AUTHOR=Du Min , Dai Wanwei , Liu Jue , Tao Jing 

TITLE=Less Social Participation Is Associated With a Higher Risk of Depressive Symptoms Among Chinese Older Adults: A Community-Based Longitudinal Prospective Cohort Study

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Public Health

VOLUME=Volume 10 - 2022

YEAR=2022

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/public-health/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2022.781771

DOI=10.3389/fpubh.2022.781771

ISSN=2296-2565

ABSTRACT=Abstract
Objective: We aimed to examine the association between social participation and depressive symptoms among Chinese older people aged 65 years or above to supplement the limited studies on this topic in China.
Methods: This community-based longitudinal prospective cohort study used data from the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (baseline in 2014 and follow-up in 2018). Depressive symptoms were assessed using the 10-item Centre for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale. Social participation was assessed using a composite index by considering the frequency for two types of social activity: organized social activities and informal activities. Pearson’s χ2 test was used to correlate the characteristics of participants with social participation or depressive symptoms. Log-binomial regression models were used to assess the association between social participation and the risk of depressive symptoms. 
Results: The incidence of depressive symptoms was 28.8% among 2200 participants in 2018 after 4 years follow-up. Participants with no social participation (32.6%), organized social activities (30.6%), or informal social activities (31.2%) were more likely to have depressive symptoms. After adjustment of demographic factors, socioeconomic status, lifestyle habits, and health status, compared with older people who often engaged in social participation, organized social activities, and informal social activities, the risk of depressive symptoms was 45% (adjusted risk ratio [aRR]: 1.45, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.16–1.82), 42% (aRR: 1.45, 95% CI: 1.02–2.00), and 29% (aRR: 1.29, 95% CI: 1.02–1.99) higher among older people with no social participation and who never engaged in organized social activities and informal social activities, respectively. 
Conclusions: This study showed that the lack of social participation, including organized social activities and informal social activities, was associated with a higher risk of depressive symptoms after 4 years among older adults in China. Our findings shed light on the feasibility of promoting social participation to reduce the risk of depressive symptoms and promote longevity and healthy aging among older adults.