Longitudinal association of spirituality with depressive symptom trajectories among older adults in mainland China. 2024

Xue Hu, and Wanrui Ma, and Yan Tong, and Mengyun Xiong, and Zhehao He, and Qiuhui Lei, and Harold G Koenig, and Zhizhong Wang
Department of General Practice, School of Clinical Medicine at Guangdong Medical University, Dongguan, Guangdong Province, China.

OBJECTIVE The relationship between spirituality and depressive symptoms among the Chinese elderly is not well known. The current study explores this relationship using longitudinal data and trajectory modeling of depressive symptoms. METHODS A longitudinal study design was used to measure depressive symptoms repeatedly from 2012 to 2021 using the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS). Group-based trajectory modeling analysis was conducted to determine the trajectories of depressive symptoms, and multiple logistic regression was used to explore the association between spirituality and depressive symptom trajectories. RESULTS A total of 2333 participants completed at least two GDS measures, and these were included in the Group-based trajectory modeling analysis. An optimal model of three trajectories was derived: no depressive symptoms group (75.2%), new-onset depressive symptoms group (14.4%), and persistent depressive symptoms group (10.4%). Logistic regression modeling revealed that higher spirituality was associated with a lower risk of both new-onset depressive symptoms (OR = 0.68, 95% CI = 0.49-0.93) and persistent depressive symptoms (OR = 0.32, 95% CI = 0.23-0.45). CONCLUSIONS Spirituality predicts a lower risk of new-onset depressive symptoms and persistent symptoms among older adults in mainland China.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008137 Longitudinal Studies Studies in which variables relating to an individual or group of individuals are assessed over a period of time. Bogalusa Heart Study,California Teachers Study,Framingham Heart Study,Jackson Heart Study,Longitudinal Survey,Tuskegee Syphilis Study,Bogalusa Heart Studies,California Teachers Studies,Framingham Heart Studies,Heart Studies, Bogalusa,Heart Studies, Framingham,Heart Studies, Jackson,Heart Study, Bogalusa,Heart Study, Framingham,Heart Study, Jackson,Jackson Heart Studies,Longitudinal Study,Longitudinal Surveys,Studies, Bogalusa Heart,Studies, California Teachers,Studies, Jackson Heart,Studies, Longitudinal,Study, Bogalusa Heart,Study, California Teachers,Study, Longitudinal,Survey, Longitudinal,Surveys, Longitudinal,Syphilis Studies, Tuskegee,Syphilis Study, Tuskegee,Teachers Studies, California,Teachers Study, California,Tuskegee Syphilis Studies
D012107 Research Design A plan for collecting and utilizing data so that desired information can be obtained with sufficient precision or so that an hypothesis can be tested properly. Experimental Design,Data Adjustment,Data Reporting,Design, Experimental,Designs, Experimental,Error Sources,Experimental Designs,Matched Groups,Methodology, Research,Problem Formulation,Research Methodology,Research Proposal,Research Strategy,Research Technics,Research Techniques,Scoring Methods,Adjustment, Data,Adjustments, Data,Data Adjustments,Design, Research,Designs, Research,Error Source,Formulation, Problem,Formulations, Problem,Group, Matched,Groups, Matched,Matched Group,Method, Scoring,Methods, Scoring,Problem Formulations,Proposal, Research,Proposals, Research,Reporting, Data,Research Designs,Research Proposals,Research Strategies,Research Technic,Research Technique,Scoring Method,Source, Error,Sources, Error,Strategies, Research,Strategy, Research,Technic, Research,Technics, Research,Technique, Research,Techniques, Research
D002681 China A country spanning from central Asia to the Pacific Ocean. Inner Mongolia,Manchuria,People's Republic of China,Sinkiang,Mainland China
D003863 Depression Depressive states usually of moderate intensity in contrast with MAJOR DEPRESSIVE DISORDER present in neurotic and psychotic disorders. Depressive Symptoms,Emotional Depression,Depression, Emotional,Depressive Symptom,Symptom, Depressive
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000368 Aged A person 65 years of age or older. For a person older than 79 years, AGED, 80 AND OVER is available. Elderly
D012307 Risk Factors An aspect of personal behavior or lifestyle, environmental exposure, inborn or inherited characteristic, which, based on epidemiological evidence, is known to be associated with a health-related condition considered important to prevent. Health Correlates,Risk Factor Scores,Risk Scores,Social Risk Factors,Population at Risk,Populations at Risk,Correlates, Health,Factor, Risk,Factor, Social Risk,Factors, Social Risk,Risk Factor,Risk Factor Score,Risk Factor, Social,Risk Factors, Social,Risk Score,Score, Risk,Score, Risk Factor,Social Risk Factor
D029181 Spirituality Sensitivity or attachment to religious values, or to things of the spirit as opposed to material or worldly interests. (from Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, 10th ed, and Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed) Spiritual Sensitivity,Sensitivities, Spiritual,Sensitivity, Spiritual,Spiritual Sensitivities,Spiritualities

Related Publications

Xue Hu, and Wanrui Ma, and Yan Tong, and Mengyun Xiong, and Zhehao He, and Qiuhui Lei, and Harold G Koenig, and Zhizhong Wang
March 2024, Aging & mental health,
Xue Hu, and Wanrui Ma, and Yan Tong, and Mengyun Xiong, and Zhehao He, and Qiuhui Lei, and Harold G Koenig, and Zhizhong Wang
December 2025, Geriatrics & gerontology international,
Xue Hu, and Wanrui Ma, and Yan Tong, and Mengyun Xiong, and Zhehao He, and Qiuhui Lei, and Harold G Koenig, and Zhizhong Wang
January 2023, Journal of psychosomatic research,
Xue Hu, and Wanrui Ma, and Yan Tong, and Mengyun Xiong, and Zhehao He, and Qiuhui Lei, and Harold G Koenig, and Zhizhong Wang
December 2025, Geriatrics & gerontology international,
Xue Hu, and Wanrui Ma, and Yan Tong, and Mengyun Xiong, and Zhehao He, and Qiuhui Lei, and Harold G Koenig, and Zhizhong Wang
December 2025, BMC geriatrics,
Xue Hu, and Wanrui Ma, and Yan Tong, and Mengyun Xiong, and Zhehao He, and Qiuhui Lei, and Harold G Koenig, and Zhizhong Wang
January 2025, Research on aging,
Xue Hu, and Wanrui Ma, and Yan Tong, and Mengyun Xiong, and Zhehao He, and Qiuhui Lei, and Harold G Koenig, and Zhizhong Wang
September 2019, BMC geriatrics,
Xue Hu, and Wanrui Ma, and Yan Tong, and Mengyun Xiong, and Zhehao He, and Qiuhui Lei, and Harold G Koenig, and Zhizhong Wang
October 2021, China CDC weekly,
Xue Hu, and Wanrui Ma, and Yan Tong, and Mengyun Xiong, and Zhehao He, and Qiuhui Lei, and Harold G Koenig, and Zhizhong Wang
November 2023, Psychogeriatrics : the official journal of the Japanese Psychogeriatric Society,
Xue Hu, and Wanrui Ma, and Yan Tong, and Mengyun Xiong, and Zhehao He, and Qiuhui Lei, and Harold G Koenig, and Zhizhong Wang
January 2023, Aging & mental health,
Copied contents to your clipboard!