Song Keying, Zhao Zijian, Saha Amiya, Kundu Jhumki
Gdansk University of Physical Education and Sport, Poland, 80-336.
Zhengzhou University, Henan Province, China, 450001.
Exp Gerontol. 2025 Jan;199:112647. doi: 10.1016/j.exger.2024.112647. Epub 2024 Dec 7.
Researchers have long been concerned with the association between family financial support and depression in older adults. However, it remains unclear whether social engagement influences the relationship between depression and financial support in later life. Therefore, this study aims to examine the relationship between receiving financial support from family and others and depression among Indian older adults and to also explore the mediating effect of social engagement on this relationship.
Data from the Longitudinal Aging Study in India Wave 1 (2017-2018) was used for the empirical analysis. A total sample of 30,210 older adults aged 60 years and above were selected for the study. The study employs bivariate and binary logistic regression analysis. Further Karlson-Holm-Breen method was adopted for mediation analysis.
The adjusted prevalence of depression among older adults who did not receive financial support from family or others was nearly 33.8 % (men: 29.8 %, women: 37.4 %), compared to 29.9 % for those who received support (men: 27.6 %, women: 32 %). Older adults who received financial support had 21 % lower odds of depression (AoR: 0.79; 95 % CI: 0.73, 0.84) than those who did not. Additionally, the association between depression and receiving financial support was mediated by social engagement (17.3 %) with the mediating effect being higher among older women (29.3 %) than older men (13.5 %).
The study advances that although financial support plays a significant role in reducing depressive symptoms in older adults, social engagement also serves as an important mediator in this relationship. Enhancing opportunities for social engagement may amplify the protective effects of financial support, offering a more comprehensive approach to addressing mental health challenges among aging populations in India.
长期以来，研究人员一直关注家庭经济支持与老年人抑郁症之间的关联。然而，社会参与是否会影响晚年抑郁症与经济支持之间的关系仍不清楚。因此，本研究旨在探讨印度老年人从家庭和他人获得经济支持与抑郁症之间的关系，并探讨社会参与在这种关系中的中介作用。
印度纵向老龄化研究第1波（2017 - 2018年）的数据用于实证分析。本研究选取了30210名60岁及以上的老年人作为总样本。该研究采用双变量和二元逻辑回归分析。进一步采用卡尔森 - 霍尔姆 - 布林方法进行中介分析。
未从家庭或他人获得经济支持的老年人中，抑郁症的校正患病率接近33.8%（男性：29.8%，女性：37.4%），而获得支持的老年人中这一比例为29.9%（男性：27.6%，女性：32%）。获得经济支持的老年人患抑郁症的几率比未获得支持的老年人低21%（调整后的比值比：0.79；95%置信区间：0.73，0.84）。此外，抑郁症与获得经济支持之间的关联由社会参与介导（17.3%），且老年女性（29.3%）的中介效应高于老年男性（13.5%）。
该研究提出，尽管经济支持在减轻老年人抑郁症状方面发挥着重要作用，但社会参与也是这种关系中的重要中介。增加社会参与机会可能会增强经济支持的保护作用，为应对印度老年人群体的心理健康挑战提供更全面的方法。
