Residential environment and depressive symptoms among Chinese middle- and old-aged adults: A longitudinal population-based study

Despite growing evidence of the relationship between residential environment and depressive symptoms, little is known about this longitudinal relationship for elderly. Based on the follow-up survey (2011, 2013, and 2015) of the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS), this study investigated the association between residential environment and depressive symptoms among Chinese middle- and old-aged adults using repeated measures mixed models and Cox proportional hazards regression models. We found that external building characteristics, indoor space layout, household facilities, and indoor environment have significant effects on depressive symptoms in the elderly. Therefore, residential environment interventions such as external built environments promotion, reasonable indoor space layout, and indoor household facilities and environment improvement can be effective ways to reduce risk of depressive symptoms among Chinese middle- and old-aged adults as well as decrease related public health burden. •Representative follow-up samples of middle- and old-aged adults from China was used.•Building structure, type, and history are associated with depressive symptoms.•Private balcony, toilet, kitchen, and living room can reduce depression.•Better household facilities are correlated with lower depression risks.•Indoor tidiness is negatively related with depressive symptoms.