Association of empty nest with depressive symptom in a Chinese elderly population: A cross-sectional study

Abstract Background Empty nest has been becoming the main family pattern among old people, and influencing the traditional family providing for the aged in China. This study aimed to investigate the association of empty nest with depressive symptom in a Chinese elderly population. Methods Our study was based on the baseline investigation of Zhejiang Major Public Health Surveillance which was conducted in 2014. The final analyzed sample consisted of 9215 participants aged no less than 60 years. Subjects completed a questionnaire including demographic characteristics, living arrangements, behavioral risk factors, health status, subjective assessments, and Patient Health Questionnaire-9 scale. Results More than half of the participants were empty nest elders (57.4%). The overall prevalence of depressive symptom was 10.3%, while it was higher in empty nest group than in non-empty nest group (11.6% vs. 8.6%, P