The dark side of social capital: Geographic differences in COVID‐19 preventive behaviors among older adults in South Korea

Aim The present study examined whether geographic location (i.e., rural vs. urban areas) moderated the relationship between social capital and COVID‐19 preventive behaviors among older adults in South Korea. Methods Participants were a nationally representative sample of 61 075 Korean adults aged 65 years or older from the 2021 Community Health Survey by the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency. The moderation analysis was conducted with PROCESS. Results After adjusting for covariates, the moderation analysis showed a significant moderation effect of geographic location on the relationship between social capital and COVID‐19 preventive behaviors among older adults in South Korea. Specifically, in urban areas, older adults with higher social capital were more likely to adhere to COVID‐19 preventive behaviors. However, social capital negatively impacted older adults' COVID‐19 preventive behaviors in rural areas. Conclusions Findings suggest that social capital is not always helpful for maintaining COVID‐19 preventive behaviors among older adults in South Korea. The social characteristics of geographic location need to be considered when initiating COVID‐19 prevention campaigns in South Korea. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2024; 24: 377–384. This study investigated geographic differences in the relationship between social capital and COVID‐19 preventive behaviors among Korean older adults. In urban areas, older adults with higher social capital were more likely to adhere to COVID‐19 preventive behaviors. However, in rural areas, social capital exhibited a negative association with COVID‐19 preventive behaviors among older adults.