Incidence and risk factors of depressive symptoms in 4 years of follow-up among mid-aged and elderly community-dwelling Chinese adults: findings from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study

Abstract

ObjectivesThe purpose of this study was to examine the incidence of depressive symptoms, and determine if baseline risk factors conferred a risk for incident depressive symptoms in nationally representative sample of mid-aged and elderly Chinese adults.DesignThis study was a secondary analysis of a prospective cohort from a nationally representative sample.SettingCommunity samples were recruited from the baseline survey of the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study. A four-stage, stratified, cluster probability sampling strategy was used, which included 10 257 households with members aged 45 years or older and their spouse.ParticipantsA total of 11 533 participants free of depressive symptoms at baseline were identified, and 10 288 were re-examined in either the first and/or the second follow-up surveys. The current analysis was conducted among the 10 288 participants.Primary and secondary outcome measuresDepressive symptoms were measured by the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale short form.ResultsThe findings showed that the incidence of depressive symptoms in a 4-year follow-up was as high as 22.3%. The incidence was much higher in rural areas (25.7%) and in women (27.9%). Furthermore, participants with 1 hour longer of night-time sleep had a 10% lower risk of developing depressive symptoms. Compared with individuals who perceived their health status as poor, those who perceived their health status as excellent had a 62% lower risk of developing depressive symptoms. In addition, having diabetes (OR=1.19), chronic kidney disease (OR=1.32), chronic digestive disorders (OR=1.15) and arthritis (OR=1.43) at baseline increased the risk of depressive symptoms. However, baseline body mass index was not associated with the subsequent depressive symptoms in this population.ConclusionsThis study highlights the importance of developing an appropriate screening test to identify depressive symptoms for those who are vulnerable and ensure these individuals can receive early interventions for depressive symptoms.

Factors associated with depressive symptoms among the elderly in China: structural equation model

“…Our findings suggested Depressive symptoms among the Chinese elderly 163 that short sleep duration was associated with high rates of depressive symptoms. This result was consistent with the results of Wen et al (2019), who found that elderly people with long sleep duration at night have a lower risk of developing depressive symptoms than those with short sleep duration. Sleep and depressive symptoms have a multifaceted interplay between them.…”

Associations between the Severity of Sarcopenia and Health-Related Quality of Life in Community-Dwelling Middle-Aged and Older Adults

“…A recent systematic review and meta-analysis [41] that included eight studies carried out in Spain reported an 11% overall prevalence for the over-65 population. As for depression, a recent prevalence study [7] among middle-aged and older adults revealed that, after a four-year follow-up, overall incidence was 22.3%, with much higher percentages in rural areas (25.7%) and among women (27.9%). Compared with individuals who described their health status as poor, those who reported excellent health were 62% less likely to develop depressive symptoms.…”

“…Sarcopenia has been associated with multiple adverse physical effects (e.g., alterations in movement patterns, loss of independence and the need for long-term care [6]) and psychological effects, most commonly anxiety and depression. The prevalence of depression among the older population worldwide is around 7% and increases with age [7]. The incidence of anxiety in people over 60 is between 0.7 and 18.6%, with lower frequency among the elderly than in younger adults [8].…”

The Mechanism of Human Connectedness in Relationship to Physical Health, Mental Health, and Cognitive Function Among the Elderly in Rural China

“…Participants were asked whether they suffered from a range of 15 commonly observed conditions among the elderly, including high blood pressure, diabetes, liver disease, etc., and participants chose from “0” (no) or “1” (yes). This measure was adapted from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) ( 20 , 21 ). A composite score of physical illness was calculated by adding the responses from the 15 items, ranging from 0 to 15, with a higher score indicating poorer physical health.…”