AUTHOR=Liu Haixia , Zhou Zhongliang , Fan Xiaojing , Shen Chi , Ma Yang , Sun Hongwei , Xu Zhaoyang 

TITLE=Association Between Multiple Chronic Conditions and Depressive Symptoms Among Older Adults in China: Evidence From the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS)

JOURNAL=International Journal of Public Health

VOLUME=68

YEAR=2023

URL=https://www.ssph-journal.org/journals/international-journal-of-public-health/articles/10.3389/ijph.2023.1605572

DOI=10.3389/ijph.2023.1605572

ISSN=1661-8564

ABSTRACT=<p><bold>Objectives:</bold> The purpose of this study was to explore the association between multiple chronic conditions (MCCs) and depressive symptoms among older adults in China.</p><p><bold>Methods:</bold> We used the fourth round of data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study, and included 9789 older adults aged 60 years old and above.</p><p><bold>Results:</bold> Compared with the older adults without chronic disease, older adults with MCCs and those with one chronic disease had a high risk of depression (MCCs: OR<sub>-adjusted</sub>: 1.55, 95% CI: 1.37 to 1.75; one chronic disease: OR<sub>-adjusted</sub>: 1.20, 95% CI: 1.05–1.37). In urban areas, the prevalence among older adults with MCCs was 2.01 times higher than that among older adults without chronic disease (OR<sub>-adjusted</sub>: 2.01, 95% CI: 1.56–2.60), while it was 1.44 times higher in rural areas (OR<sub>-adjusted</sub>:1.44, 95% CI: 1.25–1.65). Self-reported health, duration of sleep, social activities, and type of medical insurance were the influencing factors of depressive symptoms in older adults.</p><p><bold>Conclusion:</bold> This study contributed to enriching the research on the relationship between MCCs and depressive symptoms in older adults in China.</p>