Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42162055›Full record

ArticleScientific reports2026

Association between depression and subjective quality of life among older adults in Japan and Thailand: a cross-cultural multi-group structural equation modeling analysis.

Makoto Suzuki, Takako Yamada, Noboru Hasegawa, Tomohiro Umemura, Masahiro Matsunaga, Hunsa Sethabouppha, Nattaya Suwankruhasn, Chalinee Suvanayos, Nobuko Shimizu

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Article in Scientific reports, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Makoto SuzukiFaculty of Health Science, Kansai University of Health Sciences, Osaka, Japan. suzuki.otr@gmail.com.
Takako YamadaFaculty of Health Science, Bukkyo University, Kyoto, Japan.
Noboru HasegawaGraduate School of Nursing, Doshisha Women's College, Kyoto, Japan.
Tomohiro UmemuraFaculty of Sport Science, Chukyo University, Aichi, Japan.
Masahiro MatsunagaFaculty of Human Health, Aichi Toho University, Aichi, Japan.
Hunsa SethaboupphaFaculty of Nursing, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand.
Nattaya SuwankruhasnFaculty of Nursing, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand.
Chalinee SuvanayosFaculty of Nursing, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand.
Nobuko ShimizuFaculty of Nursing, Toyama Prefectural University, Toyama, Japan.

Funding

Japan Society for the Promotion of Science 17K12534
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

The present study examined the association between depressive symptoms and subjective quality of life (QOL) among older adults in Japan and Thailand. It further analyzed the differences in this structural relationship across cultural contexts. We evaluated the impact of depression on a latent QOL construct and assessed the measurement and structural invariance between the two countries using structural equation modeling (SEM). A cross-sectional survey was conducted among older adults (aged ≥ 60) in urban and rural regions of Japan (n = 88) and Thailand (n = 57). Subjective QOL was assessed using the World Health Organization Quality of Life - Brief Version (WHOQOL-BREF) and modeled as a latent variable comprising five domains. Depressive symptoms were measured using the 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-15). SEM with bootstrapping (1,000 resamples) was applied using R and a multi-group analysis was performed to evaluate cross-national differences. Depressive symptoms showed a significant negative effect on latent QOL in the total sample (β = -0.248, p = .008). However, cross-national comparison using chi-square difference test revealed a significant difference in the effect size between Japan (β = -0.49) and Thailand (β = -0.11; Δχ²1= 6.87, p = .008). Thus, measurement invariance was partially supported. Cultural background influences the relationship between depression and QOL. These findings highlight the need for culturally sensitive mental health strategies for older adults.

Indexed as

DepressionQuality of LifeAgedAged, 80 and overCross-Cultural ComparisonCross-Sectional StudiesFemaleHumansJapanLatent Class AnalysisMaleMiddle AgedThailandCross-cultural comparisonDepressionJapanOlder adultsQuality of lifeStructural equation modelingThailand

Identifiers

PMID42162055
PMCPMC13226727

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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.