title: Social embeddedness as a mechanism for linking social cohesion to well-being among older adults: moderating effect of gender.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The positive effect of social cohesion on well-being in older adults has been well documented. However, relatively few studies have attempted to understand the mechanisms by which social cohesion influences well-being. The main aim of the current study is to identify social pathways in which social cohesion may contribute to well-being.
  
  
  METHODS
  The data for this study (taken from 1,880 older adults, aged 60 years and older) were drawn from a national survey conducted during 2008-2009. The survey employed a two-stage stratified sampling process for data collection. Structural equation modeling was used to test mediating and moderating analyses.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The proposed model documented a good fit to the data (GFI =98; CFI =0.99; RMSEA =0.04). The findings from bootstrap analysis and the Sobel test revealed that the impact of social cohesion on well-being is significantly mediated by social embeddedness (Z=5.62; P<0.001). Finally, the results of a multigroup analysis test showed that social cohesion influences well-being through the social embeddedness mechanism somewhat differently for older men than women.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The findings of this study, in addition to supporting the importance of neighborhood social cohesion for the well-being of older adults, also provide evidence that the impact of social cohesion towards well-being is mediated through the mechanism of social embeddedness.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Gerontology, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Yadollah Abolfathi
authors.initials: YA
authors.lastname: Momtaz
authors.affiliation: Institute of Gerontology, Department of Resource Management and Consumer Studies, Faculty of Human Ecology, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Sharifah Azizah
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Haron
authors.affiliation: Institute of Gerontology, Department of Human Development and Family Studies, Faculty of Human Ecology, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Rahimah
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ibrahim
authors.affiliation: Institute of Gerontology, Department of Human Development and Family Studies, Faculty of Human Ecology, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Tengku Aizan
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Hamid
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000368:Aged; D003625:Data Collection; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008296:Malaysia / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012737:Sex Factors; D012944:Social Support; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: aged; social cohesion; social embeddedness; well-being