Loneliness as a mediator in the relationship between social engagement and depressive symptoms: Age differences among community‐dwelling Korean adults

Abstract Background and Objectives Frailty is associated with depression in older adults and reduces their social support. However, the mechanism underlying such relationship remains unclear. We aim to examine whether social support acts as a mediator or moderator in the relationship between frailty and depression. Research Design and Methods This cross-sectional study was conducted among 1,779 community-dwelling older adults aged 60 and older. Frailty, social support, and depressive symptoms were measured by the Physical Frailty Phenotype, Social Support Rating Scale, and five-item Geriatric Depression Scale, respectively. Data were also collected on age, gender, years of schooling, monthly income, cognitive function, number of chronic diseases, physical function, and pain. Results Linear regression models showed that subjective support and support utilization, but not objective support, mediated and moderated the relationship between frailty and depressive symptoms. The Johnson–Neyman technique determined a threshold of 30 for subjective support, but not for support utilization, beyond which the detrimental effect of frailty on depressive symptoms was offset. Discussion and Implications Social support underlies the association of frailty with depression, and its protective role varies by type. Interventions on depression should address improving perceptions and utilization of social support among frail older adults rather than simply providing them with objective support.

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HEARING IMPAIRMENT, DEPRESSION, AND THE ROLE OF SOCIAL ACTIVITY AMONG CHINESE OLDER ADULTS

Innovation in Aging ◽

10.1093/geroni/igz038.595 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽

pp. S166-S167

Author(s):

Shu Xu ◽

Haowei Wang ◽

Caitlin Connelly

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Depressive Symptoms ◽

Hearing Impairment ◽

Social Engagement ◽

Depression Scale ◽

The United States ◽

Social Activities ◽

Chinese Older Adults ◽

Hearing Status ◽

The Relationship

Abstract Studies suggest that depression is closely linked to hearing impairment, which is highly prevalent among older adults in the United States. There is evidence that social engagement may be impacted by hearing impairment in older adults. However, there is relatively little research on these associations among Chinese older adults. This study examines the relationships between hearing impairment, social activities, and depressive symptoms among older adults in China. Using nationally representative data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study 2011, we conducted cross-sectional analysis on adults age 60 years and older (n=10,994). Depressive symptoms were assessed by the 10-item Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression scale and we considered self-reported hearing status (if participants wear a hearing aid and how they would rate their hearing), and social activities (i.e., volunteering, dancing, attending courses, etc.). Models were controlled for age, gender, education, and other covariates. Descriptive analysis showed that 9% of older adults experienced hearing impairment. Multiple linear regression analyses revealed that hearing impairment was positively associated with depressive symptoms among older Chinese adults (β=1.32, p<.001). Social activities were found to partially mediate the relationship between hearing status and depressive symptoms. Respondents with hearing impairment were less likely to engage in social activities (OR=.78, p<.01) and those who did not participate in social activities reported more depressive symptoms (β=1.28, p<.001). These findings suggest that Chinese older adults experiencing hearing loss are at greater risk of depression and that social activities play an important role in the relationship between hearing status and depression.

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The relationship between chronic stress, emotion regulation and depressive symptoms in healthy older adults

10.32920/ryerson.14661564 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Vivian Huang

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Depressive Symptoms ◽

Sample Size ◽

Chronic Stress ◽

Sex Education ◽

Allostatic Load ◽

Small Sample Size ◽

Small Sample ◽

Community Dwelling ◽

The Relationship

The current study examined the association between chronic stress (measured in allostatic load or AL), ER, and depressive symptoms in a group of community-dwelling older adults. It was hypothesized that chronic stress levels would mediate the relationship between ER and depressive symptoms. A total of 70 older adults aged 60 and older participated in the study. There were no significant associations found in the main analyses between the AL index and depressive symptoms, as well as no significant relationship was found between ER strategies and AL index, after controlling for age, sex, education, and perceived SES. However, perceived stress significantly mediated the relationship between maladaptive ER strategies and depressive symptoms, and the relationship between adaptive ER strategies and depressive symptoms. Given the small sample size and the lack of variability of the AL index, the study would benefit from a larger sample size to clarify the present results.

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The Relationship Between Self-Rated Health and Depressive Symptoms in an Epidemiological Sample of Community-Dwelling Older Adults

Journal of the American Geriatrics Society ◽

10.1111/j.1532-5415.1997.tb02966.x ◽

1997 ◽

Vol 45 (8) ◽

pp. 954-958 ◽

Cited By ~ 137

Author(s):

Benoit H Mulsant ◽

Mary Ganguli ◽

Eric C. Seaberg

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Depressive Symptoms ◽

Community Dwelling ◽

Self Rated Health ◽

Epidemiological Sample ◽

Community Dwelling Older Adults ◽

The Relationship

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Intersections of Home, Health, and Social Engagement in Old Age: Formal Volunteering as a Protective Factor to Health After Relocation

Research on Aging ◽

10.1177/0164027518773125 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 41 (1) ◽

pp. 31-53 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Ernest Gonzales ◽

Huei-Wern Shen ◽

Tam E. Perry ◽

Yi Wang

Keyword(s):

Depressive Symptoms ◽

Social Engagement ◽

Protective Factor ◽

Self Report ◽

Control Group ◽

Protective Mechanism ◽

Formal Volunteering ◽

Interaction Terms ◽

Health Differences ◽

The Relationship

This study aims to further our understanding of formal volunteering as a protective mechanism for health in the context of housing relocation and to explore race, gender, and education as moderators. A quasi-experimental design evaluated the effects of volunteering on older adults’ health (self-report health, number of instrumental activities of daily living [IADLs], and depressive symptoms) among individuals who relocated but did not volunteer at Time 1 ( N = 682) in the Health and Retirement Study (2008–2010). Propensity score weighting examined health differences at Time 2 between 166 volunteers (treated) and 516 nonvolunteers (controlled). Interaction terms tested moderation. Individuals who moved and engaged in volunteering reported higher levels of self-rated health and fewer IADL difficulties compared to the control group. Race moderated the relationship between volunteering and depressive symptoms, while gender moderated the relationship between volunteering and self-assessed health. Formal volunteering protects different dimensions of health after relocation. Volunteering was particularly beneficial for females and older Whites.

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344 The Relationship between Late Life Depressive Symptoms and Cerebral White Matter Disease is Modified by Systemic and Orthostatic Blood Pressure

Age and Ageing ◽

10.1093/ageing/afz102.71 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 48 (Supplement_3) ◽

pp. iii1-iii16

Author(s):

Robert Briggs ◽

Anne Buckley ◽

Silvin Knight ◽

Jim Meaney ◽

Sean Kennelly ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Blood Pressure ◽

Depressive Symptoms ◽

White Matter ◽

Brain Mri ◽

Depression Scale ◽

Late Life ◽

Community Dwelling ◽

Cerebral White Matter ◽

White Matter Disease ◽

The Relationship

Abstract Background Cerebral white matter hyperintensity (WMH) burden is a key biological risk factor underpinning late life depression (LLD) and cerebral hypoperfusion has been identified as an important cause of WMH. The aim of this study therefore is to clarify if orthostatic hypotension (OH) and lower systemic blood pressure (BP), both of which cause reduced cerebral blood flow, modify the relationship between depression and cerebral white matter disease in a cohort of community-dwelling older people aged ≥70 years. Methods This study uses data from wave 3 of TILDA. Participants were included if they were aged ≥70 years and had undergone assessment for depressive symptoms, brain MRI and cardiovascular measures. Depressive symptoms were measured using the 8-item Centre for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale. Scheltens Score was used by a trained radiologist to calculate overall WMH burden. Orthostatic BP was measured by active stand. OH was defined as a drop in Systolic BP≥20 mmHg or drop in diastolic BP≥10 mmHg at 30, 60 or 90 seconds post standing. Results Participants with depressive symptoms (8%, 16/202) had a significantly higher burden of WMH measured by Scheltens Score (14.6 (95% CI:11.0–18.2) vs. 11.0 (95% CI:10.1–11.8); p=0.0211). Two-way interaction models demonstrated that the association between depressive symptoms and WMH burden is significant only in those with co-existing OH. Similarly, the two-way interaction between depressive symptoms and systolic BP shows that this association remains statistically significant only in those with both depressive symptoms and lower BP, i.e. <130 mm Hg. Conclusion This study demonstrates that depressive symptoms are associated with cerebral WMH in a cohort of community-dwelling people aged ≥70 years but this relationship is modified by co-existing OH or lower BP. Identifying the processes that lead to WMH accumulation and progression in depression is crucial in order to inform strategies aimed at preventing and ameliorating LLD.

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Loneliness Is Associated with Depressive Affect, But Not with Most Other Symptoms of Depression in Community-Dwelling Individuals: A Network Analysis

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18052408 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (5) ◽

pp. 2408

Author(s):

Roland von Känel ◽

Sonja Weilenmann ◽

Tobias R. Spiller

Keyword(s):

Depressive Symptoms ◽

Online Survey ◽

Strong Relationship ◽

Continuous Variable ◽

Community Dwelling ◽

Depression Symptom ◽

Depressive Affect ◽

Network Analyses ◽

Patient Health ◽

The Relationship

There is a strong relationship between loneliness and depression, but depression is a heterogeneous disorder. We examined the profile of depressive symptoms most strongly related to loneliness. Study participants were 2007 community-dwelling individuals (median age 31 years, 70.4% women) who completed an online survey on loneliness (single-item question: “never”, “sometimes”, “often”), depressive symptoms (Patient Health Questionnaire-9) and demographics. The relationship between loneliness and depressive symptoms was evaluated with linear regression and network analyses. The prevalence of loneliness (sometimes or often) and of moderate depression was 47.1% and 24.0%, respectively. Loneliness explained 26% of the variance in the total depressive symptom score (p < 0.001), independent of covariates. This result was almost exclusively explained by the relationship with a single depression symptom (“feeling down, depressed, or hopeless”), irrespective of whether loneliness was treated as a nominal or continuous variable. The findings of our study suggest that the role of loneliness in depression should not only be investigated at the syndrome level, but also at the symptom level. Studies are warranted to test whether targeted treatment of depressive affect is particularly effective against loneliness.

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The relationship between chronic stress, emotion regulation and depressive symptoms in healthy older adults

10.32920/ryerson.14661564.v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Vivian Huang

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Depressive Symptoms ◽

Sample Size ◽

Chronic Stress ◽

Sex Education ◽

Allostatic Load ◽

Small Sample Size ◽

Small Sample ◽

Community Dwelling ◽

The Relationship

The current study examined the association between chronic stress (measured in allostatic load or AL), ER, and depressive symptoms in a group of community-dwelling older adults. It was hypothesized that chronic stress levels would mediate the relationship between ER and depressive symptoms. A total of 70 older adults aged 60 and older participated in the study. There were no significant associations found in the main analyses between the AL index and depressive symptoms, as well as no significant relationship was found between ER strategies and AL index, after controlling for age, sex, education, and perceived SES. However, perceived stress significantly mediated the relationship between maladaptive ER strategies and depressive symptoms, and the relationship between adaptive ER strategies and depressive symptoms. Given the small sample size and the lack of variability of the AL index, the study would benefit from a larger sample size to clarify the present results.

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