Community-based multisensory environments as preventive public health interventions for mental well-being in older adults: evidence from a large-scale study in China

The accelerating demographic transition has brought the mental health of older adults to the forefront of public health concerns. Middle-aged and older adults (aged 50-69 years), often described as the "young-old," are particularly vulnerable to early-stage psychological distress as they navigate shifts in social roles and community participation. Traditional approaches such as pharmacological treatment, counseling, and organized activities provide partial relief but lack personalization, scalability, and sustainable engagement. This study examined how immersive multisensory therapeutic spaces influence mental health among 1,897 community-dwelling adults in China. Participants experienced community-based immersive environments before completing a structured survey. Structural equation modeling showed that social participation significantly reduced psychological distress, which in turn increased acceptance of immersive environments. Acceptance further exerted a significant positive effect on mental health improvement, highlighting its role as a proximal mechanism of change. Cluster analyses identified distinct psychosocial profiles and sensory preferences, offering insights into subgroup-specific intervention strategies. These findings provide large-scale empirical evidence on the behavioral and psychosocial pathways through which multisensory environments support mental health in later life. Social participation and acceptance jointly emerged as critical drivers, suggesting that community-based immersive spaces can function as scalable, person-centered, and culturally relevant non-pharmacological interventions that complement existing public mental health strategies.