–health link?

IF 2.5 4区医学 Q3 GERIATRICS & GERONTOLOGY

Geriatrics & Gerontology International Pub Date : 2025-09-02 DOI:10.1111/ggi.70154

Tingting Yang, Xueying Zhu, Yongqi Wang, Yu Tang, Xiaojun Tang, Baowen Xue, Xianbin Ding, Yaoyue Hu

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Abstract

Aim

Evidence on the association of social trust with health in middle-aged and older Chinese adults is limited, and its mediating role in the education–health link remains unclear. This study investigated the association of social trust with chronic diseases and mental health, and its mediating effects.

Methods

Cross-sectional data came from the 2018–2019 baseline survey of the Chongqing Cohort of the China Multi-Ethnic Cohort study, including 15 251 participants aged ≥45 years, with data collected using questionnaires and physical examinations. Logistic regression and serial multiple mediation models were used.

Results

Low social trust was associated with higher risks of dyslipidemia (odds ratio [OR] 1.30, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.07, 1.56), stroke (OR 2.60, 95% CI 1.26, 5.33) and kidney disease (OR 2.44, 95% CI 1.30, 4.57). A gradient in the risk of anxiety (high social trust: OR 1.38, 95% CI 1.05, 1.81; medium: OR 2.26, 95% CI 1.69, 3.02; low: OR 2.76, 95% CI 1.91, 3.99, compared with very high) and depression (medium: OR 1.67, 95% CI 1.26, 2.20; low: OR 1.74, 95% CI 1.19, 2.56) was identified. The serial mediation analysis found no mediation of social trust on the relationships between education and chronic diseases, but only an indirect effect of household income for impaired lung and liver function. Social trust mediated the relationships between education and anxiety and depression, with small effects.

Conclusions

Social trust is associated with certain chronic conditions and mental health. Alongside household income, it mediates the relationship between education and mental health, implying that enhancing social trust could be an effective strategy for improving mental health. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2025; 25: 1359–1369.

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中国中老年人社会信任与健康的横断面关系：社会信任能否解释教育与健康的关系？

目的：关于中国中老年人社会信任与健康关系的证据有限，其在教育-健康联系中的中介作用尚不清楚。本研究探讨社会信任与慢性疾病、心理健康的关系及其中介作用。方法：横断面数据来自中国多民族队列研究重庆队列2018-2019年基线调查，包括15 251名年龄≥45岁的参与者，数据采用问卷调查和体检方式收集。采用Logistic回归和序列多重中介模型。结果：低社会信任与血脂异常（比值比[OR] 1.30, 95%可信区间[CI] 1.07, 1.56）、中风（比值比[OR] 2.60, 95% CI 1.26, 5.33）和肾脏疾病（比值比[OR] 2.44, 95% CI 1.30, 4.57）的高风险相关。焦虑（高社会信任：OR 1.38, 95% CI 1.05, 1.81；中：OR 2.26, 95% CI 1.69, 3.02；低：OR 2.76, 95% CI 1.91, 3.99，与非常高相比）和抑郁（中：OR 1.67, 95% CI 1.26, 2.20；低：OR 1.74, 95% CI 1.19, 2.56）的风险存在梯度。系列中介分析发现，社会信任对教育程度与慢性疾病之间的关系没有中介作用，而家庭收入对肺、肝功能受损只有间接影响。社会信任在教育与焦虑、抑郁的关系中起中介作用，但作用不大。结论：社会信任与某些慢性疾病和心理健康相关。除了家庭收入外，它还调解了教育与心理健康之间的关系，这意味着增强社会信任可能是改善心理健康的有效策略。Geriatr Gerontol 2025；••: ••-••.

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来源期刊

Geriatrics & Gerontology International 医学-老年医学

CiteScore

5.50

自引率

6.10%

发文量

189

审稿时长

4-8 weeks

期刊介绍： Geriatrics & Gerontology International is the official Journal of the Japan Geriatrics Society, reflecting the growing importance of the subject area in developed economies and their particular significance to a country like Japan with a large aging population. Geriatrics & Gerontology International is now an international publication with contributions from around the world and published four times per year.