The mediating role of health status in the relationship between indoor air pollution and life satisfaction among older adults in India
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Background This research examines the link between indoor air pollution and overall contentment in life, considering health status as an intervening variable. Methods It utilizes a mediation analysis approach, drawing on data from 1 st wave of the Longitudinal Ageing Study in India (LASI) carried out in 2017-18, involving a cohort of 29,517 individuals aged 60 and older. The analysis proceeds through three models: first, examining the direct association of indoor air pollution with life satisfaction; second, assessing the impact of pollution on health; and third, integrating both to evaluate the mediation effect. Results Findings indicate a significant negative direct association of pollution with life satisfaction, with an association strength of -0.55(95%CI:-0.75 to -0.35, p < 0.001), and on health, with an association strength of -0.05(95%CI:-0.07 to -0.05, p < 0.001). Additionally, the mediation analysis, supported by the Sobel-Goodman Mediation Test (Z = -4.298, p < 0.001), reveals that health mediates 12.9% of the total impact of indoor pollution on life satisfaction. Conclusions These results underscore the critical role of health as a mediator in this relationship. Interventions aimed at reducing indoor air pollution could significantly enhance the well-being of older adults by improving their health.