Factors associated with depression of the parents who lost their only child in western China city

Abstract

Background : The number of families who lost their only child is estimated to be 10 million by 2035. The parents who lost their only child are forced to endure psychological suffering and cope with elderly care problems alone. Long-term poor mental health can affect physical health and reduce the quality of life and well-being. Methods : 130 participants were selected using the method of combining stratified sampling with cluster sampling. The study used Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) and adopted a generalized linear regression model to investigate the parents who lost their only child in Anshun city, Guizhou province, China, to comprehensively and systematically explore the depression status and it's influencing factors of the parents. Results : The parents who lost their only child of different self-rated health status ( P =0.004) and the number of chronic diseases ( P =0.001) had different GDS scores. European quality of life-5 dimensions (EQ-5D) score( P =0.019) and Social Support Rating Scale (SSRS) score ( P <0.001) were significantly associated with the depression of the parents who lost their only child. Conclusion : The parents who lost their only child is a high-risk group of depression, and targeted interventions should be carried out for them. The family doctor team should increase the frequency and content of serving them, and promptly manage their health. A diverse social support system should be built and consolidated for these parents.