Different roles of social participation in socioeconomic disparities in depressive symptoms of Koreans across age groups

A double-edged sword effect: the implications of Internet exposure for Netizens' tolerant attitudes toward people living with HIV/AIDS

Enhancing societal tolerance towards people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) is crucial for curbing the spread of the disease. We investigate the impact of Internet exposure on netizens' tolerant attitudes toward PLWHA. We analyzed data from 11,927 netizens surveyed in the Chinese Social Survey (CSS) conducted in 2017, 2019, and 2021. An ordered probit model was employed to examine the direct association between Internet exposure and netizens' tolerant attitudes toward PLWHA. During this period, Chinese netizens' tolerant attitudes toward PLWHA have increased. Internet exposure enhances netizens' tolerant attitudes toward PLWHA. Social participation mediates the positive impact of Internet exposure on netizens' attitudes toward PLWHA. Additionally, subjective social status amplifies the beneficial influence of Internet exposure and social participation on these attitudes. Male netizens derive greater benefits from social participation in fostering tolerance toward PLWHA compared to female netizens. Additionally, Internet exposure exhibits a double-edged sword effect on netizens' tolerant attitudes toward PLWHA. This study represents the first systematic investigation into the impact of Internet exposure on netizens' tolerant attitudes toward PLWHA, which is conducive to improving the social status and health welfare of PLWHA.

Network analysis of the relationships between depressive symptoms and social participation activities among Chinese older adults and its implications for nursing

Objective

Network analysis was used to explore the complex inter-relationships between social participation activities and depressive symptoms among the Chinese older population, and the differences in network structures among different genders, age groups, and urban-rural residency would be compared.

Methods

Based on the 2018 wave of the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (CLHLS), 12,043 people aged 65 to 105 were included. The 10-item Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression (CES-D) Scale was used to assess depressive symptoms and 10 types of social participation activities were collected, including housework, tai-chi, square dancing, visiting and interacting with friends, garden work, reading newspapers or books, raising domestic animals, playing cards or mahjong, watching TV or listening to radio, and organized social activities. R 4.2.1 software was used to estimate the network model and calculate strength and bridge strength.

Results

21.60% (2,601/12,043) of the participants had depressive symptoms. The total social participation score was negatively associated with depressive symptoms after adjusting for sociodemographic factors. The network of social participation and depressive symptoms showed that "D9 (Inability to get going)" and "S9 (Watching TV and/or listening to the radio)" had the highest strength within depressive symptoms and social participation communities, respectively, and "S1 (Housework)", "S9 (Watching TV and/or listening to the radio)", and "D5 (Hopelessness)" were the most prominent bridging nodes between the two communities. Most edges linking the two communities were negative. "S5 (Graden work) - D5 (Hopelessness)" and "S6 (Reading newspapers/books) - D4 (Everything was an effort)" were the top 2 strongest negative edges. Older females had significantly denser network structures than older males. Compared to older people aged 65-80, the age group 81-105 showed higher network global strength.

Conclusions

This study provides novel insights into the complex relationships between social participation and depressive symptoms. Except for doing housework, other social participation activities were found to be protective for depression levels. Different nursing strategies should be taken to prevent and alleviate depressive symptoms for different genders and older people of different ages.

Individual-level community-based social capital and depressive symptoms among older adults in urban China: the moderating effects of socioeconomic status

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to examine the moderating role of socioeconomic status in the association between community-based social capital-based on individual-level cognitive and structural social capital-and depressive symptoms among older adults in urban China.

METHODS

Data were collected in 2020 through a community survey of 800 respondents aged 60 years and older living in Shijiazhuang and Tianjin. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale. Multiple-group analyses were conducted to analyze the data.

RESULTS

Measurement models of cognitive social capital and structural social capital were established. Measurement invariance was established across different socioeconomic groups. Additionally, socioeconomic status significantly moderated the association between social capital and depressive symptoms. The association between cognitive social capital and depressive symptoms was statistically significant among respondents with relatively low incomes and high levels of education, whereas the association between structural social capital and depressive symptoms was significant only among those with relatively high incomes.

CONCLUSION

Future social capital policies and interventions should adopt different strategies to provide services to older adults from different socioeconomic backgrounds. Furthermore, educational programs should promote the effects of cognitive social capital on depressive symptoms later in life.

The Effects of Urban Green Space on Depressive Symptoms of Mid-Aged and Elderly Urban Residents in China: Evidence from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study

The aim of this study is to assess the impacts of urban green space on depressive symptoms among Chinese urban residents aged 45 and older. In total, 7397 urban respondents were included in this study. Each respondent participated in the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study Wave 3 (2015). Environmental-level variables were retrieved from the National Bureau of Statistics database. Both unadjusted and adjusted methods were used in the multilevel regression analysis. Almost one-third of the sample population suffered from depressive symptoms (31.20%). The multilevel logistic regression model showed that green coverage ratio of city-built districts is negatively associated with the prevalence of depressive symptoms among urban mid-aged (OR = 0.79, p < 0.05) and elderly (OR = 0.75, p < 0.05) residents, and the public recreational green space helps to reduce elderly people’s depressive symptoms (OR = 0.77, p < 0.05). This study adds insights about the impact of green space and other environmental factors on depressive symptoms among mid-aged and elderly urban dwellers. It is important to provide enough and accessible overall urban green spaces; additionally, attention should also be paid to specific green space forms such as public recreational green space.