Perceived Health Status and Leisure-time Utilization among Older Adults Living in Urban and Rural Communities: The Moderating Effect of Neighborhood Social Cohesion

This study is to compare perceived health status, leisure-time utilization, and perceived neighborhood social cohesion among older people dwelling in urban and rural areas and to examine the moderating effect of neighborhood social cohesion on the relationship between perceived health status and leisure-time utilization. The 2019 survey data collected by the Aged Society and Social Capital Research Center was utilized, and 500 older people living in Seoul City and other Metropolitan areas and 500 older people living in rural areas were analyzed. T-tests, χ2 tests, correlational analyses, and regression analyses were conducted to answer the study questions. Regression analyses revealed that neighborhood social cohesion moderated the relationship between perceived health status and leisure-time utilization in the group of rural older adults, but, for those who living in urban areas, such moderating effect was not found. Findings from the current study highlight the role of the neighborhood social cohesion as a community-level social support resource that can encourage older adults to actively engage in more diverse leisure activities.