Husbands’ and Wives’ Physical Activity and Depressive Symptoms: Longitudinal Findings from the Cardiovascular Health Study

Q: What is the clinical evidence from this study?

Study design: Cohort. Population: Depressive symptoms in older married couples (n=2520). Intervention: Physical activity (leisure-time energy expenditure in kcal/week) vs. Lower physical activity levels / partner effects. Primary outcome: Changes in self-reported depressive symptoms (modified 10-item CES-D scale).

Q: What does this research mean for the field?

In older married couples, husbands' physical activity predicts reductions in their own depressive symptoms and increases in their wives' physical activity, but neither spouse's physical activity directly predicts changes in the other's depressive symptoms. Novelty: ClaimNovelty.INCREMENTAL. Consensus alignment: ConsensusAlignment.NEUTRAL.

Joan K. Monin; Becca R. Levy; Baibing Chen; Terri R. Fried; Sarah T. Stahl; Richard Schulz; Margaret Doyle; Trace Kershaw

doi:10.1007/s12160-015-9705-4

April 13, 2015Annals of Behavioral MedicineOpen Access

Husbands’ and Wives’ Physical Activity and Depressive Symptoms: Longitudinal Findings from the Cardiovascular Health Study

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Key result

Husbands' physical activity is linked to fewer personal depressive symptoms and higher spousal activity over 8 years.

n=2,520

Why the study?

Does physical activity predict changes in depressive symptoms in older married couples?

Key Points

To examine whether each spouse's physical activity predicts changes in their own and their partner's depressive symptoms over time in older married couples.
Evaluated 1260 married couples at baseline from the Cardiovascular Health Study across wave 1 (1989–1990), wave 3 (1992–1993), and wave 7 (1996–1997).
Conducted dyadic path analyses with self-report measures of physical activity and depressive symptoms, controlling for age, disability, and perceived social support.
Husbands' physical activity significantly predicted decreased depressive symptoms in themselves, whereas this actor effect was not significant for wives (difference between spouses: Δχ2 = 1.48, Δdf = 1, ns).
Husbands' physical activity and depressive symptoms significantly predicted wives' subsequent physical activity (Δχ2 = 1.92, Δdf = 1, ns) and wives' depressive symptoms (Δχ2 = 1.74, Δdf = 1, ns), respectively.

Study Design

Type

Cohort (n=2,520)

Multicenter

Yes

Structured PICO

Does physical activity predict changes in depressive symptoms in older married couples?

P

Population

2,520 older married adults (1,260 couples, 50% female) aged ≥65 years from four US communities in the Cardiovascular Health Study, free of institutionalization or active cancer treatment, followed for approximately 8 years.

E

Exposure

Physical activity

O

Outcome

Changes in own (actor effects) and partner's (partner effects) depressive symptomspatient reported

In older married couples, husbands' physical activity is particularly influential for both their own and their wives' psychological health.

Limitations

Lack of variables related to relationship functioning and marital quality in the CHS dataset
Reliance on self-reported rather than objective assessments of physical activity
Exclusion of the African American cohort due to differing data collection waves
Limited to three waves of physical activity data, preventing growth curve modeling

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Implication

Husbands' activity may support couples' mental health; hypothesis-generating for dyadic interventions, prospective trials needed.

Abstract

BACKGROUND: When examining older adults' health behaviors and psychological health, it is important to consider the social context. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to examine in older adult marriages whether each spouse's physical activity predicted changes in their own (actor effects) and their partner's (partner effects) depressive symptoms. Gender differences were also examined. METHOD: Each spouse within 1260 married couples (at baseline) in the Cardiovascular Health Study completed self-report measures at wave 1 (1989-1990), wave 3 (1992-1993), and wave 7 (1996-1997). Dyadic path analyses were performed. RESULTS: Husbands' physical activity significantly predicted own decreased depressive symptoms (actor effect). For both spouses, own physical activity did not significantly predict the spouse's depressive symptoms (partner effects). However, husbands' physical activity and depressive symptoms predicted wives' physical activity and depressive symptoms (partner effects), respectively. Depressive symptoms did not predict physical activity. CONCLUSION: Findings suggest that husbands' physical activity is particularly influential for older married couples' psychological health.

Discussion

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Cite This Study

Monin et al. (2015) conducted a cohort in Depressive symptoms in older married couples (n=2,520). Physical activity (leisure-time energy expenditure in kcal/week) vs. Lower physical activity levels / partner effects was evaluated on Changes in self-reported depressive symptoms (modified 10-item CES-D scale). Husbands' greater physical activity significantly predicted decreases in their own depressive symptoms and increases in wives' physical activity over 8 years, without direct partner effects on depression.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6a7d887e87be3f923b5c967f https://doi.org/10.1007/s12160-015-9705-4

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Husbands’ and Wives’ Physical Activity and Depressive Symptoms: Longitudinal Findings from the Cardiovascular Health Study

Key Points

Study Design

Structured PICO

Limitations

Ask about this paper

Implication

Abstract

Discussion

Cite This Study

Husbands’ and Wives’ Physical Activity and Depressive Symptoms: Longitudinal Findings from the Cardiovascular Health Study

Key Points

Study Design

Structured PICO

Limitations

Ask about this paper

Implication

Abstract

Discussion

Cite This Study

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