Associations between social isolation, perceived ageism and subjective well-being among rural Chinese older adults: A cross-sectional study

•74.4 % of rural older people perceived ageism.•Significant association between social isolation, perceived ageism, and subjective well-being.•Perceived ageism mediates the relationship between social isolation and subjective well-being. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between social isolation, perceived ageism and subjective well-being among rural Chinese older adults and its mechanisms of action. A total of 403 rural resident older adults were surveyed from March to April 2024. Data were collected using the General Information Questionnaire, the General Alienation Scale (GAS), the Perceived Ageism Questionnaire (PAQ), and the Memorial University of Newfoundland Scale of Happiness (MUNSH). SPSS 27.0 and PROCESS macro were used to analyze the data. Pearson correlation analysis revealed a significant negative correlation (p