ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Front. Public Health
Sec. Aging and Public Health
Volume 13 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2025.1693935
A Mixed-Methods Investigation for Effects of Built Environments on Older People's Social Interaction in Care Homes
Provisionally accepted
- Department of Measurement and Control Technology and Instrument, School of Electrical Engineering and Control Science, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing, China
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This study examines relationships between the built environment (BE) and social interaction (SI) among older adults in care homes. A mixed-methods design combined questionnaires (n=119), environmental measurements, and behavioral observations across three care homes. An integrated BE-SI model, developed using multivariate statistical analyses, identified key environmental determinants of SI. Results indicate that recreational spaces, lighting, functional facilities, and accessibility significantly influenced interpersonal interactions, activity engagement, resident-caregiver relations, and conflict. Objective environmental measures corroborated survey and observational findings: care homes with larger recreational areas and improved functional accessibility showed higher frequencies of resident social engagement. These findings highlight the critical role of environmental design in promoting social participation among older residents. The study offers evidence-based recommendations for designers, facility managers, and policymakers to create age-friendly care-home environments that foster social interaction and enhance residents' well-being. The BE-SI model provides a practical framework for future research, facility evaluation, and policy implementation.
Keywords: built environment, older people, social interaction, Care homes, Mixed-Methods Investigation
Received: 27 Aug 2025; Accepted: 14 Oct 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Wang, Pan, LI and QIANG. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Yujian Pan, 2998527194@aliyun.com
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