This study examined the causal relationship between participation in the New Rural Cooperative Medical Scheme (NRCMS) and health status among relatively poor population in rural China. Data were obtained from the China Family Panel Studies (CFPS) conducted in 2018, which contained 4,507 samples. This study used propensity score matching (PSM) to examine the net effect of participation in the NRCMS on the health of the relatively poor population, and this effect was tested for equilibrium using nearest neighbor matching, radius matching, and kernel matching. This study showed that participation in the NRCMS has a significant and positive effect on the health status of the relatively poor population and the positive health effect may come from three channels, including the increased frequency of physical activity, the fact that an individual is more likely to seek medical care at a lower level of visit, and a plan to reduce health care expenditures.

Drawing on the social exchange theory, this study adopted a cross-level framework to investigate the influence of consumer group communication on consumer product image perception and brand memory. In addition, this paper examined the moderating role of consumer group involvement in the cross-level relationship between consumer group communication and consumer product image perception. Based on a sample of 116 groups and 530 consumers, results revealed that consumer group communication has a significant positive influence on brand memory formation across levels. Consumer product image perception plays a cross-layer mediated role between consumer group communication and brand memory. Group involvement plays a cross-level negative moderating role between consumer group communication and consumer product image perception, and moderates the mediating role of consumer product image perception between consumer group communication and consumer brand memory across different levels. Finally this paper discussed implications for research and practice.

Religion can influence the realization of happiness in older adults. However, the relationship between religious belief and happiness of older adults and its mechanisms are not very clear. Using 5177 individuals aged ≥ 60 years in China for empirical analysis, the results show that there is a significant positive relationship between religious belief and older adults’ happiness. The frequency of religious participation has a significantly moderating effect on the relationship between institutional religious affiliation and happiness; participation has an effect on happiness for those involved in institutional religion, but not an affect for those with diffused beliefs, which reflects the participation effect. Social support plays a mediating role between religious belief and older adults’ happiness. People with religious beliefs are more likely to form social relationships and gain social support from religious members and groups to improve their happiness, which reflects the support effect. In addition, the influence of religious belief on happiness with low socioeconomic status is more significant, and the influence in rural areas is also more significant, showing the heterogeneity of individual socioeconomic status and registered residence. The freedom of older adult-religious believers to participate in the legal activities of religious organizations should be fully guaranteed. The religious faith of older adults in the process of active aging should be given attention.

Although the influential factors of social trust have aroused heated discussion, the research on the influence of religious belief, especially Chinese folk belief, on social trust and the mechanism between the two is relatively insufficient. This study aims to explore the influence of folk beliefs on Chinese residents’ social trust and the mediating role of social support and the sense of identity. The empirical analysis of 23,823 Chinese residents shows that there is a significant positive correlation between folk belief and social trust. Social support and a sense of identity play a mediating role between folk beliefs and residents’ social trust. People with folk beliefs can significantly promote their social trust by improving their degree of social support and their sense of identity. In addition, the influence of folk belief on the social trust of residents in eastern, northern China and rural areas is more significant, showing regional and registered residence heterogeneity. Therefore, we should correctly interpret and popularize the core spirit and social and cultural significance of folk belief to form a bond of social trust. At the same time, folk beliefs can be returned to the people, which will help people find a sense of belonging and sense of identity and enhance their social trust.