Key result
Highest cognitive social capital is linked to ~61% lower prevalence of depressive symptoms.
Why the study?
Research on the association between social capital and depressive symptoms in low- and middle-income countries was comparatively limited.
Is individual-level social capital associated with a lower prevalence of depressive symptoms among middle-aged community dwellers in rural Vietnam?
Cross-Sectional (n=3,000)
Is individual-level social capital associated with a lower prevalence of depressive symptoms among middle-aged community dwellers in rural Vietnam?
Relative Risk: 0.39 (95% CI 0.31–0.49)
Higher cognitive and structural social capital are inversely associated with depressive symptoms in middle-aged rural Vietnamese adults.
Higher social capital associated with fewer depressive symptoms; leaves open causal effects and intervention potential in rural settings.
OBJECTIVES: There has been comparatively little research on the association between social capital and depressive symptoms in low- and middle-income countries. To address this deficit this study examined the association among middle-aged adults in rural Vietnam. DESIGN: A cross-sectional study. SETTING: Data came from the baseline survey of the Khánh Hòa Cardiovascular Study, which is an ongoing prospective cohort study aiming to elucidate the determinants of cardiovascular diseases. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 3000 people aged 40-60 years old residing in rural communes in Khánh Hòa province, Vietnam. EXPOSURE OF INTEREST: Cognitive social capital (ie, low, middle and high) and structural social capital (in terms of social participation; yes or no) were assessed via a questionnaire. PRIMARY OUTCOME MEASURE: Depressive symptoms were assessed with the 11-item Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale. RESULTS: A robust Poisson regression model revealed that adults in the highest versus lowest cognitive social capital tertile had a 61% lower prevalence of depressive symptoms (prevalence ratio (PR)=0.39, 95% CI=0.31 to 0.49). Individuals with higher structural social capital were also significantly less likely to experience depressive symptoms (PR=0.74, 95% CI=0.61 to 0.90). CONCLUSION: In a cohort of 3000 middle-aged rural residents in Vietnam, both cognitive and structural social capital assessed at the individual level were inversely associated with the prevalence of depressive symptoms.
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Dang et al. (2022) conducted a cross-sectional in Depressive symptoms (n=3,000). High cognitive social capital vs. Lowest cognitive social capital tertile was evaluated on Prevalence of depressive symptoms (PR 0.39, 95% CI 0.31 to 0.49). Adults in the highest versus lowest cognitive social capital tertile had a 61% lower prevalence of depressive symptoms (PR 0.39), and those with higher structural social capital were also less likely to experience depressive symptoms.
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