Mediating Role of Depressive Symptoms on the Association Between Neighborhood Social Cohesion and Quality of Life in Individuals with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Few studies have explored the association between neighborhood social cohesion (NSC), a type of social capital, and the quality of life of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). In addition, the potential mechanism for this association remains unclear. The current study examined the mediation effect of depressive symptoms on the relationship between NSC and quality of life among diabetes patients in China. A cross-sectional study of 1747 T2DM patients was conducted. The specific quality of life (DSQL), Center for Epidemiological Survey Depression (CES-D), and social capital scales were administered using a face-to-face survey. Partial correlation analysis and a linear regression model were employed to explore the relationship between NSC, depressive symptoms, and quality of life. Bootstrap analysis using PROCESS was used to test the mediation model. After controlling for covariates, NSC was negatively correlated with depressive symptoms (r=-0.24, P