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Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology
Published in: Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology 10/2016

01-10-2016 | Original Paper

Poor mental health status and its associations with demographic characteristics and chronic diseases in Chinese elderly

Authors: Shibin Wang, Bo Li, Gabor S. Ungvari, Chee H. Ng, Helen F. K. Chiu, Changgui Kou, Yawen Liu, Yuchun Tao, Yanhua Wu, Yingli Fu, Yue Qi, Yaqin Yu, Yu-Tao Xiang

Published in: Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology | Issue 10/2016

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Abstract

Objective

Although poor mental health is associated with significant personal and societal burden, it is rarely reported in older Chinese populations. This study examined the mental health status of a large representative sample of Chinese elderly in relation to socio-demographic characteristics, lifestyle, and chronic diseases.

Methods

Multistage stratified cluster sampling was used in this cross-sectional study. A total of 4115 people aged between 60 and 79 years were selected and interviewed with standardized assessment tools. The 12-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) was used to measure general mental health with the total score of ≥4 as the threshold for poor mental health status.

Results

The adjusted percentage of poor mental health status in the whole sample was 23.8 %; 18.5 % in men and 28.9 % in women. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that female gender, widowed/separated marital status, rural abode, low income, poor diet, lack of physical exercise, and multi-morbidity were independently associated with poor mental health. The percentage of poor mental health status was significantly higher in patients with anemia, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, cataract/glaucoma, ischemic heart disease, cerebrovascular diseases, nasopharyngitis, chronic gastroenteritis/peptic ulcer, liver diseases, cholecystitis/gallstone, arthritis, or chronic low back pain.

Conclusion

Given the high rate of poor mental health status among older Chinese population, policy makers and health professionals in China should address the mental health burden of its aging population.
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Metadata
Title
Poor mental health status and its associations with demographic characteristics and chronic diseases in Chinese elderly
Authors
Shibin Wang
Bo Li
Gabor S. Ungvari
Chee H. Ng
Helen F. K. Chiu
Changgui Kou
Yawen Liu
Yuchun Tao
Yanhua Wu
Yingli Fu
Yue Qi
Yaqin Yu
Yu-Tao Xiang
Publication date
01-10-2016
Publisher
Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Published in
Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology / Issue 10/2016
Print ISSN: 0933-7954
Electronic ISSN: 1433-9285
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-016-1271-y

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