Association between cognitive function and depressive symptoms in Chinese older adults: The mediating role of activities of daily living.

OBJECTIVES

Exploring the relationship between cognitive functioning and depressive symptoms in Chinese older adults and the mediating role of the ability to perform activities of daily living.

METHODS

This study included 5775 older adults, and correlation analysis and linear regression were used to analyze the relationship between the variables and mediated effects.

RESULTS

Cognitive functioning and the ability to perform daily living significantly influenced the depressive state (β = -0.163, p < 0.01; β = 0.288, p < 0.01), and the ability to perform daily living partially mediated the effect between the two, with an effect size of 27.95%.

CONCLUSION

Cognitive function can influence depressive status through the ability to perform activities of daily living, and individualized intervention strategies should be developed for older adults to maintain or delay cognitive decline, preserve the ability to perform activities of daily living, and reduce the risk of depression.