Effect of Children’s Support on Depression among Older Adults Living Alone or with a Spouse: A Comparative Analysis between Urban and Rural Areas of China

Xiaocui Ren,Chen Lu

doi:10.3390/su13116315

Abstract

Against the backdrop of rapid urbanization and severe population aging, older adults living alone or with a spouse in China have become a special and vulnerable group that deserve more research attention. Based on a national sample of 3886 older adults (≥60 years old) living alone or with a spouse, we used multiple linear regression models to investigate the effect of children’s support on depression among older adults living alone or with a spouse in China. A comparative analysis was conducted to examine the differences between urban and rural areas. The results indicated that financial support from children was negatively correlated with depression among older adults living alone or with a spouse, especially in rural areas. Their children’s frequency of contact also significantly alleviated depression among non-cohabiting parents in rural areas, but not for the same types of parents living in urban areas. Compared with financial support, their children’s frequency of contact contributes more to decreasing depression among older adults living alone or with a spouse. The effect of their children’s support on depression is comparable to that of demographic characteristics, which are usually deemed as important factors in the psychological health of older adults. Moreover, we found that the marginal effects of self-rated health and pain were significant and much higher than other control variables, especially in the urban model.

Highlights

The results show that the average depression level of OALAWAS in rural areas is 18.873, higher than that in urban areas
The average scores for the frequency of contact show that OALAWAS in rural areas have a higher frequency of contact with their children than those in urban areas, in the form of more frequent in-person meetings and contact by phone or other methods
In Model 1, we found that OALAWAS in rural areas are more prone to suffering from depression than those in urban areas

Summary

Introduction

China is facing severe challenges in terms of population aging. It is predicted that the older adult population will account for more than 30% of China’s total population by. In regard to social development, the problem of older adults will become a significant issue in the future. The mental health of older adults is attracting more and more attention, because depression—as one of the most prevalent psychological diseases—is very common among older adults. From a nationwide perspective, there are significant urban–rural differences in China when it comes to depression experienced by older adults because of the uneven societal and economic development across the country. 45% of older adults in urban areas show varying degrees of depressive symptoms, while depression in rural regions is more common and severe, accounting for about 65% [2]

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