Depressive symptoms among older empty nesters in China: the moderating effects of social contact and contact with one's children. Aging & mental health OBJECTIVES:Mental health for older people has become a major social concern. Literature has shown that older people, especially when they become empty nesters-when a parent lives alone or lives with his/her spouse after the youngest child leaves home-may start to develop various mental health problems due to reduced contacts with their children. Using fixed-effects, multivariate regression with a difference-in-differences approach and propensity score matching, this paper examines the relationship between being an empty nester and mental health among older people in China, and the moderating effects of social contact and contact with one's children in terms of mental health. Our data come from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study of 2011, 2013, 2015 and 2018. RESULTS:We found that, in the short term, the mental health of older people may not be affected after they became empty nesters. But in the longer term, if they did not have regular contact with their children, their mental health would deteriorate with time. Social contact, especially cognitive activities, was beneficial to the mental health of the older empty nesters. We also found that for older empty nesters with disabilities, frequent social contact and contact with their children were more important. CONCLUSION:We urge the government to promote community-based social activities for older people, especially for those with functional limitations. 10.1080/13607863.2021.2019190

Social participation and health in middle-aged and older empty nesters: A study on gender differences. SSM - population health Background:The growing population of middle-aged and older empty nesters is characterized by poorer health, and social participation (SP) has been shown to improve this situation. However, few studies have investigated specific performance and gender differences between SP and health. The present study aims to address these issues. Methods:A total of 1207 middle-aged and older empty nesters over 45 years old were selected from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS, 2011-2018). Random-effects analyses were used to explore the association between changes in SP (diversity, frequency, type) and changes in health status. Health status include physical health, mental health, self-reported health (SRH). Results:Female middle-aged and olderly empty nesters have significantly poorer health and participate in SP more frequently. The higher the diversity of SP, the better the health of middle-aged and olderly empty nesters, while higher frequency is beneficial to SRH. Female's participation in sports and Internet had better mental health and SRH, and mahjong helped female's mental health. Clubs are helpful for male's SRH. Conclusions:This study reveals the specifics of the association between SP and health status of middle-aged and older empty nesters. Therefore, all aspects of SP and gender differences should be taken into account when predicting and improving the health status. Help the government to better formulate policies to better cope with the increasing empty nest phenomenon and build a harmonious and stable society. 10.1016/j.ssmph.2024.101641

Relationship between social participation and depressive symptoms in patients with multimorbidity: the chained mediating role of cognitive function and activities of daily living. BMC public health OBJECTIVE:The potential mechanisms linking social participation and depressive symptoms in Chinese individuals with multimorbidity are not yet fully understood. This study aims to explore how cognitive function and activities of daily living (ADLs) mediate the relationship between social participation and depressive symptoms in individuals with multimorbidity. METHODS:We selected 3782 participants with multimorbidity from the 2018 China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study. Data related to social participation, cognitive function, ADLs, and depressive symptoms were extracted. Regression and Bootstrap analyses were used to explore the sequential mediating effects of social participation, cognitive function, ADLs, and depressive symptoms. RESULTS:(1) There was a significant correlation between social participation, cognitive function, activities of daily living, and depressive symptoms (p < 0.01). (2) Social participation directly affected depressive symptoms (β = -0.205, p < 0.05). (3) Cognitive function (β = -0.070, p < 0.01) and activities of daily living (β = -0.058, p < 0.01) played separate mediating roles in the effect of social participation on depressive symptoms. (4) Cognitive function and activities of daily living had a chain-mediated role in the relationship between social participation and depressive symptoms in patients with multimorbidity (β = -0.020, p < 0.01). CONCLUSION:A chained mediating effect was found between cognitive function, ADLs, social participation, and depressive symptoms in patients with multimorbidity. Social participation was found to improve the cognitive function of patients with multimorbidity, which in turn enhanced their daily life activities and ultimately alleviated their depressive symptoms. 10.1186/s12889-024-19157-7