Exploring the relationships among air pollution, blue-green space exposure, and subjective well-being in China’s Aging Society

Understanding the complex relationship between environmental exposure and the subjective well-being (SWB) of the elderly is crucial for promoting healthy aging and achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Existing studies have increasingly examined environmental correlates of elderly SWB, yet relatively limited attention has been paid to the joint role of air pollution, blue-green space exposure, and intrinsic capacity within a unified analytical framework. Utilizing a sample of individuals aged 60 and above from a nationwide dataset and employing Partial Least Squares-Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM), this study examines the associations among air pollution, blue-green space exposure, and elderly subjective well-being across Eastern, Central, and Western China, with intrinsic capacity as an intermediate construct. The results show that higher levels of air pollution are linked to lower SWB and intrinsic capacity, whereas greener urban environments correspond to higher levels of them. Blue space exposure presents a positive but comparatively weak association. Intrinsic capacity is involved in significant indirect pathways, highlighting a meaningful linkage between environmental conditions and well-being. Furthermore, substantial regional heterogeneity is observed, with green space exposure showing a significant total association with SWB in the central region and blue space exposure being more prominent in the western region. These findings contribute to the formulation of integrated environmental and public health policies that foster resilient, age-friendly social-ecological systems.