Family Decision-Making Exclusion, Widowhood, and Depressive Symptoms Among Co-Resident Older Adults in India

BACKGROUND: Family co-residence is often considered protective for older adults in India but may not ensure inclusion in household decisions. This study examined how widowhood and decision-making exclusion are jointly associated with depressive symptoms among co-resident older adults. METHODS: Data came from LASI Wave 1 (2017-18) and included 27,840 married or widowed adults aged 60+. Survey-weighted logistic regression examined widowhood, decision-making exclusion, their interaction, dose-response patterns, and sex-stratified associations with CES-D depressive symptoms. RESULTS: Decision-making exclusion was highest among widowed women and lowest among married men. More extensive exclusion was associated with higher depressive symptoms, while widowhood without exclusion was not significant after full adjustment. There was little evidence that widowhood and exclusion interacted. Associations with depressive symptoms were more clearly observed among women than men. CONCLUSION: Among co-resident older adults, having a meaningful voice in family decisions may be important for mental health beyond shared residence alone.