Association Between Multiple Chronic Conditions and Depressive Symptoms Among Older Adults in China: Evidence From the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS)

The purpose of this study was to explore the association between multiple chronic conditions (MCCs) and depressive symptoms among older adults in China. We used the fourth round of data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study, and included 9789 older adults aged 60 years old and above. Compared with the older adults without chronic disease, older adults with MCCs and those with one chronic disease had a high risk of depression (MCCs: OR : 1.55, 95% CI: 1.37 to 1.75; one chronic disease: OR : 1.20, 95% CI: 1.05-1.37). In urban areas, the prevalence among older adults with MCCs was 2.01 times higher than that among older adults without chronic disease (OR : 2.01, 95% CI: 1.56-2.60), while it was 1.44 times higher in rural areas (OR :1.44, 95% CI: 1.25-1.65). Self-reported health, duration of sleep, social activities, and type of medical insurance were the influencing factors of depressive symptoms in older adults. This study contributed to enriching the research on the relationship between MCCs and depressive symptoms in older adults in China.