Associations between social participation and psychological distress among older adults with hypertension in rural China: The mediating role of social capital

Psychological distress in older adults with hypertension in rural China significantly impacts their families and society. This study aims to explore how social participation affects psychological distress among older adults with hypertension in rural China, focusing on the mediating role of social capital. A total of 950 respondents completed surveys measuring social participation based on the frequency of social, recreational, and literary activities, the Resource Generator China scale, and the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale. Structural equation modeling was used to analyze the relationships between the variables. The results showed that social participation significantly affects psychological distress, with social capital mediating this relationship. The indirect effect of social capital accounted for 61.0% of the total effect. These findings suggest targeted interventions in social participation and social capital to reduce psychological distress among rural elderly individuals with hypertension in China.