Heterogeneous social capital patterns and mental health in older adults relocated for poverty alleviation: a cross-sectional study

Objectives The aim of this study was to identify distinct profiles of social capital across of levels of family, kinship and friend, and community among poverty-alleviation relocated (PAR) older adults and to explore their associations with mental health status (depressive symptom and life satisfaction). Methods A total of 1,8,155,115 older adults were included in the final analysis, drawn from an initial sample of 1,882 selected participants were surveyed by using a multi-stage stratified sampling method in Shanxi Province, China, under in a cross-sectional study design. Latent profile analysis (LPA) was conducted using six social capital-related variables. Linear regression models were applied to examine the independent associations between social capital profiles, depressive symptoms, and life satisfaction after adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics, chronic disease status and health-related behaviors. Results The LPA identified the model with three social capital profiles as being most optimal. The profiles were named highly integrated (29%), moderately adapted (58%), and generally weak (13%). Compared to the moderately adapted group, the highly integrated group reported significantly lower depressive symptom scores and higher life satisfaction scores, whereas the generally weak group exhibited showed the poorest mental health outcomes. Significant intergroup differences in education, chronic disease, physical activity and drinking behavior were observed. Conclusion Distinct latent social capital profiles exist among relocated older adults. Social capital stratification is closely linked to depressive symptoms and life satisfaction, reflecting forming evident mental health inequalities differential vulnerability. Targeted interventions tailored to heterogeneous social capital groups may be are urgently needed to strengthen support social capital reconstruction, improve mental health, and promote community adaptation among relocated older adults.