The global demographic transition indicates a rapid shift toward an aging population structure. Good mental health in advanced ages is critical for a healthy aging. Problems such as depression reduce life expectancy and impose a societal burden. This study aims to examine, through a multidimensional approach, the sociodemographic, economic, health-related, functional, and psychosocial factors affecting depression levels among individuals aged 65 and over in Türkiye.
Method
In this study, microdata from the Türkiye Older Adult Profile Survey conducted by Turkish Statistical Institute (TurkStat) in 2023 was utilized. The analysis included a total of 10,348 individuals aged 65 and over who personally responded to perception-related questions. The dependent variable, depression level, was categorized as "not depressed," "mild," and "severe" according to Geriatric Depression Scale scores. In the analysis of the data, a generalized ordered logit model and marginal effects were employed due to the violation of the parallel lines assumption.
Findings
Depression was common among older adults, with 46.71% exhibiting mild depressive symptoms. Specifically, 34.26% were mildly depressed and 12.45% were severely depressed, while 53.29% were classified as non-depressed. According to the analysis results, female gender, living alone, low-income level, and experiencing financial hardship significantly increase the risk of depression. In terms of health status, poor self-rated general health, sensory impairments (vision/hearing difficulties), history of falls, and the need for home care are the main factors increasing the likelihood of depression. An increase in functional independence (KATZ index) and maintaining a physically active lifestyle exhibit protective effects. Additionally, strong neighbor support, a higher number of support people, and a sense of autonomy in decision-making processes significantly reduce the level of depression.
Conclusion
Geriatric depression in Türkiye is a multidimensional phenomenon with complex socioeconomic and environmental determinants, in addition to biological factors. In particular, older women, individuals living alone, and economically disadvantaged groups are at high risk. The findings indicate that, to support healthy aging, clinical interventions alone are insufficient; strengthening social support networks, enhancing urban accessibility, and urgently developing inclusive public health policies that promote older adults'autonomy are required.
Depressive symptoms among older adults in Turkey reflect the combined influence of health decline, functional limitations, negative psychosocial perceptions of ageing, and barriers to healthcare access.
The increase of age is related with high concerns of cognitive decline and depression which frequently influence each other in both directions. The objective of the current study is the assessment of the cognitive status and the symptoms indicating depression the older adults, in order to evaluate a structural model that subjective cognitive complaints mediate the relationship between objective cognitive performance and depression.
The current study, cross-sectional in nature, was carried out with 140 community-dwelling senior adults (63.38 ± 7.22 years). Participants were assessed by using three standardized instruments: Abbreviated Mental Test Score (AMT) for objective cognitive performance, the Persian Cognitive Difficulties Scale (PCDS-26) for subjective cognitive complaints, and the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-15) for depressive symptoms. Data were analyzed by the use of SEM (Structural Equation Modeling), together with diagonally weighted least squares (DWLS) estimation to test a partial mediation hypothesis. The finalized model fit was assessed using χ²/df, CFI, TLI, and RMSEA.
The structural model resulted in very impressive goodness-of-fit indices (χ²/df = 1.102, CFI = 0.996, RMSEA = 0.027). The analysis revealed that objective cognitive performance has a remarkable direct negative impact on depressive symptoms (β = -0.289,
p
= 0.001). Furthermore, a significant indirect pathway was also identified (β = -0.108): higher objective cognitive performance was associated with fewer subjective cognitive complaints (β = -0.201), which in turn strongly predicted lower levels of depressive symptoms (β = 0.534). The total effect of objective cognition on depression was β = -0.397.
The findings confirm that better objective cognition is linked to fewer subjective complaints and lower depression, with subjective perceptions partially mediating this relationship. This finding highlights the potential relevance of metacognitive awareness to late-life mental health. Clinically, screening for subjective cognitive complaints may help identify older adults with elevated depressive symptoms who could benefit from further assessment and appropriate interventions, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy. Therefore, clinicians should integrate assessments of subjective cognitive difficulties into routine depression screenings to provide more holistic geriatric care.
Not applicable. We clarify that this research employed a cross‑sectional design, with all data gathered and analyzed at one single time point. Therefore, the study does not constitute a clinical trial.
Farnaz Fathollahzadeh, A. Borna, Parvin Dibajnia et al.· BMC Psychiatry· 0 citations
Key factors contribute to differences in depression and anxiety symptoms among older adults: gender, body mass index, ethnicity, occupation before retirement, marital status, physical disability status, independence in activities of daily living, number of chronic diseases, smoking and drinking habits, dietary habits, recreational activities, physical activity, and sleep quality.
Jing Zhang, Feng Li, Yuntong Yao et al.· Medicine· 0 citations
Background: Depressive symptoms have become a significant public health issue faced by middle-aged and older adults in China. Although previous studies have primarily focused on demographic and socioeconomic factors, the association between modifiable lifestyle behaviors and depressive symptoms still requires further investigation. Objective: To examine the associations between sleep duration, physical activity, digital participation, social participation, and depressive symptoms as well as life satisfaction among middle-aged and older adults in China. Methods: A cross-sectional analysis was conducted using data from the 2020 China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Survey (CHARLS). Depressive symptoms were defined as CES-D-10 scores ≥10, with 13,576 individuals included in the analysis sample. Adjusted prevalence ratios (aPRs) were estimated using modified Poisson regression, while ordinal logistic regression was employed to analyze life satisfaction. The analysis controlled for covariates such as demographics, socioeconomic status, and health status, and accounted for the complex sampling design. Results: The weighted prevalence of depressive symptoms was 44.5%. Sleep deprivation (<7 h/day) was significantly associated with elevated depressive symptoms (aPR = 1.49, 95% CI: 1.33–1.68); participation in recreational activities was significantly associated with reduced depressive symptoms (aPR = 0.86, 95% CI: 0.77–0.96); adequate physical activity was associated with a higher prevalence of elevated depressive symptoms (aPR = 1.17, 95% CI: 1.04–1.32); watching videos (aPR = 0.87, 95% CI: 0.76–0.99) and playing online games (aPR = 0.65, 95% CI: 0.50–0.83) were significantly associated with reduced depressive symptoms; and overall internet use was correlated with lower life satisfaction (OR = 0.90, 95% CI: 0.81–1.00). Women, rural residents, and low-income groups exhibited higher prevalence of elevated depressive symptoms. Conclusion: Sleep deprivation, as well as different types of social engagement, physical activity, and digital behavior, exhibit distinct associations with depressive symptoms in middle-aged and older adults. Behavioral intervention strategies targeting sleep hygiene, leisure activities, and tailored digital behaviors warrant further attention.
Shu Wang, Y. Shirayama, Ishtiaq Ahmad et al.· Behavioral Science· 0 citations
BACKGROUND
Depression is a leading global health concern and is projected to become one of the major contributors to the global burden of disease in the coming decades. Increasing evidence highlights the role of social determinants-including socioeconomic conditions, social relationships, life stressors, discrimination, and environmental influences-in shaping the risk and clinical expression of depressive disorders. This study aimed to investigate social determinants associated with the presence and severity of depressive symptoms in Italian general population.
METHODS
A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 1,036 adults from the Italian general population, recruited through personal networks and online platforms using snowball sampling. Participants completed a structured questionnaire assessing sociodemographic characteristics, social support, stressful life events, quality of life, minority stress experiences, social media use, environmental and societal concerns, substance use, and mental health symptoms. Comparative analyses were performed between individuals reporting a clinician-diagnosed depressive disorder (n = 143; 13.8%) and those without a diagnosis (n = 893).
RESULTS
Participants with a depressive disorder reported significantly higher exposure to multiple adverse social determinants. They were more likely to experience stressful life events, reduced perceived social support, poorer quality of life, minority stress, and negative psychosocial effects related to social media use. Concerns regarding broader socio-environmental issues, including political instability and climate change, were also more prevalent in the diagnosed group. These social vulnerabilities were accompanied by greater severity of depressive symptoms, anxiety-related manifestations, impulse-control difficulties, aggressive behaviors, and the use of substances as a coping strategy (all p ⩽ .003).
CONCLUSIONS
The findings support social determinants framework for understanding depression, highlighting the contribution of social adversity, environmental stressors, and relational factors to the development and severity of depressive symptoms. Population-based surveys can help identify vulnerable groups and inform preventive strategies and public health interventions aimed at addressing the social conditions that contribute to depression.
Stefania Chiappini, Valerio Ricci, Francesco Di Carlo et al.· International Journal of Soc...· 0 citations
Objective To investigate the longitudinal dynamic relationships among frailty, depression, and self-perceptions of aging in community-dwelling older adults, to analyze the mediating role of depression between frailty and aging cognition, and to provide a theoretical basis for physical and mental health interventions for this population. Methods A longitudinal follow-up research design was adopted, involving three waves of surveys (T1, T2, T3) conducted with 286 community-dwelling older adults. Assessments were performed using the Frailty Phenotype, a depression scale, and a brief version of the Self-Perceptions of Aging Scale. SPSS 26.0 was used for descriptive statistics and correlation analysis, while Mplus 8.3 was employed to construct cross-lagged panel models. Covariates such as age, gender, education level, the number of chronic diseases, and cognitive function were controlled. Results The cross-lagged panel model demonstrated good fit indices. With the exception of baseline (T1) self-perceptions of aging not significantly predicting the midterm (T2) level, all other core variables exhibited significant temporal stability. Controlling for autoregressive effects and covariates, significant bidirectional predictive relationships emerged: T1 frailty significantly predicted T2 depression, and T2 depression significantly predicted T3 frailty; T1 depression significantly predicted T2 self-perceptions of aging, and T2 self-perceptions of aging significantly predicted T3 depression. Furthermore, the direct predictive path from frailty to self-perceptions of aging was not significant, suggesting that depression may constitute an indirect pathway linking frailty and self-perceptions of aging. Conclusion This study supports a dynamic psychosomatic interaction pattern among frailty, depression, and self-perceptions of aging in community-dwelling older adults. Depression serves as a core hub connecting physiological frailty and subjective aging cognition. The findings support the Psychosomatic Interaction Theory (PIT) and Stereotype Embodiment Theory (SET). These results suggest that community nursing practice should emphasize early screening and intervention for depressive symptoms. Targeting this potentially important depressive pathway may help interrupt the adverse cycle of “physiological frailty – psychological depression - negative aging cognition” among older adults can be disrupted.
Yongwei Liu, Yuyang Luo, Junjun Sun et al.· Frontiers in Public Health· 0 citations