Research article Special Issues

Gender Differences in Depressive Symptoms in U.S. Chinese Older Adults

  • Received: 29 April 2014 Accepted: 16 July 2014 Published: 30 July 2014
  • Background: This study aims to explore gender differences in depressive symptoms in U.S. Chinese older adults. Methods: Data were from the PINE study, a population-based study of U.S. Chinese older adults aged 60 years and above. The PHQ-9 was used to measure depressive symptoms. Results: Depressive symptoms were more prevalent in U.S. Chinese older women (59.2%) than in older men (48.5%). Older women were more likely to present somatic depressive symptoms and to develop moderate to severe depressive symptoms. Older age (r = 0.09, P < 0.001), lower income (r = 0.07, P < 0.01), poorer health status (r = 0.34, P < 0.001), inferior quality of life (r = 0.17, P < 0.001) and worsening health changes over the past year (r = 0.23, P < 0.001) were positively correlated with any depressive symptom in older women. Conclusions: This study emphasizes the need for developing tailored interventions for depressive symptoms in the subgroup of U.S. Chinese older adults. Further longitudinal studies should be conducted to better understand gender differences in risk factors and outcomes associated with depressive symptoms in U.S. Chinese older adults.

    Citation: Ruijia Chen, Melissa A. Simon, Xinqi Dong. Gender Differences in Depressive Symptoms in U.S. Chinese Older Adults[J]. AIMS Medical Science, 2014, 1(1): 13-27. doi: 10.3934/Medsci.2014.1.13

    Related Papers:

  • Background: This study aims to explore gender differences in depressive symptoms in U.S. Chinese older adults. Methods: Data were from the PINE study, a population-based study of U.S. Chinese older adults aged 60 years and above. The PHQ-9 was used to measure depressive symptoms. Results: Depressive symptoms were more prevalent in U.S. Chinese older women (59.2%) than in older men (48.5%). Older women were more likely to present somatic depressive symptoms and to develop moderate to severe depressive symptoms. Older age (r = 0.09, P < 0.001), lower income (r = 0.07, P < 0.01), poorer health status (r = 0.34, P < 0.001), inferior quality of life (r = 0.17, P < 0.001) and worsening health changes over the past year (r = 0.23, P < 0.001) were positively correlated with any depressive symptom in older women. Conclusions: This study emphasizes the need for developing tailored interventions for depressive symptoms in the subgroup of U.S. Chinese older adults. Further longitudinal studies should be conducted to better understand gender differences in risk factors and outcomes associated with depressive symptoms in U.S. Chinese older adults.


    加载中
    [1] Murray CJ, Lopez AD (1996) Evidence-based health policy—lessons from the global burden of disease study. Science 274(5288): 740-743
    [2] Beekman AT, Copeland JR, Prince MJ (1999) Review of community prevalence of depression in later life. Brit J Psychiat 174(4): 307-311.
    [3] Gallo JJ, Lebowitz BD (1999) The epidemiology of common late-life mental disorders in the community: themes for the new century. Psychiat Serv 50(9): 1158-1166.
    [4] Potter GG, Steffens DC (2007) Contribution of depression to cognitive impairment and dementia in older adults. Neurologist 13(3): 105-117.
    [5] Penninx BW, Guralnik JM, Ferrucci L, et al. (1998) Depressive symptoms and physical decline in community-dwelling older persons. JAMA 279(21): 1720-1726.
    [6] Dong X, Beck TT, Simon MA (2010) The association of gender, depression and elder mistreatment in a community-dwelling population: the modifying effect of social support. Arch Gerontol Geriatrics 50(2): 202-208.
    [7] Dong X, Chang ES. , Wong E, et al. (2014). Association of depressive symptomatology and elder mistreatment in a US Chinese population: findings from a community-based participatory research study. J Agres Maltreat Trauma 23(1): 81-98. doi: 10.1080/10926771.2014.864740
    [8] Schulz R, Beach SR, Ives DG, et al. (2000) Association between depression and mortality in older adults: the cardiovascular health study. Arch Int Med 160(12): 1761.
    [9] Conwell Y, Duberstein PR, Caine ED (2002) Risk factors for suicide in later life. Biol Psychiat52(3): 193-204.
    [10] Blazer DG (2003) Depression in late life: review and commentary. J Gerontol Series A: Biol Sci Med Sci 58(3): M249-M265.
    [11] Kessler RC, McGonagle KA, Swartz M, et al. (1993) Sex and depression in the National Comorbidity Survey I: Lifetime prevalence, chronicity and recurrence. J Affect Disord 29(2):85-96.
    [12] Marcus SM, Young EA, Kerber KB, et al. (2005) Gender differences in depression: findings from the STAR* D study. J Affect Disord 87(2): 141-150.
    [13] Brown DR, Milburn NG, Gary LE (1992) Symptoms of depression among older African-Americans: An analysis of gender differences. Gerontologist 32(6): 789-795.
    [14] Glaesmer H, Riedel-Heller S, Braehler E, et al. (2011) Age- and gender-specific prevalence and risk factors for depressive symptoms in the elderly: a population-based study. Int Psychogeriat23(8): 1294.
    [15] Sonnenberg CM, Beekman AT, Deeg DJ, et al. (2000) Sex differences in late life depression. Acta Psychiat Scand 101(4): 286-292.
    [16] Li J (2004) Gender inequality, family planning, and maternal and child care in a rural Chinese county. Soc Sci Med 59(4): 695-708.
    [17] Culbertson FM (1997) Depression and gender: an international review. Am Psychologist 52(1):25.
    [18] Zunzunegui MV, Minicuci N, Blumstein T, et al. (2007) Gender differences in depressive symptoms among older adults: a cross-national comparison. Soc Psychiat Psychiatry Epidemiol42(3): 198-207.
    [19] American Community Survey (2011) Available from https://www. census. gov/acs/www/Accessed on 2011.
    [20] Dong X, Chang E-S, Simon M (2011) Depression in the Chinese aging population: leveraging cultural humility to improve the quality of care of a vulnerable population. Aging Health 7(6):849-863.
    [21] Dong X, Chang E-S, Wong E, et al. (2012) The perceptions, social determinants, and negative health outcomes associated with depressive symptoms among US Chinese older adults. Gerontologist 52(5): 650-663.
    [22] Dong X, Wong E, Simon MA (2014) Study design and implementation of the PINE study. J Aging Health 0898264314526620.
    [23] American Psychiatric Association (1994) Dignostic and statistical manual of mental disorders. Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association.
    [24] Kroenke K, Spitzer RL, Williams JB (2001) The PHQ-9: validity of a brief depression severity measure. J Gen Intern Med 16(9): 606-613.
    [25] Yeung A, Fung F, Yu SC, et al. (2008) Validation of the patient health questionnaire-9 for depression screening among Chinese Americans. Compr Psychiatry 49(2): 211-217.
    [26] Chang E-S, Todd B, Simon MA, et al. (2014) A psychometric assessment of the psychological and social well-being indicators in the PINE study. Aging Health in press.
    [27] Dong X, Chang E-S, Wong E, et al. (2011) Working with culture: lessons learned from a community-engaged project in a Chinese aging population. Aging Health 7(4): 529-537.
    [28] Barry KL, Fleming MF, Manwell LB, et al. (1998) Prevalence of and factors associated with current and lifetime depression in older adult primary care patients. Family Med 30: 366-371.
    [29] Heok K, Meng K, Calvin F, et al. (1996) Comorbidity of depression in the elderly:"an epidemiological study in a Chinese community. Int J Geriat Psychiat 11(8): 699-704.
    [30] Chiu HC, Chen CM, Huang CJ, et al. (2005) Depressive symptoms, chronic medical conditions and functional status: a comparison of urban and rural elders in Taiwan. Int J Geriat Psychiat 20(7): 635-644.
    [31] Dong X, Chen R, Chang ES, et al. (2012) Elder abuse and psychological well-being: A systematic review and implications for research and policy—A mini review. Gerontology 59(2): 132-142.
    [32] Mui AC (1996) Depression among elderly Chinese immigrants: An exploratory study. Soc Work41(6): 633-645.
    [33] Matud MP (2004) Gender differences in stress and coping styles. Personal Indiv Diff 37(7):1401-1415.
    [34] Silverstein B (1999) Gender difference in the prevalence of clinical depression: the role played by depression associated with somatic symptoms. Am J Psychiat 156(3): 480-482.
    [35] Silverstein B (2002) Gender differences in the prevalence of somatic versus pure depression: a replication. Am J Psychiat 159(6): 1051-1052.
    [36] Umberson D, Wortman CB, Kessler RC (1992) Widowhood and depression: Explaining long-term gender differences in vulnerability. J Health Soc Behav 33(1): 10-24.
  • Reader Comments
  • © 2014 the Author(s), licensee AIMS Press. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0)
通讯作者: 陈斌, bchen63@163.com
  • 1. 

    沈阳化工大学材料科学与工程学院 沈阳 110142

  1. 本站搜索
  2. 百度学术搜索
  3. 万方数据库搜索
  4. CNKI搜索

Metrics

Article views(6234) PDF downloads(1310) Cited by(11)

Article outline

Figures and Tables

Tables(5)

Other Articles By Authors

/

DownLoad:  Full-Size Img  PowerPoint
Return
Return

Catalog