Objective:To analyze the impact of stressful life events on the social activity participation of middle-aged and elderly adults in China, providing a scientific basis for improving their quality of life.Methods:This study was conducted in January 2024.Data were derived from the China health and retirement longitudinal study (CHARLS) conducted from 2011 to 2020. SPSS 25.0 software was used for statistical analysis.Ordered Logistic regression analysis was employed to explore the association between stressful life events experienced over the past decade and the level of social activity participation, with stratified analysis by age, gender, and place of residence.Results:A total of 10 838 middle-aged and elderly adults were included in this study. The proportions of individuals with no social activity participation, low social activity participation, and high social activity participation were 52.07%(5 643/10 838), 24.21%(2 624/10 838), and 23.72%(2 571/10 838), respectively. After adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics and health-related behaviors, individuals who experienced stressful life events were 15.2% less likely to participate in social activities compared to those who did not ( RR=0.848, 95% CI=0.786-0.915).Stratified analysis revealed that the decrease in the likelihood of social activity participation following stressful life events was significantly greater in urban residents than that in rural residents ( Pinteraction=0.004). Conclusion:Experiencing stressful life events over the past decade may reduce the level of social activity participation among middle-aged and elderly adults. It is recommended to strengthen psychological counseling for this population and encourage active social engagement.

Objective:To analyze the impact of stressful life events on the social activity participation of middle-aged and elderly adults in China, providing a scientific basis for improving their quality of life.Methods:This study was conducted in January 2024.Data were derived from the China health and retirement longitudinal study (CHARLS) conducted from 2011 to 2020. SPSS 25.0 software was used for statistical analysis.Ordered Logistic regression analysis was employed to explore the association between stressful life events experienced over the past decade and the level of social activity participation, with stratified analysis by age, gender, and place of residence.Results:A total of 10 838 middle-aged and elderly adults were included in this study. The proportions of individuals with no social activity participation, low social activity participation, and high social activity participation were 52.07%(5 643/10 838), 24.21%(2 624/10 838), and 23.72%(2 571/10 838), respectively. After adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics and health-related behaviors, individuals who experienced stressful life events were 15.2% less likely to participate in social activities compared to those who did not ( RR=0.848, 95% CI=0.786-0.915).Stratified analysis revealed that the decrease in the likelihood of social activity participation following stressful life events was significantly greater in urban residents than that in rural residents ( Pinteraction=0.004). Conclusion:Experiencing stressful life events over the past decade may reduce the level of social activity participation among middle-aged and elderly adults. It is recommended to strengthen psychological counseling for this population and encourage active social engagement.