Engagement in leisure activities and depression in older adults in the United States: Longitudinal evidence from the Health and Retirement Study.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Receptive cultural engagement (e.g. attending theaters and museums) can reduce depression in older adults. However, whether specific participatory leisure activities are associated with lower rates of depression remains unknown. We aimed to test whether engagement in a diverse range of leisure activities, all of which could involve artistic or creative elements, was associated with concurrent and subsequent depression.

Methods

Using longitudinal data from 19,134 participants aged over 50 in the Health and Retirement Study, engagement in leisure activities was measured every four years, and depression every two years, between 2008 and 2016. Leisure activities included: reading books, magazines, or newspapers; writing; baking/cooking something special; making clothe

SUBMITTER: Bone JK 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8850653 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature