The Influence Of Urban Community Built Environment On The Health Of The Elderly And The Optimization Strategy

As the global aging population continues to increase,the trend of an aging society poses significant challenges to both the socio-economic and healthcare systems.Understanding the health status,characteristics,and needs of the elderly population and exploring how to improve their quality of life and ensure their health has become an important research topic in the global medical and social welfare fields.However,the urbanization process and the development of urban environments have seriously affected the physical health and quality of life of the elderly.The changes in lifestyle brought about by urbanization,such as less outdoor activities and more sedentary indoor behavior,have further impacted the physical health of the elderly.To deepen the understanding of the relationship between built environments and health,promote healthy city construction,and improve the health level of the elderly,this article uses Yuhui District of Bengbu City as a case study to explore the impact of community built environments on the health of the elderly,as well as the mediating effect of health behaviors,and proposes corresponding optimization strategies.Based on individual questionnaire surveys and field research data conducted in Yuhui District of Bengbu City in 2022,this study first uses multiple regression models to explore the impact of community built environment elements(land use patterns,transportation systems,and destination accessibility)on the self-assessed health of the elderly.On this basis,a structural equation model with multiple mediator variables is constructed to analyze the path of community built environment elements influencing the health behaviors of the elderly(outdoor activities,eating fruits and vegetables,and good neighborhood relations).The results show that community built environments significantly affect the health of the elderly,and health behaviors are an important pathway.The specific conclusions are as follows:First,community built environments have a significant impact on the health of the elderly,even after controlling for variables such as unhealthy habits.This study uses a multiple regression model to investigate the impact of community built environments on the health of the elderly and found that in the context of severe aging in China,there is a significant association between community built environments and the health of the elderly.After comparing the multiple regression models with and without controlling for unhealthy habits such as smoking and drinking,it was found that the impact of community built environments on the health of the elderly is not significantly affected by these unhealthy habits.Specifically,lower building density,residential density,better greenery conditions,and lower land use mix can help improve the health level of the elderly.In addition,higher road network density and intersections,as well as accessible destinations such as clinics,hospitals,supermarkets,convenience stores,parks,and squares,can also promote the improvement of the physical and mental health of the elderly.Second,health behaviors are an important pathway for community built environments to influence health.This study uses a structural equation model with multiple mediators to investigate the impact path of the various elements of community built environments on the health of the elderly in the context of aging in China and found that outdoor activities,eating fruits and vegetables,and good neighborhood relations are important mediator variables for community built environments to influence the health of the elderly.Specifically,in terms of land use,better greenery can promote the health of the elderly by increasing outdoor activity time and improving neighborhood relations.In terms of transportation systems,higher road network density can increase outdoor activities and promote good neighborhood relations,while better destination accessibility can promote healthy eating behaviors of the elderly.Furthermore,good neighborhood relations can also promote healthy eating behaviors and increase outdoor activities,which in turn can promote the health of the elderly.The results of this study contribute to the theoretical framework of environmental gerontology and emphasize the role of community-built environmental factors in promoting the health of older adults.Creating a more livable living environment for older adults has important guiding significance.Furthermore,the conclusions of this paper are applied to the practice of Yuhui District in Bengbu City,providing constructive guidance for the living environment and community construction of older adults in this area,which has certain local and targeted features.At the same time,the research results can also provide reference and inspiration for other cities with similar regional and urban characteristics,and provide a reference for the country’s aging policy.Figure [28] table[9] reference[57]...