The Mediating Role of Formal Social Engagement in the Relationship Between Oral Health and Depressive Symptoms Among Older Adults in South Korea

IF 3.6 3区医学 Q2 GERIATRICS & GERONTOLOGY

International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry Pub Date : 2025-04-26 DOI:10.1002/gps.70085

Pildoo Sung, Yanan Zhang, Ji-Young Choi

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Objectives

The reciprocal relationship between oral health and mental health, and the underlying mechanisms remain underexplored. This study examined whether formal social engagement mediates the relationship between oral health and mental health in both directions.

Methods

Cross-lagged panel models with two-wave mediation were applied to data from 3860 older adults, aged 65 years or above, in the two waves of the Korean Longitudinal Study of Aging conducted in 2018 and 2020. Oral health was measured using the 12-item Geriatric Oral Health Assessment Index, and mental health was assessed with the 10-item Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale.

Results

The analysis identified a reciprocal relationship between oral health and depressive symptoms, with depressive symptoms exerting a stronger effect on oral health than vice versa. Formal social engagement partially mediated the effect of oral health on depressive symptoms, but not the other way around.

Conclusions

The findings reaffirm the interplay and interdependence of oral health and mental health among older adults. Comprehensive strategies that integrate social engagement opportunities are imperative for developing interventions targeting older adults with compromised oral health.

Abstract Image

查看原文本刊更多论文

正式社会参与在韩国老年人口腔健康与抑郁症状关系中的中介作用

目的口腔健康与心理健康之间的相互关系及其潜在机制尚不清楚。本研究考察了正式的社会参与是否在两个方向上调节口腔健康和心理健康的关系。方法采用两波中介的交叉滞后面板模型，对2018年和2020年韩国老龄化纵向研究的两波3860名65岁及以上老年人的数据进行分析。口腔健康采用12项老年人口腔健康评估指数进行评估，心理健康采用10项流行病学研究中心抑郁量表进行评估。结果口腔健康与抑郁症状之间存在相互关系，抑郁症状对口腔健康的影响大于抑郁症状对口腔健康的影响。正式的社会参与部分地介导了口腔健康对抑郁症状的影响，而不是相反。结论本研究结果重申了老年人口腔健康与心理健康之间的相互作用和相互依赖关系。综合社会参与机会的综合战略对于制定针对口腔健康受损的老年人的干预措施至关重要。

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来源期刊

International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry 医学-精神病学

CiteScore

6.10

自引率

2.50%

发文量

168

审稿时长

4-8 weeks

期刊介绍： The rapidly increasing world population of aged people has led to a growing need to focus attention on the problems of mental disorder in late life. The aim of the Journal is to communicate the results of original research in the causes, treatment and care of all forms of mental disorder which affect the elderly. The Journal is of interest to psychiatrists, psychologists, social scientists, nurses and others engaged in therapeutic professions, together with general neurobiological researchers. The Journal provides an international perspective on the important issue of geriatric psychiatry, and contributions are published from countries throughout the world. Topics covered include epidemiology of mental disorders in old age, clinical aetiological research, post-mortem pathological and neurochemical studies, treatment trials and evaluation of geriatric psychiatry services.