The association between digital technology use and depression among older people in China: a moderated mediation model.

IF 3.2 3区医学 Q2 PSYCHIATRY

Frontiers in Psychiatry Pub Date : 2025-02-10 eCollection Date: 2025-01-01 DOI:10.3389/fpsyt.2025.1457967

Qinmei Wu, Wei He, Jinfu Wang, Litao Du, Xiangli Xue, Qiang He, Yang Pan, Si Chen, Xianliang Zhang

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the association among multidimensional (Digital engagement, DE; Digital devices, DD; and Digital purpose, DP) digital technology use and depression in older Chinese, considering social participation as a mediator and physical activity level (PAL) as a moderator.

Methods: Data on 5,744 participants (aged≥60) were extracted from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study 2020 dataset. Depression was assessed using the 10-item Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale. Logistic regression examined the association between digital technology use and depression. The PROCESS program's Model 4 evaluated the mediating role of social participation, while Model 7 assessed the moderating role of PAL.

Results: Digital technology use was negatively associated with depression (DE, OR= 0.722, 95%CI: 0.609, 0.858; DD, OR= 0.739, 95%CI: 0.634, 0.860; DP, OR= 0.916, 95%CI: 0.881, 0.952). Various dimensions of digital technology use exerted direct effects on depression scores of 85.87% (DE, OR= -0.638, 95%CI: -1.036, -0.240), 86.09% (DD, OR= -0.526, 95%CI: -0.844, -0.208), and 87.82% (DP, OR= -0.173, 95%CI: -0.259, -0.087), respectively, and social participation mediated 14.13%, 13.91%, 12.18%. PAL exerted a positive moderating effect on the first half path of mediation, especially with the vigorous PAL (DE, OR= 0.591, 95%CI: 0.230, 0.952; DD, OR= 0.515, 95%CI: 0.206, 0.824; DP, OR= 0.157, 95%CI: 0.075, 0.239).

Conclusions: Multidimensional digital technology use showed an association with depression in older adults. Promoting social participation through digital technology use is associated with lower depressive symptom scores, and vigorous PAL further strengthens this association, leading to improved mental health.

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来源期刊

Frontiers in Psychiatry Medicine-Psychiatry and Mental Health

CiteScore

6.20

自引率

8.50%

发文量

2813

审稿时长

14 weeks

期刊介绍： Frontiers in Psychiatry publishes rigorously peer-reviewed research across a wide spectrum of translational, basic and clinical research. Field Chief Editor Stefan Borgwardt at the University of Basel is supported by an outstanding Editorial Board of international researchers. This multidisciplinary open-access journal is at the forefront of disseminating and communicating scientific knowledge and impactful discoveries to researchers, academics, clinicians and the public worldwide. The journal''s mission is to use translational approaches to improve therapeutic options for mental illness and consequently to improve patient treatment outcomes.