TITLE:
The Impact of Rural Sports and Leisure Public Services on Residents’ Participation and Life Satisfaction
AUTHORS:
Jun Lei
KEYWORDS:
Rural Residents, Sports and Leisure Activities, Participation Behavior, Importance-Performance Analysis (IPA), Life Satisfaction
JOURNAL NAME:
Chinese Studies,
Vol.14 No.4,
October
22,
2025
ABSTRACT: This study surveyed 424 rural residents in Guangxi to investigate their participation in sports and leisure activities. An evaluation system was developed encompassing six dimensions—facilities, activities, organization, information, guidance, and health management—and Importance-Performance Analysis (IPA) together with regression models were employed to examine public service needs, satisfaction, and their effects on residents’ participation and life satisfaction. The results show that residents consistently perceive public services as more important than the satisfaction they actually experience, with a pronounced “high demand - low satisfaction” gap in facility services. Logistic regression analysis indicates that gender, household income, activity guidance, and health management significantly influence participation. Meanwhile, multiple linear regression reveals that post-exercise experience, satisfaction with facilities, and satisfaction with information services are key determinants of life satisfaction. These findings suggest that rural sports public services should transition from “extensive supply” to “targeted provision,” with greater emphasis on facility maintenance, professional guidance, and health management to enhance both service quality and residents’ overall life satisfaction.