Effects of Social Security and Intergenerational Support on Depression in Chinese Older Adults: The Mediating Role of Social Participation

Mental health disorders in the older population have emerged as growing health concerns along with ongoing population aging worldwide. While support provided by various agencies may play a role in combating mental health disorders such as depression, exploring the mediating role of social participation in the pathways linking different forms of support to depression could offer deeper insights. Using data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS), this study conducted structural equation modeling to investigate the impact of social security and intergenerational support on depression in older adults, as well as the mediating role of social participation. Heterogeneity by gender, education levels, and urban-rural locality were also explored. The results showed that: (1) Social security and intergenerational support were associated with lower levels of depression in older adults; (2) Social participation mediated the effect of social security and intergenerational support on older adults' depression; and (3) The effects of social security on depression were more pronounced among urban and better-educated older adults, while the effects of intergenerational support on depression were more evident among rural and less-educated older adults. Improving social security for the less advantaged could be a priority to tackle depression in older age.