Using confirmatory principal component analysis to uncover the interplay between social and spatial factors among older adults: An exploratory study

Abstract

This study examines the complex interplay between social and spatial structures among older adults, emphasizing the interest in considering the social composition of activity spaces and the spatial characteristics of social networks. There is a growing interest in the collection and analysis of both social and daily mobility spatial information to better understand people-place interactions and determinants of health. Yet, few analyses have explored how the social and spatial dimensions of people's lives relate. In this exploratory study, we analyze how social and spatial indicators collected with the VERITAS-Social questionnaire among 98 older adults in Montréal, Canada, relate, using confirmatory principal component analysis. The aim of the article is to provide empirical evidence on the reduction of dimensions of measures related to social networks, activity spaces, and combined socio-spatial structures.