Socioeconomic position in childhood and depressive symptoms in later adulthood in the Czech Republic

First-generation college graduates have similar depressive symptoms in midlife as multi-generational college graduates

Purpose

Higher education may protect an individual against depressive symptoms, yet, disadvantaged socioeconomic status (SES) during childhood, often measured by lower parental education, may put them at higher risk for depressive symptoms later in life. This study evaluates if midlife depression is similar for first-generation and multi-generation college graduates.

Methods

For US Health and Retirement Study (HRS) participants ages 55-63 (N = 16,752), we defined a 4-category exposure from parents' (highest of mother or father's) and participant's own years of education, with 16 years indicating college completion: multi-gen (both ≥ 16 years: reference); first-gen (parents <16; own ≥ 16); only parent(s) (parents ≥ 16; own <16); and neither (both <16) college graduates across three birth cohorts. We used linear regressions to evaluate relationships between college completion and depressive symptoms measured by an 8-item Center for Epidemiologic Studies - Depression (CES-D) scale. Models pooled over time evaluated differences by sex, race/ethnicity, and birthplace.

Results

First-gen and multi-gen college graduates averaged similar depressive symptoms in midlife (β : 0.01; 95% CI: 0.15, 0.13). Results were similar by sex and race/ethnicity.

Conclusion

Consistent with resource substitution theory, college completion may offset the deleterious effects of lower parental education on midlife depressive symptoms for first-generation graduates.

Educational attainment and anxiety in middle-aged and older Europeans

We examined the relationship between educational attainment (EA) and anxiety symptoms in a sample of 77,792 individuals (median age = 64 years, 55% female) from the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe. Using logistic regression, we estimated odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence interval (CI) for the association between EA (7 educational levels based on International Standard Classification of Education) and anxiety symptoms (12 or more points from the shortened 5-item version of the Beck Anxiety Inventory), adjusting for sociodemographic and health-related factors. We further explored whether the relationship varied by region, sex and age group. Independent of sociodemographic and health-related factors, higher levels of EA were associated with lower odds of anxiety symptoms. The magnitude of this association plateaued at first stage of tertiary education (OR 0.40; 95% CI 0.35-0.47, p < 0.001). The association was stronger in females, middle-aged individuals and in Central and Eastern Europe while not apparent in Northern Europe. Our findings suggest that individuals with higher education might be protected against anxiety throughout life. The protective effect of education against anxiety symptoms is more pronounced in less egalitarian regions and in females.

Socioeconomic deprivation in early life and symptoms of depression and anxiety in young adulthood: mediating role of hippocampal connectivity

BACKGROUND

Experience of early-life socioeconomic deprivation (ELSD) may increase the risk of mental disorders in young adulthood. This association may be mediated by structural and functional alterations of the hippocampus.

METHODS

We conducted a prospective cohort study on 122 participants of the European Longitudinal Study of Pregnancy and Childhood. Information about ELSD was collected via questionnaire from mothers during the first 18 months of participants' lives. At age 23-24, participants underwent examination by structural magnetic resonance imaging, resting-state functional connectivity and assessment of depressive symptoms (Mood and Feelings Questionnaire) and anxiety (Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory). The association of ELSD with brain outcomes in young adulthood was assessed with correlations, linear regression (adjusting for sex, socioeconomic position and mother's mental health) and moderated mediation analysis.

RESULTS

Higher ELSD was associated with greater depressive symptoms (B = 0.22; p = 0.001), trait anxiety (B = 0.07; p = 0.02) and lower global connectivity of the right hippocampus (B = -0.01; p = 0.02). These associations persisted when adjusted for covariates. In women, lower global connectivity of the right hippocampus was associated with stronger trait anxiety (B = -4.14; p = 0.01). Global connectivity of the right hippocampus as well as connectivity between the right hippocampus and the left middle temporal gyrus mediated the association between ELSD and trait anxiety in women. Higher ELSD correlated with a lower volume of the right hippocampus in men, but the volume of the right hippocampus was not related to mental health.

CONCLUSIONS

Early preventive strategies targeted at children from socioeconomically deprived families may yield long-lasting benefits for the mental health of the population.

Socioeconomic and Cognitive Roots of Trait Anxiety in Young Adults

In 54 participants (41% women) from the Czech arm of the European Longitudinal Study of Pregnancy and Childhood, a national birth cohort with prospectively collected data from their birth until young adulthood, we aimed to study the association between early-life socioeconomic deprivation (ELSD), cognitive ability in adolescence, trait anxiety and resting state functional connectivity of the lateral prefrontal cortex (LPFC) in young adulthood. We found that ELSD was associated with lower cognitive ability in adolescence (at age 13) as well as higher trait anxiety in young adulthood (at age 23/24). Higher cognitive ability in adolescence predicted lower trait anxiety in young adulthood. Resting state functional connectivity between the right LPFC and a cluster of voxels including left precentral gyrus, left postcentral gyrus and superior frontal gyrus mediated the relationship between lower cognitive ability in adolescence and higher trait anxiety in young adulthood. These findings indicate that lower cognitive ability and higher trait anxiety may be both consequences of socioeconomic deprivation in early life. The recruitment of the right LPFC may be the underlying mechanism, through which higher cognitive ability may ameliorate trait anxiety.

Trajectories of depressive symptoms and associated patterns of cognitive decline

The aim was to investigate the pattern and rate of cognitive decline across distinctive trajectories of depressive symptoms in older adults. In this prospective multinational cohort study on 69,066 participants (on average 64 years at baseline, 55% women), assessments of cognitive functions (immediate recall, delayed recall, verbal fluency) and depressive symptoms (EURO-D scale) were conducted at 2-year intervals. The trajectories of depressive symptoms were obtained using latent growth mixture modelling, cognitive decline was assessed using smoothing splines and linear mixed effects models. Four distinct trajectories of depressive symptoms were identified: constantly low (n = 49,660), constantly high (n = 2999), increasing (n = 6828) and decreasing (n = 9579). Individuals with increasing and constantly high depressive symptoms showed linear cognitive decline, while those with constantly low and decreasing depressive symptoms had fluctuating cognition. Participants with increasing depressive symptoms had the fastest decline, while those with decreasing symptoms were spared from decline in cognition. This study suggests that the pattern as well as the rate of cognitive decline co-occurs with specific patterns of changes in depressive symptoms over time. The most pronounced cognitive decline is present in individuals, in whom depressive symptoms increase late in life. Unique mechanisms of cognitive decline may exist for subgroups of the population, and are associated with the trajectory of depressive symptoms.

Educational attainment inequalities in depressive symptoms in more than 100,000 individuals in Europe

Background

Increasing educational attainment (EA) could decrease the occurrence of depression. We investigated the relationship between EA and depressive symptoms in older individuals across four European regions.

Methods

We studied 108,315 Europeans (54% women, median age 63 years old) from the Survey on Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe assessing EA (seven educational levels based on International Standard Classification of Education [ISCED] classification) and depressive symptoms (≥4 points on EURO-D scale). Logistic regression estimated the association between EA and depressive symptoms, adjusting for sociodemographic and health-related factors, testing for sex/age/region and education interactions.

Results

Higher EA was associated with lower odds of depressive symptoms, independent of sociodemographic and health-related factors. A threshold of the lowest odds of depressive symptoms was detected at the first stage of tertiary education (OR 0.60; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.55–0.65; p < 0.001; relative to no education). Central and Eastern Europe showed the strongest association (OR for high vs. low education 0.37; 95% CI 0.33–0.40; p < 0.001) and Scandinavia the weakest (OR for high vs. low education 0.69; 95% CI 0.60–0.80; p < 0.001). The association was strongest among younger individuals. There was a sex and education interaction only within Central and Eastern Europe.

Conclusions

Level of EA is reflected in later-life depressive symptoms, suggesting that supporting individuals in achieving EA, and considering those with lower EA at increased risk for depression, could lead to decreased burden of depression across the life course. Further educational support in Central and Eastern Europe may decrease the higher burden of depressive symptoms in women.

Economic Strain Deteriorates While Education Fails to Protect Black Older Adults Against Depressive Symptoms, Pain, Self-rated Health, Chronic Disease, and Sick Days

Background

A large body of empirical evidence on Minorities' Diminished Returns (MDRs) suggests that educational attainment shows smaller health effects for Blacks compared to Whites. At the same time, economic strain may operate as a risk factor for a wide range of undesired mental and physical health outcomes in Black communities.

Aim

The current study investigated the combined effects of education and economic strain on the following five health outcomes in Black older adults in underserved areas of South Los Angeles: depressive symptoms, number of chronic diseases, pain intensity, self-rated health, and sick days.

Methods

This cross-sectional study included 619 Black older adults residing in South Los Angeles. Data on demographic factors (age and gender), socioeconomic characteristics, economic strain, health insurance, living arrangement, marital status, health behaviors, depressive symptoms, pain intensity, number of chronic diseases, sick days, and self-rated health were collected. Five linear regressions were used to analyze the data.

Results

Although high education was associated with less economic strain, it was the economic strain, not educational attainment, which was universally associated with depressive symptoms, pain intensity, self-rated health, chronic diseases, and sick days, independent of covariates. Similar patterns emerged for all health outcomes suggesting that the risk associated with economic strain and lack of health gain due to educational attainment are both robust and independent of type of health outcome.

Conclusion

In economically constrained urban environments, economic strain is a more salient social determinant of health of Black older adults than educational attainment. While education loses some of its protective effects, economic strain deteriorates health of Black population across domains. There is a need for bold economic and social policies that increase access of Black communities to cash at times of emergency. There is also a need to improve the education quality in the Black communities.