Disparities in depression among Chinese older adults with neurodegenerative diseases

Abstract

Objectives

Neurodegenerative diseases (NDs), such as Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias, are a leading cause of death and disability in China. Although studies have demonstrated that depression is associated with NDs, little is known about the factors impacting this relationship. This study aimed to explore and identify the risk and protective factors of depression among Chinese older adults with NDs.

Methods

Data selection was based on the behavioral model of late-life depression. Data from the latest wave of the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (CLHLS, 1998-2014) in 2014 were analyzed. Among the sample, 334 older adults aged 65 and older with NDs were included in the analysis. A logistic regression analysis was conducted by SPSS 24.0.

Results

Participants who lived in urban areas (O.R.= 2.494, p< .05) or needed more support for Activity of Daily Living (O.R.= 1.136, p< .05) were more likely to have depression. Participants who lived with household members (O.R.= .380, p< .05), self-reported their health status as fair (O.R.= .250, p< .01), or believed their health status remained the same (O.R.= .331, p< .01) were less likely to have depression.

Conclusion

Our findings suggest that policymakers and healthcare professionals should pay specific attention to the regional disparities of healthcare services and the cultural background to understand the relationship between NDs and depression and improve the well-being of ND patients.

Keywords:

• Alzheimer's disease
• cultural aspects
• depression
• other dementias

Disclosure statement

None.

Author contributions

Zhichao Hao planned the study, supervised the data analysis, and wrote the paper. Zhichao Hao and Qingyi Li performed statistical analyses. Nicole Ruggiano, Xiaofu Pan, and Yuqi Guo helped to plan the study and to revise the manuscript.

Data availability statement

The data that support the findings of this study are openly available in the Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research (ICPSR) at https://doi.org/10.3886/ICPSR36692.v1, reference number: ICPSR 36692.

Correction Statement

This article has been republished with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.

Additional information

Funding

This research was supported by Chongqing Social Science Planning Major Project (Approval No. 2018 ZD007), the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (SWU 1709740 and SWU 2009106) and Southwest University's Major Cultivation Project of Humanities and Social Sciences Research (Approval No.: SWU 1807003).