Huang Guogui, Duan Yuanyuan, Guo Fei, Chen Gong
Macquarie Business School, Macquarie University, Macquarie University, Balaclava Road, North Ryde, Sydney, 2119 Australia; Institute of Population Research, Peking University, Peking University, 5thYiheyuan Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100871 China.
Macquarie Business School, Macquarie University, Macquarie University, Balaclava Road, North Ryde, Sydney, 2119 Australia; School of Sociology and Population Studies, Remin University of China, Remin University of China, 59thZhongguancun Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100872 China.
Arch Gerontol Geriatr. 2020 Nov/Dec;91:104183. doi: 10.1016/j.archger.2020.104183. Epub 2020 Jul 21.
The phenomenon of empty-nest older adults has raised growing concerns in contemporary Chinese society. In this study, we examined the prevalence and related influencing factors of depression symptoms among empty-nest older adults in China at a national level.
The database of the 2015 China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (N = 8549, aged ≥ 60) was used. The 10-item version of the Centre for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale was employed to measure depression symptoms.
The prevalence of depression symptoms was 34.7 % for empty-nest respondents, 32.2 % for respondents living with a spouse only and 43.4 % for those living alone. Multivariable logistic regression indicated that, compared with the non-empty-nest respondents, older adults living alone were more susceptible to depression symptoms (OR 1.194, 95 %CI 1.016-1.405) whereas older adults living with a spouse only were not exposed to an elevated probability of being depressed (OR 0.945, 95 %CI 0.847-1.055). Multivariable logistic regression also suggested that empty nesters who were female, lived in rural areas, had a lower frequency of children's visits, had lower socioeconomic status and had worse physical health conditions were more vulnerable to depression symptoms.
The association between empty-nest status and later-life depression is mixed. More concerns should be raised about the mental health of empty nesters living alone. Increased attention should also be paid to empty nesters who are female, rural residents and have low contact frequency with their children, disadvantaged socioeconomic status and poor physical health conditions.
空巢老年人现象在当代中国社会引发了越来越多的关注。在本研究中，我们在全国范围内调查了中国空巢老年人抑郁症状的患病率及相关影响因素。
使用2015年中国健康与养老追踪调查数据库（N = 8549，年龄≥60岁）。采用流行病学研究中心抑郁量表的10项版本来测量抑郁症状。
空巢受访者的抑郁症状患病率为34.7%，仅与配偶同住的受访者为32.2%，独居者为43.4%。多变量逻辑回归表明，与非空巢受访者相比，独居老年人更容易出现抑郁症状（OR = 1.194，95%CI 1.016 - 1.405），而仅与配偶同住的老年人患抑郁症的概率并未升高（OR = 0.945，95%CI 0.847 - 1.055）。多变量逻辑回归还表明，女性、居住在农村地区、子女探访频率较低、社会经济地位较低且身体健康状况较差的空巢老人更容易出现抑郁症状。
空巢状态与晚年抑郁之间的关联是复杂的。应更多关注独居空巢老人的心理健康。还应更加关注女性、农村居民、与子女联系频率低、社会经济地位不利且身体健康状况差的空巢老人。
