The role of neighborhood social capital on health and health inequality in rural and urban China

Given the community lost vs. community saved debate on how neighborhood solidarity changes with urbanization, we compared the rural-urban difference in the association of individuals' neighborhood social capital with health and the interaction effect between neighborhood social capital and income-poverty on health in China, where huge rural-urban disparities existed. Participants were 5014 Chinese adults (>= 18 years) (rural: 2034; urban: 2980) from the 2012 cross-sectional Chinese General Social Survey. Health outcome was a factor score constructed by three items. Neighborhood social capital was divided into structural (neighborhood network size, frequency of socializing with neighbors, voting in neighborhood committee election, and participation in neighborhood voluntary activities) and cognitive (perceived neighborhood social cohesion) dimensions. Multi variable linear regression models showed positive associations between perceived neighborhood social cohesion and health in rural (beta = 0.08, 95% CI: 0.03,0.14) and urban (beta = 0.09, 95% CI: 0.05,0.12) areas. Only in rural but not urban areas was a neighborhood network of 10 or more persons (ref.: none) associated with better health (beta = 0.25, 95% CI: 0.05,0.46). Interaction analysis showed that only in rural but not urban areas, with the increase of neighborhood network size, the health gap between the income-poor and the non-income-poor decreased generally. Our study suggested that cohesive neighborhoods benefit both rural and urban residents' health. Health interventions to improve neighborhood social cohesion should be designed to cope with the challenge of urbanization. Policymakers should avoid damaging neighborhood social capital when implementing other public policies, especially in rural areas where neighborhood network seems to matter more for health.

Automated summary

This study compared the association between individuals' neighborhood social capital and health in rural and urban areas in China. The findings showed that perceived neighborhood social cohesion was positively associated with health in both rural and urban areas. However, only in rural areas, having a neighborhood network of 10 or more persons was associated with better health. The study suggested that cohesive neighborhoods benefit the health of residents in both rural and urban areas, and health interventions should address the challenges of urbanization.