An Exploratory Study of the Relative Effects of Various Protective Factors on Depressive Symptoms Among Older People

The Impact of Physical Activity on Depressive Symptoms among Urban and Rural Older Adults: Empirical Study Based on the 2018 CHARLS Database

Using data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study 2018, we employed the propensity score matching method to examine the effect of physical activity on depressive symptoms among older adults across rural and urban areas. The study sample consisted of 5055 participants, with urban and rural populations representing 31.3% and 68.7%, respectively. This study found that rural older adult individuals exhibited a greater incidence of depressive symptoms and lower physical activity levels when compared to their urban counterparts. Engagement in high-intensity physical activity was identified as an effective method for mitigating depressive symptoms among older adults. However, the moderating effects of physical activity were only observed among urban older adult individuals. Our findings revealed a cross-sectional correlation between physical activity and depressive symptoms among older adult Chinese individuals, and this link differed between urban and rural areas. Although high-intensity physical activity has a positive effect on depressive symptoms among older adults, physical activity interventions should sufficiently consider the variations in older adults' living conditions and environments due to urban-rural differences so that interventions can be customized to improve the mental health of older adults.

Investigation of long-term symptoms and influencing factors in patients with mild traumatic brain injury: A cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

Traumatic brain injury is the leading cause of death and disability in individuals under the age of 45, which places a heavy disease burden on patients and society. However, the prevalence of long-term symptoms in individuals who suffered from mild traumatic brain injury and how psychosocial factors affect their long-term symptoms remain unclear.

OBJECTIVE

To determine howpsychosocial factors influence long-term symptomsin individuals who suffered from mild traumatic brain injury as well as the prevalence of long-term symptoms.

METHODS

A demographic characteristics questionnaire, adapted self-report questionnaire of family relationship quality, revised Chinese version of the disease perception questionnaire, Rivermead postconcussion syndrome symptom questionnaire, Glasgow Outcome Scale-Extended, and Brief Symptoms Inventory 18 were used to collect data anonymously. Psychosocial factors associated with long-term symptoms in individuals who suffered from mild traumatic brain injury weremeasuredusingmultiple linear regression.

RESULTS

More than half of individuals who suffered from mild traumatic brain injury showed at least 1 long-term symptom after injury. Our results indicated that family relationship quality, disease perception, and demographic characteristics were related to the long-term symptoms of individuals who suffered from mild traumatic brain injury.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study shows that theprevalence of long-term symptomsfollowingmild traumatic brain injuryishigh. Psychosocial factors are related to patients' long-term symptoms. The findings indicate that healthcare administrators ought to adopt a robust health promotion strategy that prioritizes familial support and health education of diseases to ameliorate long-term symptoms in individuals who suffered from mild traumatic brain injury.

What Determines That Older Adults Feel Younger Than They Are? Results From a Nationally Representative Study in Germany

Background

There is increasing evidence that subjective age is an important predictor of beneficial health outcomes besides chronological age. However, little is known about the factors associated with younger subjective age. This study aimed to identify which factors are predictive of feeling younger in old age. In this context, feeling younger was defined as an individual's perception of being younger than their current chronological age.

Methods

Data from 4,665 community-dwelling older people were drawn from wave 7 (2020) of the German Aging Survey (DEAS), a nationally representative study in Germany. Network, mediation, and binomial logistic regression analyses were performed to reveal the associations between feeling younger and biopsychosocial factors.

Results

A total of 4,039 participants reported feeling younger, while 626 did not. Older chronological age, engaging in sports more frequently, a better standard of living, a better state of health, higher satisfaction with life, more positive attitudes toward one's aging, and fewer depressive symptoms are associated with feeling younger in older people.

Conclusion

The present study provides novel and consistent evidence regarding the association between feeling younger and biopsychosocial factors. Further research is needed to confirm these factors and identify how they can be adapted in potential intervention studies to generate the life and health circumstances that allow older people the benefit of feeling younger.