Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40192968›Full record

ArticleAging clinical and experimental research2025

Social Interaction as a vital factor in alleviating depressive symptoms among middle-aged and elderly adults: evidence from the CHARLS.

Chao Wang, Zhipeng Huang, Zuxun Lu, Peigang Wang

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Article in Aging clinical and experimental research, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

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5citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

5 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors.

Chao WangSchool of Public Health, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China. wangch@whu.edu.cn.
Zhipeng HuangSchool of Public Health, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China.
Zuxun LuSchool of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.
Peigang WangSchool of Public Health, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China.

Funding

Knowledge Innovation Project in Wuhan 2023020201020257the National Social Science Foundation of China 18ZDA085,24&ZD165
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveTo explore the effect of social interaction on depressive symptoms in middle-aged and elderly adults in China.

methodsData from the 2020 China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) were analyzed. Participants were divided into social interaction and non-social interaction groups. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CESD-10). Propensity score matching (PSM) was employed to balance confounding factors, and the average treatment effect (ATT) of social interaction on depressive symptoms was estimated. Binary logistic regression analyzed influencing factors.

resultsA total of 14,741 subjects (76.26%) were included; 9,869 (66.91%) participated in social interaction, and 5,593 (37.94%) had depressive symptoms. After PSM, social interaction significantly negatively affected depressive symptoms (ATT=-0.04, P < 0.05). Binary logistic regression revealed that those with social interaction had a lower risk of depressive symptoms (OR = 0.87, P < 0.05), particularly males (OR = 0.53, P < 0.05). However, older age (60-69: OR = 1.20; 70-79: OR = 1.24), poorer self-rated health (general: OR = 2.20; poor: OR = 4.48; very poor: OR = 7.70), lower satisfaction (general: OR = 1.67; dissatisfaction: OR = 8.10), and infrequent meetings with children (every six months: OR = 1.20; less than half a year: OR = 1.27) were associated with a higher risk of depressive symptoms (P < 0.05).

conclusionMiddle-aged and elderly Chinese adults have a high risk of depressive symptoms, and social interaction significantly reduces this risk. Promoting social interaction and mental health initiatives can improve the health of middle-aged and elderly individuals.

Indexed as

DepressionSocial InteractionAgedChinaFemaleHumansLongitudinal StudiesMaleMiddle AgedDepressive symptomsMental healthSocial interactionThe middle-aged and elderly adults

Identifiers

PMID40192968
PMCPMC11976348

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