ArticleBMJ open2023
Association between WeChat use and mental health among middle-aged and older adults: a secondary data analysis of the 2020 China Family Panel Studies database.
Article in BMJ open, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 14 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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Who cites it
14 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Effects of mobile health interventions on blood pressure control and self-management in middle-aged and older adults with hypertension: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Journal of human hypertension · 2026Pooled it
- Longitudinal associations between internet access and cognitive decline in older adults.Scientific reports · 2026Article
- Association between social activity participation and rural-urban difference in depressive symptoms among middle-aged and older adults in China: a Fairlie decomposition analysis.BMC public health · 2026Article
- From digital access to social connectedness: the digital divide, bonding social capital, and depressive symptoms among older adults in China.Frontiers in psychiatry · 2026Article
- Enhancing happiness and life satisfaction in university students: analysis with a machine learning approach.BMC psychology · 2025Article
- The Association Between Posting WeChat Moments and the Risk of Depressive Symptoms Among Middle-Aged and Older Chinese Adults: Prospective National Cohort Study.JMIR public health and surveillance · 2025Article
- The association between network literacy and subjective well-being among middle-aged and older adults.Frontiers in psychology · 2025Article
- Medical service satisfaction and depression among middle-aged and older Chinese adults: moderating role of distinct Internet-using patterns.BMC public health · 2024Article
- Evaluation of healthcare-related factors influencing mental health of Taiwanese citizens among different age groups.Scientific reports · 2024Article
- Did internet usage reduce the impact of COVID-19 on the mental health of middle-aged and older adults? A difference-in-differences study based on CFPS data.Frontiers in psychology · 2024Article
- Navigating the Journey of Living with Young-Onset Dementia: Experiences of Spousal Caregivers.Journal of Alzheimer's disease : JAD · 2024Article
- A study on Internet use and subjective well-being among Chinese older adults: based on CGSS (2012-2018) five-wave mixed interface survey data.Frontiers in public health · 2023Article
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Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
2 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
objectiveThis study focused on the association between WeChat use, the most popular social software in China, and the mental health of middle-aged and older adults.
designNationwide cross-sectional study.
settingThe China Family Panel Studies (CFPS) database.
participantsThe study sample included 11 127 middle-aged and elderly people aged 45 and above identified from the 2020 CFPS database.
resultsWeChat usage was negatively associated with depression (OR: 0.782, p<0.01), as was the WeChat Moments sharing (OR: 0.846, p<0.01). 10.310% of the relationship between WeChat usage and depression came from the effects of interpersonal relationships (5.720%) and social trust (4.590%), with significant indirect effects (B=-0.028, p<0.01). Sixteen per cent of the relationship between WeChat Moments sharing and depression came from the effect of interpersonal relationships (6.800%) and social trust (9.200%), and the indirect effect was also significant (B=-0.032, p<0.01).
conclusionsWeChat use may empower middle-aged and elderly to maintain close social relationships and trust contributing to their mental health.
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Registered trials
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