Department of Sociology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.
School of Public Administration, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, China.
J Affect Disord. 2021 Feb 1;280(Pt B):68-76. doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2020.11.058. Epub 2020 Nov 12.
In this study, the difference of depression network structures between the widowed and non-widowed older people and the associations of family capital, neighborhood cohesion, and neighborhood built environment with depressive symptoms were explored by using network analysis.
This study fitted network models to two subsamples extracted from a nationally representative and cross-sectional data from China Family Panel Studies (CFPS). Depressive symptom levels and the effect of the three possible influencing factors related on depression were compared.
The network structures of depression across the widowed and the non-widowed older people were different to some extent but significantly associated with one another. Neighborhood cohesion were significantly related to severe depressive symptoms in both subsamples. Neighborhood built environment mattered for the non-widowed older people, but not for their counterparts. Family capital also functioned in a different way for the two subsamples.
Investigation was carried out using cross-sectional data, and changes in contents could alter the network structure. In addition, grief-related variables were not included. New studies replicating the current findings with a wider range of contents, multiple time points and a larger sample are warranted.
This study added evidence to a growing body of literature on depressive symptom patterns for the widowed older people and their counterparts. Tailored service and treatment could be developed for the widowed and non-widowed older people based on their features of depression. The contextual factors including family, neighborhood, and physical environment could be taken into account when considering their association with depressive symptoms.
本研究采用网络分析方法，探讨了丧偶和非丧偶老年人抑郁网络结构的差异，以及家庭资本、邻里凝聚力和邻里建成环境与抑郁症状的关系。
本研究从中国家庭追踪调查（CFPS）中提取了两个具有代表性的横断面数据子样本，并拟合了网络模型。比较了抑郁症状水平和三个可能的影响因素对抑郁的影响。
丧偶和非丧偶老年人的抑郁网络结构在一定程度上有所不同，但存在显著相关性。邻里凝聚力在两个子样本中均与重度抑郁症状显著相关。邻里建成环境对非丧偶老年人重要，但对丧偶老年人则不重要。家庭资本对两个子样本的作用也不同。
本研究采用横断面数据进行调查，内容的变化可能会改变网络结构。此外，未包括与悲伤相关的变量。需要开展新的研究，以更广泛的内容、多个时间点和更大的样本复制当前的发现。
本研究为丧偶和非丧偶老年人的抑郁症状模式增加了越来越多的文献证据。可以根据丧偶和非丧偶老年人的抑郁特征为他们提供定制的服务和治疗。在考虑与抑郁症状的关系时，可以考虑包括家庭、邻里和物理环境等背景因素。
