Estimating causal effects of physical disability and number of comorbid chronic diseases on risk of depressive symptoms in an elderly Chinese population: a machine learning analysis of cross-sectional baseline data from the China longitudinal ageing social survey.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

This study aimed to explore the causal effects of physical disability and number of comorbid chronic diseases on depressive symptoms in an elderly Chinese population.

Design, setting and analysis

Cross-sectional, baseline data were obtained from the China Longitudinal Ageing Social Survey, a stratified, multistage, probabilistic sampling survey conducted in 2014 that covers 28 of 31 provincial areas in China. The causal effects of physical disability and number of comorbid chronic diseases on depressive symptoms were analysed using the conditional average treatment effect method of machine learning. The causal effects model's adjustment was made for age, gender, residence, marital status, educational level, ethnicity, wealth quantile and other factors.

Outcome</

SUBMITTER: Wang Z 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10335586 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature