Long-term effects of health during childhood on depressive symptoms in later life: evidence from a nationally representative survey in China.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Childhood health significantly influences mental well-being in later life, but this relationship remains underexplored in China. This study aims to investigate the long-term associations between childhood health status and depressive symptoms in older adults, emphasizing the need for early interventions to promote lifelong mental health.

Methods

We utilized data from a nationally representative survey conducted across 28 provinces of China, comprising 15,581 adults aged 45 years and older. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression scale. Logistic regression and decision tree models were applied to examine the association between childhood health and depressive symptoms in later life.

Results

The overall preval

SUBMITTER: You Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11887116 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature