This paper explores the spatial differences in population aging within the Seoul Metropolitan Area (SMA) in the Republic of Korea (hereafter Korea). Korea is among the most rapidly growing countries in the world in terms of its increasing elderly population. The speed of population aging and demographic decline has been a central issue in the field of urban and regional planning because it is linked to spatial inequalities in socio-economic development. Considering the present importance of understanding population aging, this paper aims to empirically visualize spatial disparities using the old-age dependency ratio, which is measured by the ratio of the elderly population to the working-age population (age 15–64 years old) of one hundred people. For the empirical period examined between 2000 and 2018, I mapped the changing temporal and spatial patterns of the old-age dependency ratio within SMA using spatial analytic tools and cartograms. The visualization reveals that the old-age dependency ratio is relatively high in sparsely-populated rural areas, which underscores the need for further discussion on how to sustainably provide local public services and manage the pressing issue of population extinction in those areas.
This study aims to provide an in-depth understanding of what motivates older adults to take their adaptive behaviors during extreme heat events. Elaborating the mediating role of emotion in human behaviors, we empirically explore an interrelationship between individuals’ cognition, emotion, and heat-protective action in response to heat warning system alarms. Through face-to-face surveys and structural equation modeling, this study reveals that an increased level of cognition about climate change, heat waves, and local policy measures leads to emotional responses such as concern and worry, and consequently encourages people to comply with heat-related public guidelines. Furthermore, we also consider individuals’ pre-existing health conditions and their previous experiences of heat-related illnesses together with the emotional factors. The role of emotion in mediating between cognition and heat-protective action is much greater than in mediating between pre-existing health conditions and heat-protective action. We conclude that policy interventions to educate older adults can effectively increase the likelihood of individual compliance with the relevant preventive measures beyond their individual health and experiences.
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