Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40508866›Full record

ArticleHealthcare (Basel, Switzerland)2025

Urban-Rural Disparities in Life Satisfaction Among Older Koreans: Determinants and Healthcare Policy Implications.

Hyun-Chool Lee, Alexandre Repkine, Luwen Zhang

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland), 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

3 authors.

Hyun-Chool LeePolitical Science Department, Konkuk University, Seoul 05029, Republic of Korea.ORCID 0000-0002-3985-6266
Alexandre RepkineEconomics Department, Konkuk University, Seoul 05029, Republic of Korea.ORCID 0000-0002-7831-3846
Luwen ZhangInstitute of Economics, School of Social Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China.ORCID 0009-0001-6150-7003

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThis study examines how social and geographical factors shape life satisfaction among older adults in South Korea, which became a super-aged society in 2024. As Korea moves toward implementing a nationwide integrated eldercare system by 2026, understanding the contextual determinants of wellbeing among older populations is critical for effective policy design.

methodsWe use nationally representative survey data and apply a two-stage instrumental variable regression approach to address potential endogeneity in estimating the effects of key predictors on life satisfaction.

resultsSubjective health and social connectedness are positively associated with life satisfaction. Physical activity shows context-specific effects, with notable differences between urban and rural areas. Surprisingly, greater accessibility to government services is linked to lower levels of physical activity, indicating a possible unintended consequence of well-intentioned policy measures. Gender differences are also evident: in urban areas, women report higher life satisfaction than men, whereas in rural areas, men report higher satisfaction than women.

conclusionsThese findings highlight the need for aging policies that are context-sensitive and socially inclusive. Policymakers should consider regional and gender-specific dynamics when designing programs to improve life satisfaction among older adults in a rapidly aging society.

Indexed as

determinants of life satisfactionhealthy aginginstrumental variables estimationSouth Korea

Identifiers

PMID40508866
PMCPMC12155475

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