Family and Cultural Correlates of Depression Among Chinese Elderly

Abstract

This study hypothesized that depressive experiences of the elderly could be aggravated by universal factors such as low social status, poor health, financial strain, and unhealthy lifestyle, as well as by factors specific to an indigenous socio-cultural environment (stressful family dynamics) of a given population. Three hundred and fifty Chinese subjects aged 65 or older were interviewed either at their homes or in the geriatric out-patient clinic of Beijing Hospital. Hierarchical logistic regression was used to examine significant predictors of depression. Results showed that certain social status, poor physical health, financial strain, unhealthy lifestyle, and stressful family situation explained 47 percent of the variance in depression. However, stressful family situation alone explained 13 percent of the variance in depression, indicating that family factors were important predictors of depression for Chinese elderly. Furthermore, this study demonstrated for the first time that verbal abuse within Chinese families is a significant correlate of depression among the elderly. Cultural implications of these findings are discussed.

Depressive Symptoms Among Older Adults in Mexico City

“…Depression was more frequent in women, and an inverse relationship between education and depression prevalence was observed 42,43 . In addition, we found a higher depression prevalence in participants reporting stressful events, as has also been found in other studies 32,44,45 . Cognitive impairment was also more common among participants with depression than in persons without depression.…”

Chronic Illnesses and Depression Among Chinese Immigrant Elders

“…Findings from research in mainland China and Hong Kong have revealed that elderly Chinese who had poor physical health appeared to suffer from a higher level of depression than those with good physical health status (Chou & Chi, 2002;Woo et al, 1994;Zhang et al, 1997). More specifically, Chou and Chi (2002) found that among several common chronic illnesses, arthritis is the only health problem that had a significantly unique effect on depressive symptoms.…”

“…More specifically, Chou and Chi (2002) found that among several common chronic illnesses, arthritis is the only health problem that had a significantly unique effect on depressive symptoms. Other studies pointed out that the aggregated level of chronic illnesses that interfere with a person's physical mobility had significant effect on depression (Zhang et al, 1997).…”

“…Self-reported health status can have a strong association with depressive symptoms. According to the literature, respondents who rated their health as good were less likely to be depressed (Mui, 1996, Mui, 1998, Woo et al, 1994Zhang et al, 1997). Chronic illnesses were measured by asking respondents, "what are the health problems that limit your activities?"…”

Depression Risks and Correlates among Different Generations of Chinese Americans: The Effects of Relationships with Friends and Relatives

“…However, the strong cultural emphasis on solidarity and interdependence among family and peers could also lead to the family and peer group placing too many demands on an individual, leaving them feeling compelled to fulfill obligations beyond their ability. While some studies found that a low level of perceived social support (Hwang et al 2000;Gao et al 2009) and a high level of social conflict (Ying and Han 2007;Zhang et al 1997) were associated with higher depression risk, increasing evidence has suggested that the associations were more nuanced than previously thought (Greenberger and Chen 1996;Tsai and Levenson 1997).…”