Effect of Two-way Social Support and Social Network on the General Well-being of Chinese Older Adults: A Latent Profile Analysis

Objective: Few studies have understood the heterogeneity of general well-being (GWB) in older adults. The study aims to investigate the subgroups of GWB in older adults using latent profile analysis (LPA) and explore its influencing factors. Methods: A total of 411 older adults were recruited through convenient sampling in Zhejiang Province, southeast China. Every older adult completed a socio-demographic characteristics questionnaire, a general well-being Schedule, a brief 2-way social support Scale, and the Lubben social network scale.LPA was used to categorize the participants into distinct subgroups based on their GWB levels. Chi-square tests and t-tests were used for univariate analysis, and binary logistic regression was used to analyze influencing factors. Results: LPA identified two distinct profiles: a low general well-being group (n=142, 34.4%) and a high general well-being group (n=269, 65.6%). Binary logistic regression revealed that living arrangements, physical activity, number of chronic diseases, providing instrumental support, and friends networks significantly impact GWB among older adults. Conclusion: The findings suggest heterogeneity in GWB levels among older adults. A thorough understanding of GWB characteristics and the implementation of targeted interventions would greatly benefit this population.