The role of assistive products in the relationship between activities of daily living and social participation among rural older adults in China: A cross-sectional study

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of different types of assistive products (APs) on the association between activities of daily living (ADL) and social participation among rural older adults in China. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 301 rural older adults in China using a questionnaire. Parallel mediation and moderation analyses were employed to explore how different APs influence older adults' social participation. RESULTS: This study found that all surveyed types of APs were negatively associated with ADL. However, only mobility APs mediated the relationship between ADL and social participation, and demonstrated a suppression effect (β = -0.028, P<0.01). Furthermore, mobility APs exhibited a positive moderating effect on the relationship between ADL and social participation (β=0.021, P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: This study reveals a complex mechanism through which APs influence the relationship between ADL and social participation. Future targeted nursing interventions prioritizing mobility APs may effectively reduce social participation disparities in rural aging populations.