Neighborhood and Depressive Symptoms: A Comparison of Rural and Urban Chinese Older Adults

Yi Wang; Yu-Chih Chen; Huei-Wern Shen; Nancy Morrow-Howell

doi:10.1093/geront/gnx063

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Neighborhood and Depressive Symptoms: A Comparison of Rural and Urban Chinese Older Adults

Journal article

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Neighborhood and Depressive Symptoms: A Comparison of Rural and Urban Chinese Older Adults

Yi Wang, Yu-Chih Chen, Huei-Wern Shen and Nancy Morrow-Howell

The Gerontologist, Vol.58(1), pp.68-78

01/18/2018

DOI: 10.1093/geront/gnx063

PMID: 28486645

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Abstract

Individual stressors of depressive symptoms in old age are well identified, yet little is known about the neighborhood stressors of depressive symptoms. Guided by the ecological extension of the Pearlin's Stress Process Model, this study explores the rural and urban differences in neighborhood stressors of depressive symptoms among older adults in China. Data came from two waves of the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study, a nationally representative survey. The study included 6,548 older adults ages 60 and above in 2011, with follow-up in 2013. Predictors (individual and neighborhood characteristics) were drawn from the 2011 baseline, and outcome, depressive symptoms, was extracted from the 2013 wave. Multilevel modeling results showed that after controlling for depressive symptoms at the baseline, symptoms decreased in neighborhoods where physical environment and social environment were better. Among rural respondents, neighborhood stressors stemmed mainly from the physical environment, whereas among urban residents, the stressors came from the social environment. This study demonstrated and discussed the role that neighborhoods may play in reducing depressive symptoms in later life. Community organizers and policy makers are encouraged to ameliorate community environments to improve mental health among older adults in China.

Aged

Aging - psychology

China - epidemiology

Depression - epidemiology

Depression - etiology

Depression - prevention & control

Female

Humans

Longitudinal Studies

Male

Mental Health - statistics & numerical data

Middle Aged

Residence Characteristics - statistics & numerical data

Retirement - psychology

Retirement - statistics & numerical data

Risk Factors

Rural Population - statistics & numerical data

Social Environment

Social Support

Urban Population - statistics & numerical data

Details

Title: Subtitle: Neighborhood and Depressive Symptoms: A Comparison of Rural and Urban Chinese Older Adults
Creators: Yi Wang - Washington University in St. Louis
Yu-Chih Chen - Washington University in St. Louis
Huei-Wern Shen - University of Missouri–St. Louis
Nancy Morrow-Howell - Washington University in St. Louis
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: The Gerontologist, Vol.58(1), pp.68-78
DOI: 10.1093/geront/gnx063
PMID: 28486645
NLM abbreviation: Gerontologist
ISSN: 0016-9013
eISSN: 1758-5341
Language: English
Date published: 01/18/2018
Academic Unit: School of Social Work
Record Identifier: 9984307149502771

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