Family harmony links well-being and health behaviors in middle-aged women in Northern China
In a 2022 cross-sectional survey of 529 middle-aged women in Northern China, family harmony partly mediated the association between subjective well-being and health-promoting behaviors; the pattern differed by ethnicity and by behavior domain. [1]
Automatic summary · not editorially reviewed
The key findings
A cross-sectional survey from June to October 2022 included 529 middle-aged women in eight communities in Yantai and Yanji, Northern China. [1]
Family harmony partially mediated the association between subjective well-being and health-promoting behaviors (indirect effect 0.047, 95% CI 0.014–0.081). [1]
The indirect effect was significant for five behavior domains but not for interpersonal relationships, and the pattern differed between Han and Chinese Korean participants. [1]
The source at a glance
- Study type / format
- Cross-sectional survey with mediation analysis
- Population / context
- 529 middle-aged women aged 45–59 in Northern China: 415 Han and 114 Chinese Korean.
- Summary based on
- Study abstract
- Original publication
- August 20, 2026
Survey of 529 women in Yantai and Yanji
The study asked whether family harmony mediates the link between subjective well-being and health-promoting behaviors among middle-aged women (aged 45–59) in Northern China. From June to October 2022, 529 women in eight communities in Yantai and Yanji completed validated measures: 415 Han women (78.45%) and 114 Chinese Korean women (21.55%). The authors note that this age group may face perimenopausal changes and work-family demands.
Supporting source [1]
Partial mediation, with ethnic and domain differences
Family harmony partially mediated the well-being–behavior association (indirect effect 0.047, 95% confidence interval 0.014 to 0.081). The indirect effect was significant for health responsibility, physical activity, nutrition, stress management and spiritual growth, but not for interpersonal relationships. Among Han participants the association was primarily direct; among Chinese Korean participants an indirect-only pattern through family harmony appeared.
Supporting source [1]
Cross-sectional design limits causal reading
The authors conclude that family relational contexts, alongside individual psychological resources, deserve attention in efforts to support healthy lifestyles, and suggest community programs could combine individual-level support with family-engaged components tailored to sociocultural context. Because the survey was cross-sectional, it cannot show that well-being or family harmony causes health behaviors; the abstract reports no follow-up. Only the abstract was reviewed, not the full text.
Supporting source [1]
How to interpret this
Abstract only; the full text was not reviewed. The design is cross-sectional, so associations cannot establish causation or temporal order, and no follow-up is reported. Findings come from eight communities in two Northern Chinese cities and may not generalize.
Based on the study abstract; the full paper, tables and supplementary data were not reviewed.
Source & supporting passages
Liu H, Wang J, Zhang H, Huang Y. · europepmc.org · August 20, 2026