Date of Award

5-30-2026

Thesis Type

PhD

Document Type

Thesis

Divisions

Faculty of Built Environment

Department

Department of Urban & Regional Planning

Institution

Universiti Malaya

Abstract

Rapid urbanisation and the growing trend of rural-to-urban migration, combined with an ageing population, have created a more complex ageing landscape in China. The sharp rise in older migrants presents significant challenges to social integration in urban areas, particularly in major migration hubs like Guangzhou. Research on older migrants has typically been addressed within the broader contexts of ageing and migration studies, but it remains underexplored as a distinct and focused area of study. Living environment and quality of life are key concepts for active aging. There is evidence that life satisfaction is an important measure of quality of life and that the living environment has a beneficial impact on life satisfaction. In China, however, the development of age-friendly living environments began relatively late. Appropriate evaluation requirements have only been implemented since 2021, and the current evaluation system lacks empirical validation based on the older population. For this reason, this research aims to identify the contributing factors of the living environment that influence the life satisfaction of rural-urban older migrants, and to explore the impact pathways through environmental adaptation in the Chinese context, using Guangzhou as a case study. This study began with a comprehensive literature review, from which relevant factors and measurement indicators were retrieved, leading to the development of a conceptual framework on life satisfaction among rural-urban older migrants. The framework comprises eight dimensions of the living environment in relation to environmental adaptability and life satisfaction, while controlling for key sociodemographic factors. An explanatory sequential mixed-method design was adopted for data collection and analysis. In the quantitative phase, 385 survey responses were collected and analysed using factor analysis, ANOVA, general linear model (GLM) univariate analysis, and mediation analysis. In the subsequent qualitative phase, semi-structured interviews were analysed through content analysis and triangulation, which also served to verify the findings from the quantitative phase. The main findings of this study are presented in four sections. First, it examines the relationship between sociodemographic characteristics, environmental adaptability, and life satisfaction among older migrants. Results show that income, length of residence, marital status, and religious beliefs subtly influence life satisfaction, while education and income levels significantly impact environmental adaptability. Second, five key environmental factors are found to have significant and positive association with life satisfaction: Environmental Performance, Housing Environment, Services and Facilities, Road and Traffic, Social Engagement and Social Inclusion. Third, environmental adaptation acts as a mediator, enhancing the link between neighbourhood environment (specifically, social inclusion and social engagement) and life satisfaction. Finally, the study proposes an environmental adaptation framework that outlines the pathways through which the living environment affects the life satisfaction of older migrants in Guangzhou. This research contributes to the theoretical validation of environmental adaptation, enriches migration studies, and provides empirical evidence to support the development of an age-friendly community evaluation system. It also offers practical recommendations for the renewal of urban communities and for inclusive, all-age-friendly urban planning practices.

Initial

khm

Additional Information

Thesis (PhD) – Faculty of Built Environment, Universiti Malaya, 2026.

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