Examining Awareness of Social Services and the Relationship Between Social Participation and Social Service Use Among Older Adults

Abstract Early in the COVID-19 pandemic, social services integral to the health and well-being of older adults were shuttered to curtail the spread of the virus. In this context, social participation and awareness of social services may be especially important factors in shaping older adults’ social service use. This study described older adults’ social participation, awareness of social services, and social service use. This study also examined awareness as a mediator in the relationship between social participation and service use among Korean older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study used publicly available de-identified cross-sectional secondary data drawn from the 2020 Seoul Welfare Survey. Hayes PROCESS macro was utilized along with bivariate and multivariate analyses. This study found moderate awareness as well as low social participation and social service use. Social participation and service awareness contributed to variation in older adults’ service use. Awareness did not mediate the relationship between social participation and social service use. The findings offer a foundation for understanding the connection between the social participation of older adults and their social service use during a crisis. Based on the study findings, future research should examine the contribution of virtual social participation and its link to service use.