The associations of socioeconomic status, social activities, and loneliness with depressive symptoms in adults aged 50 years and older across 24 countries: findings from five prospective cohort studies

Depression is the leading cause of mortality among mental health disorders. Evidence about the associations of socioeconomic status, social activities, and loneliness with depression is scarce. We aimed to identify whether social activities and loneliness mediate the association between socioeconomic status and depression, and the extent of interactive or joint relationships between social activities, loneliness, and socioeconomic status on depression.