Depressive symptoms and receipt of pensions: a cross-sectional analysis of the ELSI-Brazil study.

Objective: To investigate association between depressive symptoms and receipt of retirement pensions or other pensions in the Brazilian population aged 50 years or older.

Method: This was a cross-sectional study with participants from the baseline (2015-2016) of the Longitudinal Study of the Health of Elderly Brazilians. Depressive symptoms were measured by the eight-item Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale. Prevalence ratios (PR) were obtained by Poisson regression.

Results: Among the total 8,469 participants, 33.9% (95%CI 32.8;34.9) reported depressive symptoms and 52.8% (95%CI 51.8;53.9) of the participants received a retirement or other pension. Prevalence of depressive symptoms was lower among participants receiving a retirement or other pension (PR = 0.79; 95%CI 0.73;0.86). Association remained significant after adjustments for sociodemographic and health indicators (PR = 0.84; 95%CI 0.76;0.92).

Conclusion: Participants who receive retirement or other pensions are less likely to report depressive symptoms.

Main results: Prevalence of depressive symptoms was 33.9% in the population studied and, after adjusted analysis, it remained statistically lower among participants who received retirement or other pensions.

Implications for services: Prevalence of depressive symptoms was higher in individuals who do not receive retirement or other pensions, which demands attention from health services in caring for this public in vulnerable situations regarding social security.

Perspectives: Carrying out longitudinal studies capable of assessing the temporality of association between receiving retirement or other pensions and the mental health of the elderly, thus contributing to better knowledge about the social determinants of mental health.