Tourism Experiences and Self-Rated Health Among Older Adults in China.
To investigate factors associated with tourism experiences, and the association between tourism experiences and subsequent self-rated health.



Multilevel logistic regression models and four waves of panel data from a large nationally representative survey of older adults in China were employed.



Those who had a tourism experience tended to be younger, men, urban residents, have a higher socioeconomic status (SES), and frequently participate in leisure activities and exercise. However, controlling for SES, women were more likely than men to have a tourism experience. Notably, tourism was negatively associated with poor self-rated health and the association was robust to adjustments for a wide range of confounders.



The net beneficial impact of tourism on self-rated health may operate through several mechanisms such as improvements in tourists' cognitive functioning, healthy lifestyles, self-esteen, family and social relations, and psychological and spirtual well-being. Tourism participation is an effective way to promote healthy aging.
United Nations Population Division, New York, NY, USA gudanan@yahoo.com.
Danan
D
Gu
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, USA.
Haiyan
H
Zhu
Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA.
Tyson
T
Brown
Division of Geriatrics, Department of Medicine, Duke University Medicial Center, Durham, NC, USA Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Service, Durham Veteran Affairs Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA.
Helen
H
Hoenig
Center for the Study of Aging and Human Development and Geriatrics Division, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA National School of Development, Peking University, Beijing, China.
Yi
Y
Zeng
D000368:Aged; D002681:China; D059026:Diagnostic Self Evaluation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007899:Leisure Activities / Q000523:psychology*; D016015:Logistic Models; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D055361:Multilevel Analysis; D014195:Travel / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
China; older adults; self-rated health; tourism; tourism experience