Time use, social isolation, and health among older Chinese immigrants in the Greater Toronto Area, Canada

Keywords: social isolation, older adults, immigrants, built environment, time use
Session Type: Virtual Paper Abstract
Day: Tuesday
Session Start / End Time: 3/1/2022 03:40 PM (Eastern Time (US & Canada)) - 3/1/2022 05:00 PM (Eastern Time (US & Canada))
Room: Virtual 13

Abstract

As older adults progress through the life course they are at higher risk of social isolation (Keefe et al., 2006), which has been shown to be more predictive of mortality than smoking cigarettes (Pantell et al., 2013). This social isolation could be further exacerbated when coupled with international migration, which also creates barriers to social participation and senses of belonging. Social isolation is both an associate of and potential cause for loneliness, and together these two phenomena have been shown to have a reciprocal relationship with worsening physical and mental health outcomes (Cacioppo & Cacioppo, 2014).

To explore the impact of the built environment on an older immigrant population’s social and physical health, this research captures data on individuals’ daily time use, mobility, and community belonging. Surveys and activity logs from 100 Chinese immigrants over the age of 60 are collected across urban and suburban neighborhoods in and near Toronto, Canada in Spring 2021. Quantitative results, including descriptive statistics and estimated model results, of the surveys and activity logs will be presented with a focus on how social connection, time use, and urban mobility barriers impact levels of social isolation (frequency of social engagements), loneliness (De Jong Gierveld 6-item scale), and self-reported health (SF-12). Survey findings related to changes in social connectedness during the coronavirus pandemic are provided for context. These results will provide a comprehensive look at the health and social isolation of Chinese older adults during the COVID pandemic.