Group disparities in the impact of green spaces and air pollution on the physical and mental health of rural older adults: Evidence from a nationwide longitudinal study

Air pollution and green spaces are intricately linked to the health of older adults. However, there is a notable paucity of research that examines the differential impacts of air pollution and green spaces on the physical and mental health of older adults across different age groups. This study utilizes data from the China Longitudinal Aging Social Survey, covering the period from 2014 to 2020, alongside corresponding county-level data on air pollution and green spaces. The study utilizes latent growth models and random intercept cross-lagged models for longitudinal analysis. The study revealed that between 2014 and 2020, the physical function of rural older adults exhibited gradual improvement. However, mental health issues have become increasingly prevalent, particularly among the older aged group. Furthermore, air pollution significantly negatively affects both the physical and mental health of rural older adults, with the impact being most pronounced in the older aged group. Conversely, green spaces positively influence the mental health of rural older adults, although this benefit is significant only among the younger aged group. Moreover, the study identifies interaction effects between air pollution and green spaces regarding the health of older adults. Green spaces effectively mitigate the adverse effects of elevated air pollution on physical health of the older aged group, while air pollution diminishes the positive effects of limited green spaces on mental health of the younger aged group. Therefore, it is crucial to consider these age group differences when formulating environmental intervention strategies aimed at enhancing the health of older adults. The findings suggest that improving air quality is vital for safeguarding the health of rural the older aged group, while enhancing green spaces also merits attention for its beneficial effects on the mental health of the younger aged group.