| Author: | Gao, Haiyi |
| Title: | Do the usage of public open spaces affect social interaction among the elderly? A case study in Hong Kong |
| Advisors: | Tan, Tanya (BRE) |
| Degree: | M.Sc. |
| Year: | 2022 |
| Subject: | Older people -- Social conditions Open spaces -- China -- Hong Kong Older people -- Care Hong Kong Polytechnic University -- Dissertations |
| Department: | Department of Building and Real Estate |
| Pages: | iv, 37 pages : color illustrations |
| Language: | English |
| Abstract: | Social isolation has affected a considerable proportion of the world's elderly population, severely impacting their physical and mental health and well-being, even shortening their lives. Supportive social networks with relatives and friends are essential for enhancing the living quality and ensuring happiness in later life. Thus, it is vital to improve efforts to identify older adults who are potentially most at risk of social isolation and find ways to address these issues more effectively. Public open spaces (POS) have been proved can improve the quality of life of the elderly by creating conditions for social interaction. Due to some health issues, older adults have different expectations for POS users than other age groups. This study conducted questionnaire interviews with a sample size of 170 participants in two districts of Hong Kong. We used a binary logistic regression analysis to identify the socio-demographic characteristics of the elderly respondents in relation to social isolation. The results indicate that the increase of age and living alone was associated with the risk of having marginal social relations. The Spearman correlation tests showed that the duration of POS visit positively affected the social interaction of most elderly respondents except those aged 70-79, single or divorced/separated. Furthermore, this study provided information about the elderly's usage and preference for POS. In order to promote the active participation of the elderly in society and reduce the adverse impact of social isolation on them, their preferences and needs need to be considered when planning and designing POS. |
| Rights: | All rights reserved |
| Access: | restricted access |
Files in This Item:
| File | Description | Size | Format | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6442.pdf | For All Users (off-campus access for PolyU Staff & Students only) | 830.74 kB | Adobe PDF | View/Open |
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