To systematically examine the associations between different leisure activity patterns and health vulnerability among older adults in China, and to explore the moderating effects of socioeconomic factors, with the aim of informing targeted interventions for healthy aging. Data were derived from the 2018 China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS). Leisure activity patterns were identified using hierarchical cluster analysis. The associations between leisure patterns and health vulnerability were analyzed using an ordered probit model, with subgroup analyses conducted to assess heterogeneity by residence, education, and income. Three leisure patterns were identified: entertainment-oriented (50.23%), social-oriented (41.15%), and self-improvement-oriented (8.62%). Taking the social-oriented leisure pattern as the reference, both entertainment-oriented (β=-0.109, P 0.05). Participation in recreational and self-enhancing leisure activities is associated with reduced health vulnerability among Chinese older adults. However, these benefits are moderated by urban–rural context, education, and income. Differentiated intervention strategies should be formulated for older groups with different socioeconomic characteristics.
Yin et al. (Sat,) studied this question.