Urban–rural differences and bidirectional association between social participation and cognitive function among Chinese older adults: a 10-year prospective cohort study

The long-term developmental trajectories of social participation and cognitive function are synchronized, primarily driven by the positive effect of cognitive function on social participation. Rural older adults exhibited greater heterogeneity in their trajectories and more complex predictors than their urban counterparts. Interventions targeted at the urban‒rural context are recommended to reduce cognitive decline and promote health equity.