China is experiencing environmental issues and related health effects due to its industrialization and urbanization. The health effects associated with air pollution are not just a matter of epidemiology and environmental science research, but also an important social science issue. Literature about the relationship of socioeconomic factors with the environment and health factors is inadequate. The relationship between air pollution exposure and health effects in China was investigated with consideration of the socioeconomic factors. Based on nationwide survey data of China in 2014, we applied the multilevel mixed-effects model to evaluate how socioeconomic status (represented by education and income) contributed to the relationship between self-rated air pollution and self-rated health status at community level and individual level. The findings indicated that there was a non-linear relationship between the community socioeconomic status and community air pollution in urban China, with the highest level of air pollution presented in the communities with moderate socioeconomic status. In addition, health effects associated air pollution in different socioeconomic status groups were not equal. Self-rated air pollution had the greatest impact on self-rated health of the lower socioeconomic groups. With the increase of socioeconomic status, the effect of self-rated air pollution on self-rated health decreased. This study verified the different levels of exposure to air pollution and inequality in health effects among different socioeconomic groups in China. It is imperative for the government to urgently formulate public policies to enhance the ability of the lower socioeconomic groups to circumvent air pollution and reduce the health damage caused by air pollution.

The present study aimed to test the moderating effect of gender on the relationship between social capital and life satisfaction among older adults in urban China. A quota sampling method was used to select 456 older adults aged 60 and older from 16 local communities in Suzhou city in 2015. Hierarchical multiple regression was employed to test the proposed models. The associations between family social capital and life satisfaction were higher among older men than women. Trust and helping others were stronger predictors of older women’s life satisfaction than their male counterparts. Citizenship activities affected life satisfaction among older men only. The findings highlight the important role of social capital in sustaining and/or improving life satisfaction among both older women and men. Policy and intervention implications are discussed.

Using a multistate model, this article examines gender gap and its trend in health transition, life expectancy (LE), and active life expectancy (ALE) in different age groups and birth cohorts. The transition rate from life independence/disability to death for elderly women is lower than for elderly men. However, their disability rate is higher. The gender gap in LE, ALE, and DLE (disabled life expectancy) declines as age increases. In successive birth cohorts, men’s LE increases more, and gender gaps in LE and ALE decrease over time. In the future, gender issues should be considered for health-care policy to provide nursing care for elderly women in China.

Social work professional training in China is newly developed in the past decade. How to design and deliver specific training to meet the specific needs of social service professionals has been a crucial issue to social work educators in China. In 2004, China Women's University, in collaboration with the Faculty of Social Work, University of Manitoba, started the project ‘Building human capacity: Social work with rural women in China’ funded by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA). One of the main goals of project is to build social work professional capacity of the staff in the All-China Women's Federation (Women's Federation), so that they can provide service of better quality to women. In this paper, based on the data collected in the project sites, the authors will concentrate on what kind of training the Women's Federation staff received, and how they integrated that knowledge into their daily work. The authors will also suggest some implications for social work professional training for non-professionals in the future.

Aim: To explore the role of repaying kindness ( bào'ēn ), a culturally embedded coping mechanism, in the recovery of breast cancer survivors in China and its implications for culturally sensitive nursing care. Design: A qualitative study employing thematic analysis to examine survivors' experiences and coping strategies. Methods: In‐depth interviews were conducted with Chinese breast cancer survivors to investigate how acts of reciprocity influenced their identity, relationships, and emotional well‐being. Thematic analysis was applied to identify key patterns in their recovery journey. Results: Repaying kindness enabled survivors to restore disrupted familial roles, uphold cultural values such as filial piety , and regain a sense of control post‐diagnosis. This fostered a renewed sense of purpose , strengthened family bonds , reduced stigma , and promoted psychological resilience , facilitating identity reconstruction and enhanced social connectedness. These findings highlight the importance of reciprocity and relational harmony as transformative coping strategies in cancer survivorship. A culturally informed understanding of recovery suggests that integrating reciprocal caregiving and family dynamics into survivorship care can empower patients, enhance resilience, and promote culturally competent nursing practices in collectivist societies. Patient or Public Contribution: Breast cancer survivors contributed to this study by sharing their lived experiences, providing insights into the role of repaying kindness in their recovery. Their narratives helped shape the analysis and ensured the findings reflect the realities of coping and resilience in the Chinese cultural context.

Background Physical activity plays an integral role in promoting health and well-being. Despite its importance, comprehensive studies exploring the influences of socio-demographic factors on physical activity in the Chinese context are relatively scarce. This study aims to investigate the relationship between physical activity and socio-demographic factors such as gender, age, and socioeconomic status, using data from the 2018 China Family Panel Studies (CFPS). Methods Data was derived from the 2018 CFPS, resulting in a final sample size of 21,854 adults, with physical activity as the dependent variable. The International Socio-Economic Index of Occupational Status (ISEI) was used to gauge socioeconomic status. Other incorporated variables included gender, age, community type, marital status, physical health, and mental health. The study employed a logistic regression model considering the dichotomous nature of the dependent variable. Results Significant correlations were found between physical activity and gender, age, and socioeconomic status. Men were found to be more likely to engage in physical activity than women, and the likelihood of physical activity increased with age and socioeconomic status. Further, the influence of socioeconomic status on physical activity was found to vary significantly across different genders and age groups, with complex intersections noted among these factors. Conclusion The study underscores the need for public health interventions that are mindful of the complex interplay between gender, age, and socioeconomic status in influencing physical activity. Efforts to promote physical activity should focus on bridging the disparities arising from these socio-demographic factors, especially targeting women and individuals from lower socioeconomic classes. Future research should delve into the mechanisms through which these factors intersect and explore other potential influential elements to enhance our understanding of physical activity behavior.