To systematically explore the current status and key influencing factors for elderly rural residents choosing institutional care, this study used Qinyang City, Henan Province as a typical region and employed stratified random sampling to survey local rural elderly aged 60 and above. A total of 1800 questionnaires were distributed, with 1734 valid responses collected. Based on the life course theory, research hypotheses were constructed from four dimensions: personal status, family status, cognition and beliefs, and characteristics of care institutions, and empirically analyzed using stepwise Logistic regression models. The results show that only 32.8% of elderly individuals are willing to choose institutional care. Factors such as personal characteristics, family structure, elderly care concepts, and service levels of institutions significantly impact their willingness. Among them, elderly women, those with higher education, poorer health, no spouse, fewer children, stable income, and greater understanding of institutional care have a stronger willingness. Based on these findings, it is suggested to enhance acceptance of institutional care among rural elderly through strengthening promotional guidance, improving services, and optimizing facilities, thereby promoting sustainable and healthy development of the rural elderly care service system.

Lu Peng, Zhao Wenhui. A Study on the Status and Influencing Factors of Rural Elderly Choosing Institutional Care-A Case Study of Qinyang City. Academic Journal of Humanities & Social Sciences (2026), Vol. 9, Issue 4: 1-11. https://doi.org/10.25236/AJHSS.2026.090401.

[1] Peng, X. Z. (2023). Population age structure under the background of aging. Journal of Shanghai Jiao Tong University (Philosophy and Social Sciences Edition), 31(2), 14–24. 

[2] Liu, Z. Y. (2023). National strategy for actively responding to population aging: Concept renewal, task orientation, and realization path. Study Forum, (1), 81–88. 

[3] Chen, W. (2022). Prediction of China’s population negative growth and aging trend. Social Science Journal, No. 262(5), 133–144. 

[4] Liu, H. L., & Zhang, G. (2021). Research on the basic conditions of rural population under the goal of rural revitalization strategy. Population and Development, 27(5), 130–139. 

[5] Wang, Y., & Cheng, L. W. (2023). Changes in urban-rural relations and the social construction of rural elderly care. Journal of China Agricultural University (Social Sciences Edition), 1–11.

[6] Yang, H. M. (2022). New trends of population aging and new characteristics of the elderly population in China. Population Research, 46(5), 104–116. 

[7] Chen, W. T. (2021). “Harmony in diversity”: A comparative study on the concepts of family care, home-based care, community care and institutional care. Guangxi Social Sciences, No. 315(9), 144–150. 

[8] Wang, W., & Liu, Y. L. (2020). Integration and multi-dimensional construction of rural elderly care service system. Journal of South China Agricultural University (Social Science Edition), 19(1), 103–116. 

[9] Feng, M. N., Zhou, L. Z., et al. (2015). Analysis on the present situation and influencing factors of the family function of the elderly in urban and rural areas in Hebei province. Public Health, 31, 137–140.

[10] Yu, Z. H., & Yuan, Y. (2021). Exploration of rural elderly care models under the background of aging. Agricultural Economy, No. 416(12), 76–77. 

[11] Wang, Y. J., & Zhao, T. T. (2023). Research on the mechanism of the influence of elderly care capital on the elderly’s willingness to use institutional care. Northwest Population Journal, 44(1), 116–126. 

[12] Li, X., Li, C., & Huang, Y. (2022). Spatial-temporal analysis of urban-rural differences in the development of elderly care institutions in China. Frontiers in Public Health. 

[13] Xing, Y. N., Pei, R. J., et al. (2018). Urban-rural differences in factors associated with willingness to receive eldercare among the elderly: A cross-sectional survey in China. BMC Open, 8(5), e020225.

[14] Jang, Y., Kim, G., Chiriboga, D. A., et al. (2008). Willingness to Use a Nursing Home: A Study of Korean American Elders. Journal of Applied Gerontology, 27, 110–117. 

[15] Chung, M. H., Hsu, N., Wang, Y. C., et al. (2008). Factors affecting the long-term care preferences of the elderly in Chinese Taiwan. Geriatric Nursing, 29, 293–301.

[16] Ning, Y., Wang, G. X., Yin, Z. X., et al. (2022). Analysis of institutional care willingness and its predisposing, enabling, and need influencing factors among empty-nest elderly in China. Chinese Journal of Public Health, 38(10), 1237–1240.

[17] Lü, X. F., Yu, C. Y., & You, X. B. (2018). Analysis of rural elderly’s willingness to use institutional care and its influencing factors—Based on survey data of 1218 rural elderly in 36 counties of 12 provinces in China. China Rural Survey, No. 142(4), 102–116. 

[18] Wang, Y., An, W. Z., Yang, J. Q., et al. (2020). Analysis of institutional care willingness and influencing factors of urban elderly in Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region. Modern Preventive Medicine, 47(9), 1625–1628. 

[19] Yan, Z. Q. (2018). Urban elderly’s willingness to use institutional care and its influencing factors—Based on the analysis of 2017 Guangzhou elderly survey data. South China Population, 33(6), 58–65+57. 

[20] Liu, T. C. (2001). Socialization: The inevitable trend of the development of elderly care undertakings—A survey of the demand of the elderly in Qingdao for admission to social elderly care institutions. Population and Economy, (2), 77–80. 

[21] Nyman, J. A. (1989). Analysis of nursing home use and bed supply: Wisconsin, 1983. Health Services Research, 24, 511. 

[22] Chen, X. (2014). Analysis of urban elderly’s rejection of institutional care model: A study based on the constructivist perspective of aging. Hubei Social Sciences, (7), 55–60. 

[23] Chou, R. J. (2010). Willingness to live in eldercare institutions among older adults in urban and rural China: A nationwide study. Ageing & Society, 30, 583–608. 

[24] Qian, Y., Chu, J., Ge, D., et al. (2017). Gender difference in utilization willingness of institutional care among the single seniors: Evidence from rural Shandong, China. International Journal for Equity in Health, 16, 77. 

[25] Sun, M. (2017). A Survey and Analysis on the Endowment Intention of the Elderly in the Three Provinces of Northeast China [Master’s Thesis, Jilin University].

[26] Zeng, D. Y. (2016). Life course theory and migration research from its perspective: Review and prospect. Social Development Research, 3(2), 192–209+245–246.

[27] Yao, Y. (2016). The replacement of the elderly group: A problem that must be considered in actively responding to population aging. Journal of Southwest Minzu University (Humanities and Social Sciences Edition), 37(11), 1–8. 

[28] Yao, Y., & Chen, X. (2013). Research on the construction of theoretical framework for group analysis perspective of aging issues. Population Research, 37(2), 73–82.