Disability Transitions and Depressive Symptoms Among Chinese Older Adults: Evidence from CHARLS
School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou 350116, China
| Abstract: | (1) Background: The issue of disability among older adults demands greater attention, and addressing their physical and mental health is of significant practical importance. Previous research has primarily focused on the static disability status, with insufficient attention paid to dynamic disability transitions. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the relationship between disability transitions and depressive symptoms among Chinese older adults using longitudinal data. (2) Methods: Data were obtained from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) conducted in 2013, 2015, and 2018. Ordinary least squares (OLS) regression models and longitudinal one-period lagged OLS regression models were employed to examine the relationship between disability transitions and depressive symptoms among older adults. (3) Results: There was a significant positive correlation between disability status and depressive symptoms among Chinese older adults (mild disability, β=2.012, p<0.001; moderate disability, β=3.881, p<0.001; severe disability, β=4.766, p<0.001). There was also a significant correlation between disability transitions and depressive symptoms among Chinese older adults (deterioration of disability status: non-disability → mild disability, β=2.212, p<0.001; non-disability → moderate disability, β=2.647, p<0.001; non-disability → severe disability, β=2.808, p<0.001; mild disability → moderate disability, β=2.496, p<0.01; mild disability → severe disability, β=1.685, p<0.05) (recovery of disability status: moderate disability → non-disability, β=-2.603, p<0.05). This correlation between disability transitions and depressive symptoms among Chinese older adults varied with baseline disability status (BDS) (non-disability → mild disability, β=2.212, p<0.001; non-disability → moderate disability, β=2.647, p<0.001; non-disability → severe disability, β=2.808, p<0.001) (mild disability → moderate disability, β=2.496, p<0.01; mild disability → severe disability, β=1.685, p<0.05) (moderate disability → non-disability, β=-2.603, p<0.05). (4) Conclusion: The results show a correlation between disability transitions and depressive symptoms, especially the deterioration of disability status was positively correlated with depressive symptoms. This highlights the need for comprehensive public health policy and clinical interventions, as well as the importance of integrated intervention strategies that address both deterioration of disability status and depressive symptoms. |
| Keywords: | Disability Transitions; Depressive Symptoms; Disability Status; Chinese Older Adults |
| DOI: | 10.57237/j.nhres.2024.03.002 |
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Received: 28 August 2024
Accepted: 19 November 2024
Published Online: 5 December 2024
Funding
| 1. | Fujian Provincial Social Science Foundation Youth Project "Research on the Dynamic Evolution, Multiple Risk Exposure, and Optimization Pathways of Elderly Care Vulnerability among the Rural Elderly Population" (Project No. FJ2024C165) |
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