Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40753317›Full record

ArticleEuropean journal of ageing2025

The association between widowhood duration and depressive symptoms among Chinese older adults: mediation role of sleeping duration and dietary diversity.

Yuexuan Mu, Ru Wang, Zhao Li, Qingshuai Liu, Jiao Peng

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in European journal of ageing, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Yuexuan MuSchool of Public Health, Suzhou Medical College of Soochow University, Suzhou, China.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3225-4569
Ru WangSchool of Public Health, Suzhou Medical College of Soochow University, Suzhou, China.
Zhao LiSchool of Public Health, Suzhou Medical College of Soochow University, Suzhou, China.
Qingshuai LiuSchool of Marxism, Soochow University, Suzhou, China.
Jiao PengSchool of Humanities and Management, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, No. 300 Xueshi Road, Changsha, Hunan Province, China. pengjiaojiaoruc@126.com.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0009-3708-0677

Funding

Suzhou University Humanities and Social Sciences Research Project 25XM1007
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Widowhood represents a major life transition that can profoundly impact the mental health of older adults. However, limited research has explored how the duration of widowhood relates to depressive symptoms. This study examines the mediating roles of sleep duration and dietary diversity in the association between widowhood duration and depressive symptoms. Data were drawn from 2008 adults aged 65 and older participating in the 2018 wave of the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (CLHLS). Linear regression-based mediation analysis was conducted to test the hypothesized pathways. Results revealed a significant positive association between widowhood duration and depressive symptoms. Specifically, among individuals widowed for more than 10 years, both sleep duration and dietary diversity served as mediators-albeit in gender-specific ways. Dietary diversity mediated the association in men, whereas sleep duration exhibited a suppression effect in women. These findings underscore the importance of tailored interventions to support the psychological well-being of widowed older adults. Family and community-based caregivers should prioritize improving dietary quality among long-term widowed men and enhancing sleep health among widowed women. Gender-sensitive strategies may be critical in mitigating the long-term psychological consequences of widowhood in later life.

Indexed as

Depressive symptomsDietary diversitySleeping durationWidowhood duration

Identifiers

PMID40753317
PMCPMC12317929

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.