Search

This article presents a study that investigated the serum levels of neurotensin, pannexin-1, and sestrin-2 in individuals with chronic insomnia disorder (CID) and their relationship with sleep quality and cognitive function. The study found that CID patients had elevated levels of neurotensin and pannexin-1, and decreased levels of sestrin-2 compared to healthy individuals. These biomarkers were associated with objective measures of sleep quality and cognitive function. The findings suggest that neuronal dysfunction may contribute to the impaired sleep quality and cognitive dysfunction observed in CID patients. [Extracted from the article]

Background: The global impact of the COVID-19 pandemic had significantly altered the daily routines of people worldwide. This study aimed to compare how sleeptime and depression among Chinese residents had differed between periods during and outside the epidemic. Furthermore, it delved into the interactive effect of age in this relationship. Method: Utilizing data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) study in 2015 and the recently released data from 2020, which covered the pandemic period. Depression was assessed using Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CESD-10), considering a score of 10 or higher as indicative of depression. Participants were categorized based on age, specifically those aged 60 years and older. multivariate logistic regression and interaction analyses were employed to assess the interplay of age, supported by subgroup and sensitivity analyses to reinforce our findings. Results: The 2020 database comprised 19,331 participants, while the 2015 database had 10,507 participants. Our findings demonstrated a significant correlation between sleeptime and depression in both unadjusted models and models adjusted for all variables in both datasets (p<0.001). Upon stratifying by age and adjusting for relevant factors, we identified an interaction effect among age, sleeptime, and depression (p=0.004 for the interaction in the 2020 database, compared to 0.004 in 2015). The restricted cubic spline analysis in both datasets showcased a nonlinear relationship between sleeptime and depression. Conclusions: During both epidemic and non-epidemic periods in China, there existed a correlation between sleep duration and depression, which interacts with age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The move away from investigating mental disorders as whole using sum scores to the analysis of symptom-level interactions using network analysis has provided new insights into comorbidities. The current study explored the dynamic interactions between depressive and anxiety symptoms in older Chinese adults with diabetes mellitus (DM) and identified central and bridge symptoms in the depression-anxiety network to provide potential targets for prevention and intervention for depression and anxiety. Methods: This study used a cross-sectional design with data from the 2017-2018 wave of the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (CLHLS). A regularized partial correlation network for depressive and anxiety symptoms was estimated based on self-reported scales completed by 1685 older adults with DM aged 65 years or older. Depressive and anxiety symptoms were assessed using the 10-item Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CESD-10) and the Seven-Item Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale (GAD-7), respectively. Expected influence (EI) and bridge expected influence (BEI) indices were calculated for each symptom. Results: According to cutoff scores indicating the presence of depression and anxiety, the prevalences of depression and anxiety in our sample were 52.9% and 12.8%, respectively. The comorbidity rate of depression and anxiety was 11.5%. The six edges with the strongest regularized partial correlations were between symptoms from the same disorder. "Feeling blue/depressed", "Nervousness or anxiety", "Uncontrollable worry", "Trouble relaxing", and "Worry too much" had the highest EI values. "Nervousness or anxiety" and "Everything was an effort" exhibited the highest BEI values. Conclusion: Central and bridge symptoms were highlighted in this study. Targeting these symptoms may be effective in preventing the comorbidity of depressive and anxiety symptoms and facilitate interventions in older Chinese adults with DM who are at risk for or currently have depressive and anxiety symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Data on the correlation between glycemic variability and depression in nondiabetic patients remain limited. Considering the link between increased glycemic variability and cardiovascular risks, this relationship could be significant in depressed patients. Methods: In this single-center pilot study, we utilized Flash Glucose Monitoring (Abbott Libre Pro) to study glycemic variability. The CES-D (Center for Epidemiological Studies- Depression) scale was employed to measure depression levels. Based on CES-D scores, patients were classified into two groups: those with scores ≥ 33 and those with scores < 33. We analyzed various glycemic variability indices, including HBGI, CONGA, ADDR, MAGE, MAG, LI, and J-Index, employing the EasyGV version 9.0 software. SPSS (version 28) facilitated the data analysis. Results: We screened patients with depression visiting the department of psychiatry, FGM was inserted in eligible patients of both the groups which yielded a data of 196 patient-days (98 patient-days for CES-D ≥33 and 98 patient-days for CES-D <33). The glycemic variability indices CONGA (mg/dl), (76.48 ±11.9 vs. 65.08 ±7.12) (p =0.048), MAGE (mg/dl) (262.50 ± 25.65 vs. 227.54±17.72) (p =0.012), MODD (mg/dl) (18.59 ±2.77 vs. 13.14 ±2.39) (p =0.002), MAG(mg/dl) (92.07 ±6.24vs. 63.86 ±9.38) (p = <0.001) were found to be significantly higher in the CES-D >33 group. Conclusion: Patients with more severe depressive symptoms, as suggested by CES-D ≥33, had higher glycemic variability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The association between social activities and depressive symptoms remains unclear. This study aimed to explore the relationship between social activities at baseline and the long-term depressive-symptoms trajectories among a cohort of middle-aged and older adults in China. Methods: This study included 13,258 participants aged 45 years and older from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS). Depressive symptoms across four waves from 2011 to 2018 were evaluated using the 10- item Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CESD-10). Four types of social activities were assessed at baseline by self-report: (1) interacting with friends; (2) playing Mahjong, chess, and cards or attending a community club; (3) providing help to family, friends, or neighbors; and (4) attending a sporting or social event or club. Group-based trajectory modeling (GBTM) was used to map depressive-symptoms trajectories during the follow-up period. Results: Not interacting with friends at baseline was associated with an increased risk of increasing (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 1.21, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.03, 1.41) and severe-stable (aOR: 1.35, 95% CI: 1.10, 1.65) depressivesymptoms trajectories. Participants who did not play Mahjong, cards, or chess and did not attend a sporting or social event or club at baseline were more likely to have mild-stable, decreasing, increasing, and severe-stable depressivesymptoms trajectories. Conclusion: Social activities play an important role in long-term depressivesymptoms trajectories in middle-aged and older Chinese adults. Interacting with friends, attending sports, or social clubs may prevent depressive symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The study aimed to investigate the effects of sleep and exercise, individually and jointly, on depressive symptoms in Chinese adolescents. Methods: Cluster sampling was used to conduct a cross-sectional, electronic survey among 11,563 students from five primary and high schools in Sichuan Province in Western China. The questionnaire contained custom-designed items concerning sleep and exercise, while it used the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale to assess depressive symptoms and the Core Self-Evaluations Scale to assess core self-evaluation. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and multivariate linear regression. Results: A total of 10,185 valid questionnaires were collected, corresponding to an effective response rate of 88.1%. Among the respondents in the final analysis, 5,555 (54.5%) were boys and 4,630 (45.5%) were girls, and the average age was 15.20 ± 1.72 years (range, 11-18 years). Only less than half of the respondents (4,914, 48.2%) reported insufficient sleep, while the remainder (5,271, 51.8%) had adequate sleep. Nearly one-quarter (2,250, 22.1%) reported insufficient exercise, while the remainder (7,935, 77.9%) reported adequate exercise. More than half of the respondents (5,681, 55.7%) were from vocational high school, 3,368 (33.1%) were from junior high school, 945 (9.3%) were from senior high school, and 191 (1.9%) were from primary school. The prevalence of depressive symptoms among all respondents was 29.5% (95% CI 28.7%-30.4%). When other variables were controlled, the depression score did not vary significantly with gender (B = -0.244, SE = 0.127, P = 0.054), but it decreased by 0.194 points per 1-year increase in age (B = -0.194, SE = 0.037, P < 0.001). Students getting adequate sleep had depression scores 2.614 points lower than those getting insufficient sleep (B = -2.614, SE = 0.577, P < 0.001), while students who engaged in adequate exercise had depression scores 1.779 points lower than those not exercising enough (B = -1.779, SE = 0.461, P < 0.001). The depression score decreased by 0.919 points per 1-point increase in the core self-evaluation score (B = -0.919, SE = 0.008, P < 0.001). In regression controlling for gender, age, and core self-evaluation, sleep and exercise were found to be related significantly to influence depressive symptoms (B = 0.821, SE = 0.315, P = 0.009). Conclusion: Adequate sleep and adequate exercise are individually associated with milder depressive symptoms in Chinese adolescents. Our results further highlight the need for researchers and clinicians to take into account not only the individual but also the joint effects of sleep and exercise on depression in adolescents when conducting research and designing interventions. If sleep or physical exercise has substantially reduced the risk of depressive symptoms, further reductions by improving sleep and exercise become difficult and may even have opposite effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Mental health research exists for university students in the areas of prevalence and association of depression, internet addiction and healthy lifestyle behaviors. However, the studies examining prevalence rates and these relationships in athlete university students are needed. This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between depression, healthy lifestyle behaviors and internet addiction among athlete university students in Turkey. Methods: A cross-sectional design was conducted, measuring depression using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale, healthy lifestyle behaviors (HPLP-II), and internet addiction (YIAT-SF). Predictive factors associated with depressive symptoms were estimated using binary logistic regression. Results: Of the 501 participants, 61.3% were male, with a mean age of 21.45 years (SD: 3.19). Student-athletes were at risk of depressive symptoms (76.4%), internet addiction (34.4%) and had moderate healthy lifestyle behaviors (130.41 ± 22.93). No significant differences were found for age, smoking, time spent on social network, number of sports days, number of social networks use for depressive symptoms (p > 0.05), however significant differences were found for depressive symptoms by sex and living with family status (p < 0.05). Pathological internet addiction (OR: 12.74, 95% CI: 2.91-55.77) and low spiritual growth (OR: 0.854, 95% CI: 0.79-0.92) were found to be predictors of depressive symptoms within the athlete university students (p < 0.001). Conclusion: The athlete university students are at increased risk for depressive symptoms and internet addiction and decreased healthy lifestyle behaviors. It is essential to establish programs to improve the mental health of students in universities and to strengthen the psychological counseling services offered to students. These findings can assist universities in establishing effective measures to improve mental health outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Inequalities may exist in social and health status among nurses with different employment types. Few studies have investigated the relationship between social support and depressive symptoms among formally employed nurses compared with those in contract-based employment. This study aimed to examine the associations between social support and depressive symptoms among Chinese nurses with different forms of employment. Methods: The present cross-sectional study was performed with 1,892 nurses from 12 tertiary hospitals in Shandong Province, China. The Social Support Rating Scale and the 10-item Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale were used to measure social support and depressive symptoms, respectively. The association between social support and depressive symptoms among participants was explored using multiple linear regression analysis. Results: The prevalence of depressive symptoms was 45.7%. The mean score for total social support was 40.16 (SD = 7.47), which was lower than the norms in the general Chinese population. Formally employed participants’ total social support scores were statistically significantly higher than those of contract-based employees (p ≤ 0.05). After controlling for confounding factors, the multiple linear regression analysis showed that subjective support and support utilization scores were inversely associated with depressive symptoms. Objective support scores were negatively associated with depressive symptoms only among contractemployment nurses. Conclusion: Chinese nurses have a higher prevalence of depressive symptoms and lower social support than the Chinese general population. Compared with contract-employment nurses, formally employed nurses had higher social support. Inverse associations exist between social support and depressive symptoms among nurses with different types of employment. It is suggested that improving Chinese nurses’ social support levels and reducing their depressive symptoms, especially for nurses employed through contracts, are critical. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Activities of daily living (ADL) disability is a concern in the aging population and can lead to increased health service demands and lower quality of life. The aim of this longitudinal study was to assess the associations of chronic conditions and depressive symptoms with ADL disability. Methods: This prospective cohort study used two waves of data (2011 and 2015) from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS). A total of 10,864 participants aged 45 and older were included for analysis. Chronic diseases were assessed by self-report and depressive symptoms were assessed using the validated 10-item of Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale at baseline. Incidents of ADL disability during follow-up were assessed using the Katz ADL scales. Results: After 4 years of follow-up, there were 704 participants incidents of ADL disability. The incident rate was 17.22 per 1,000 person-years. Having at least one chronic disease was independently associated with a 39% increased risk of incident ADL disability (adjusted HR, 1.39; 95%CI: 1.16, 1.67). The presence of depression symptoms was independently associated with a 54% increased risk of incident ADL disability (adjusted HR, 1.54; 95%CI: 1.30, 1.82). However, there was no significant additive interaction effect between chronic diseases and depressive symptoms on ADL disability. Conclusion: Chronic diseases and depressive symptoms are associated with an increased risk of ADL disability in middle-aged and older Chinese adults. Improving chronic diseases and depressive symptoms can prevent ADL disability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Low back pain is a common medical condition among the general population that is associated with many adverse health effects when comorbid with depressive symptoms. However, little is known about depressive symptoms in the population with low back pain in China. Our study evaluated the prevalence of depressive symptoms and analyzed the factors associated with this condition in the Chinese population with low back pain. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of data from the 2018 China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study. We collected low back pain information for each participant and identified depressive symptoms using the brief version of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale. A wide range of sociodemographic and health-related characteristics of the subjects were extracted. We measured the prevalence of depressive symptoms comorbid with low back pain and analyzed the associated factors by multiple logistic regression. Results: A total of 5,779 respondents aged 45 and over with low back pain formed the sample, 41.8% of whom reported depressive symptoms. Multiple logistic regression analysis indicated greater vulnerability to depressive symptoms among females (OR = 1.41, 95% CI, 1.16-1.73), relatively younger persons (60-74 years: OR = 0.72, 95% CI, 0.63-0.83; ≥ 75 years: OR = 0.62, 95% CI, 0.49-0.79, reference: 45-59 years), those from the central and western regions (central: OR = 1.39, 95% CI, 1.18-1.64; western: OR = 1.56, 95% CI, 1.33-1.83), participants with extremely short sleep duration (OR = 2.74, 95% CI, 2.33-3.23), those with poor self-perceived health status (OR = 2.91, 95% CI, 2.34-3.63,), multisite pain (OR = 1.54, 95% CI, 1.20-1.98) and disability in activities of daily living (Basic: OR = 1.70, 95% CI, 1.47-1.98; Instrumental: OR = 1.95, 95% CI, 1.70-2.24). Conclusion: Depressive symptoms were highly prevalent in the Chinese population ≥ 45 years with low back pain. More attention should be paid to the individuals at high-risk confirmed by this study to facilitate early identification and intervention against depressive symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Various studies show that sleep quality, life skills, and cortisol are associated with depressive symptoms, separately. However, the relationships between sleep quality, life skills, cortisol, and depressive symptoms remain unclear. Thus, this study aims to examine the mediating or moderating roles of life skills and cortisol in the relationship between sleep quality and depressive symptoms. Methods: A retrospective cross-sectional study was performed among 212 adolescents with childhood household dysfunction (CHD) from August to October 2020 in China. We used the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, the Secondary School Student Life Skills Rating Scale, and the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale to measure sleep quality, life skills, and depressive symptoms, respectively. Additionally, 65 participants provided blood samples to assess their blood cortisol levels. Analyses included correlations, regressions, and structural equation models. Bootstrapping was performed to examine the mediation effect. Multiple regression analysis was performed to examine the moderation effect. Results: The results showed that sleep quality and life skills were significantly associated with depressive symptoms (p < 0.01). Life skills mediated the relationship between sleep quality and depressive symptoms. Cortisol moderated the relationship between sleep quality and depressive symptoms. Conclusion: Our findings support potential mediating and moderating roles of life skills and cortisol in the relationship between sleep quality and depressive symptoms, which suggests improving sleep quality, life skills are of great significance in the prevention and intervention of depression in adolescents with CHD, and disseminating knowledge about the high risk of developing increased depressive symptoms among adolescents with CHD with higher cortisol levels is indicated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The burden of depression in the elderly is increasing worldwide with global aging. However, there is still a lack of research on the relationship between depressive symptoms and the progression of renal function. Our aim is to evaluate the longitudinal association between baseline depressive symptoms and the changes in serum cystatin C levels over 10 years' follow-up period. Methods: We used longitudinal data from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS), an existing community based nationally representative aging cohort study which enrolled individuals over age 50 in the USA. Depressive symptoms were determined using an eight-item version of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CESD) at wave 7 (2004) and wave 8 (2006). Persistent depressive symptoms were defined as both CESD scores measured at waves 7 and 8 were ≥3; episodic depressive symptoms were defined as CESD scores ≥3 at wave 7 or wave 8. A linear mixed model was used to evaluate the correlation between baseline depressive symptoms and future changes in cystatin C levels. Results: The mean age of the 7,642 participants was 63.8 ± 10.8 years, and 60.9% were women. Among the participants, 1,240 (16.2%) had episodic depressive symptoms and 778 (10.2%) had persistent depressive symptoms. Compared with participants with no depressive symptoms at both waves, a significant increase in serum cystatin C levels was found among those with persistent depressive symptoms. Conclusions: Our results showed that baseline persistent depressive symptoms were significantly associated with an increased rate of serum cystatin C levels. The level of serum cystatin C should be monitored in the elderly with persistent depressive symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This study aimed to explore the impact of early neighborhood cohesion, and its mechanism, on cognitive function in later life. Methods: In total, 10,727 Chinese elderly, aged 60–90, forming two datasets (2014 and 2018) from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) were used as a sample. Childhood neighborhood cohesion was measured by the extent of how much neighbors were willing to help and how close-knit neighbors were. Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CESD-10) were used to assess the cognitive functions and depression of the elderly. We used a structural equation model to examine the relationship between early neighborhood cohesion and late-life cognitive function and conducted bootstrapping analyses to assess the mechanism. Results: Cognitive function was positively predicted by childhood neighborhood cohesion (β = 0.06, p < 0.001), and cognitive function of the elderly were also positively predicted through the mediating effects of childhood friendships, which included depression and social activity participation as two chain paths. Conclusion: The findings suggest that childhood neighborhood cohesion positively predicts cognitive function among elderly people through the mediating roles of childhood friendship, depression, and social activity engagement. Childhood neighborhood cohesion is correlated with better childhood friendships, then to fewer depression symptoms and greater elderly social activity participation, and finally to better cognitive functions in the elderly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Internet addiction (IA) symptoms are common among adolescents and negatively impact their academic performance and development. These symptoms are also associated with lower quality of life (QOL) and increased suicidality. This study aimed to examine the prevalence and the sociodemographic and clinical correlates of IA symptoms in adolescents with major depressive disorder (MDD) and their association with QOL. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in three general and four psychiatric hospitals in Anhui Province, China, from January to July 2021. Sociodemographic and clinical data were collected. The Internet Addiction Test (IAT), Center for Epidemiologic Studies of Depression Symptom Scale (CES-D), and World Health Organization Quality of Life Brief version (WHOQOL-BREF) were utilized to examine IA, depressive symptoms, and QOL, respectively. Results: In a multicenter sample of 278 adolescents with MDD, the prevalence of IA symptoms in adolescents with MDD was 46.8% (95% CI: 40.9–52.7%). Logistic regression analysis showed that patients with more severe depressive symptoms (odds ratio [OR] = 1.05, 95% CI: 1.03–1.08), those living in a rural area (OR = 1.94, 95% CI: 1.15–3.27), and those with poor academic performance (OR = 2.90, 95% CI: 1.42–5.95) were more likely to have IA symptoms. After controlling for confounding factors, patients with IA symptoms had significantly poorer QOL in the physical, psychological, and environmental domains than those without IA symptoms. Conclusion: IA symptoms are common in adolescents with MDD and appear to be associated with clinical symptoms. We could not infer a causal relationship between IA and depression because this was a cross-sectional study. Considering the positive association between IA symptoms and lower QOL, screening for IA symptoms should be conducted, and effective measures should be implemented for adolescents with MDD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The main objective of the current study was to gain insight into the heterogeneity and profiles of depressive symptoms in Chinese individuals aged 45 and over and to determine the optimal cut-off point for the 10-item Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D-10) to provide a reference for future practical application. Methods: The participants were 16,997 Chinese community-dwelling adults aged 45 years or older who completed survey interviews for the 2018 China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study. The current study utilised latent profile analysis (LPA) to identify distinct profiles based on participants' responses to CES-D-10 items, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analyses were applied to determine the optimal cut-off point for the CES-D-10 scale. Results: A three-profile solution was suggested as the optimum and included a "minimal depression" group (63.1%), "mild depression" group (23.4%) and "moderate-severe depression" group (13.5%); 36.9% (95% CI: 36.2 ∼ 37.6%) were considered at risk for probable depression. The "minimal depression" group was viewed as "non-cases," and the remaining were viewed as "cases" that served as the reference standard for the ROC analysis, which obtained an AUC value of 97.8% (95% CI: 97.7–98.0%) and identified an optimal cut-off point of 10 (sensitivity:91.93%, specificity: 92.76%, and accuracy: 92.45). Conclusion: The identification of these distinct profiles underscores the heterogeneity in depressive symptoms among Chinese middle-aged and older adults. The CES-D-10 scale was demonstrated to have acceptable psychometric properties, with a cut-off point of 10 recommended for future research and practical application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The complex interrelationships between family function and adolescents' depressive symptoms are not yet fully clarified, especially in China. Based on the family systems theory, this study explored the relationships between family function and Chinese adolescents' depressive symptoms by a 3-year longitudinal study design. Three waves of data were collected from 1,301 Chinese middle school students in Grade 7 to Grade 9. All participants completed the Chinese Family Assessment Instrument (CFAI) and the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) once a year during the junior middle school period. Our results showed that both family function and adolescent depressive symptoms were stable in Grade 7 and Grade 8, but in Grade 9, family function increased and depressive symptoms declined. Furthermore, we found that the family function in Grade 7 negatively influenced depressive symptoms of adolescents in Grade 8, while adolescent depressive symptoms in Grade 8 negatively impacted subsequent family function in Grade 9, namely there was a circular effect between family function and adolescent depressive symptoms. These findings suggest that the associations between family function and adolescents' depressive symptoms are dynamic and time-dependent. Our study contributes to the intervention aimed at the reduction of adolescent depressive symptoms from the family perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This study examines changes over time in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among children who survived the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake and the relevant predictive variables. Methods: A total of 203 children and adolescents were investigated 24 months after the earthquake, and 151 children and adolescents completed the 1-year follow-up study. Participants completed the Children's Revised Impact of Event Scale (CRIES-13), the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) and the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC). Hierarchical linear regression analysis was used to evaluate the predictors of changes in PTSD severity. Results: Eighty percent of the children still had some PTSD symptoms 2 years after the Wenchuan earthquake, and 66.25% of the children had symptoms that lasted 3 years. In the model predicting PTSD symptom severity, the loss of family members and child burial explained a significant 21.9% of the variance, and depression explained a significant 16.7% of the variance. In the model predicting changes in PTSD severity, the change scores for resilience and depression explained a significant 18.7% of the variance, and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) explained a significant 33.6% of the variance. Conclusions: PTSD symptoms in children and adolescents can persist for many years after trauma. In addition to using psychological interventions to improve PTSD symptoms, improvements in depression and resilience should also be considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To evaluate the knowledge, anxiety, depression, and sleep quality toward COVID-19 among Chinese medical staff from tertiary and basic-level hospitals in central south areas of China. Method: A structured questionnaire was composed of Demographic and clinical characteristics of medical staff, Knowledge toward COVID-19 including epidemiology and clinical manifestations, The Self-rating anxiety scale (SAS), Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D), and The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). It was administered to medical staff from tertiary hospitals (Group A) (n = 407) and basic-level hospitals (Group B) (n = 388) during February 2020 and May 2020. Results: Medical staff in group A had a stronger knowledge toward COVID-19 than group B (23.69 ± 5.83 & 18.15 ± 6.35, p < 0.001). Mild anxiety symptoms were found in both groups. The SAS scores (Mean ± SD) of group B were 58.87 ± 10.17, which was significantly higher than that of group A (52.59 ± 12.09, p < 0.001). There were no significant differences in CES-D scores between the two groups (p = 0.981). The mean score of total PSQI in group B (8.41 ± 3.03) was statistically higher than that of group A (7.31 ± 3.74, p < 0.001). Additionally, the scores of sub-components of group B, including subjective sleep quality, sleep latency, sleep disorder, sleeping medication use and daytime dysfunction, were significantly higher compared to Group A (p < 0.05). Conclusions: Our study showed greater anxiety, more severe depression and poorer sleep quality among medical staff in central south areas of China during the COVID-19 outbreak. Additionally, compared to the tertiary hospital group, medical staff from basic-level hospitals had poorer knowledge toward COVID-19 and worse mental health conditions. In addition, residence, specialty, title and education level may also be factors of knowledge of COVID-19 and psychiatry problems. In light of this information, more attention should be paid to early identification and intervention of symptoms of anxiety and depression in susceptible medical staff from the basic-level hospitals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Elderly people face particular challenges in their everyday lives, and these are likely to be caused by physical health, mental health, cognitive function, and lack of maintaining a connection to other people. This study aims to explore a meaningful measure of human connectedness among the elderly in rural China and to examine the extent to which it impacts elderly people's physical and mental health as well as their cognitive function. Methods: Survey data were collected from 483 participants who were aged 60 and older in northeast rural China. The outcome variables included cognitive function, which was assessed by the Short Portable Mental Status Questionnaire; depressive symptoms, which were measured by the 10-item version of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale; and the participants' physical health, which was assessed by a 15-item checklist. On the other hand, human connectedness was constructed by perceived family support, which was measured by the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support; the sense of community, which was measured by the Brief Sense of Community Scale; and the satisfaction of connectedness with others (i.e., with family members and friends). Results: Structural equation modeling analysis confirms that perceived family support, community feelings, and perceived satisfactory connections with family and friends constitute a sufficient representation of human connectedness. Moreover, human connectedness also significantly predicted one's mental and physical well-being as well as cognitive function (b = 0.11, SD = 0.02, β = 0.50, p < 0.001; model fitting indexes X (16) 2 = 17.27, p = 0.368, CFI = 0.998, and RMSEA = 0.013). Conclusion: The present study is the first attempt to explore the latent structure of human connectedness and its positive impact on cognitive function as well as physical and mental health among elderly people. The implications and the importance of fostering a stronger social support network, especially for the aging population, are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BackgroundTransition from employment to retirement is regarded a crucial event. However, there is mixed evidence on associations between retirement and mental health, especially regarding early retirement. In Germany, cases of early retirement due to ill health—particularly, mental ill health—are increasing. Therefore, we investigated the association between early retirement and depressive symptoms, including information on different types of early retirement.MethodsWe analyzed data from 4,808 participants of the population-based LIFE-Adult-Study (age: 40–65 years, 654 retired, 4,154 employed), controlling for sociodemographic information, social network, pre-existing health conditions, and duration of retirement. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale. Regression analysis using entropy balancing was applied to achieve covariate balance between retired and employed subjects.ResultsWe found no overall-differences in depressive symptoms between employed and retired persons (men: b = −.52; p = 0.431; women: b = .05; p = .950). When looking at different types of early retirement, ill-health retirement was linked to increased depressive symptoms in women (b = 4.68, 95% CI = 1.71; 7.65), while voluntary retirement was associated with reduced depressive symptoms in men (b= −1.83, 95% CI = −3.22; −.43) even after controlling for covariates. For women, statutory retirement was linked to lower depressive symptomatology (b = −2.00, 95% CI = −3.99; −.02).ConclusionDepressive symptomatology among early retirees depends on reason for retirement: For women, ill-health retirement is linked to higher levels of depressive symptoms. Women who retire early due to ill-health constitute a risk group for depressive symptoms that needs specific attention in the health care and social security system.

Background: Transition from employment to retirement is regarded a crucial event. However, there is mixed evidence on associations between retirement and mental health, especially regarding early retirement. In Germany, cases of early retirement due to ill health—particularly, mental ill health—are increasing. Therefore, we investigated the association between early retirement and depressive symptoms, including information on different types of early retirement. Methods: We analyzed data from 4,808 participants of the population-based LIFE-Adult-Study (age: 40–65 years, 654 retired, 4,154 employed), controlling for sociodemographic information, social network, pre-existing health conditions, and duration of retirement. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale. Regression analysis using entropy balancing was applied to achieve covariate balance between retired and employed subjects. Results: We found no overall-differences in depressive symptoms between employed and retired persons (men: b = −.52; p = 0.431; women: b =.05; p =.950). When looking at different types of early retirement, ill-health retirement was linked to increased depressive symptoms in women (b = 4.68, 95% CI = 1.71; 7.65), while voluntary retirement was associated with reduced depressive symptoms in men (b= −1.83, 95% CI = −3.22; −.43) even after controlling for covariates. For women, statutory retirement was linked to lower depressive symptomatology (b = −2.00, 95% CI = −3.99; −.02). Conclusion: Depressive symptomatology among early retirees depends on reason for retirement: For women, ill-health retirement is linked to higher levels of depressive symptoms. Women who retire early due to ill-health constitute a risk group for depressive symptoms that needs specific attention in the health care and social security system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: Depression is prevalent among university students worldwide, and the prevalence appears to be increasing. As an intermediate stage between being healthy and having depression, students with subthreshold depression could develop worsening depression or recover with intervention to prevent depression. The Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) is a useful tool to assess subthreshold depression. The primary purpose of the current study was to evaluate the psychometric characteristics of CES-D in Chinese university students. Secondly, we aimed to describe the prevalence of subthreshold depression among the student sample and examine its demographic correlates.Methods: A total of 2,068 university students participated in the study, and they were asked to respond to the Chinese CES-D, Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II), and Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS). The factor structure was evaluated by conducting exploratory (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) using a structural equation modeling approach. The reliability was assessed by calculating Cronbach’s alpha, inter-item correlation, and item-total correlation coefficients. The prevalence of subthreshold depression was calculated and demographic correlates of gender, grade, and major were examined by multiple regression.Results: The final sample included 1,920 participants. The EFA results suggested extraction of three factors (somatic symptoms, negative affect, and anhedonia) that account for 52.68% of total variance. The CFA results suggested that the newly derived model with 14 items was the best fit for our data. Six items were removed from the original scale (item 9, 10, 13, 15, 17, and 19). The Cronbach’s alpha of the 14-item CES-D was 0.87. The prevalence of subthreshold depression among university students reached 32.7% for the 20-item CES-D and 31% for the 14-item CES-D, although there was no significant difference of prevalence in gender, grade, and major.Conclusions: The CES-D has good reliability and validity for assessing subthreshold depression in Chinese university students.

Aims: Depression is prevalent among university students worldwide, and the prevalence appears to be increasing. As an intermediate stage between being healthy and having depression, students with subthreshold depression could develop worsening depression or recover with intervention to prevent depression. The Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) is a useful tool to assess subthreshold depression. The primary purpose of the current study was to evaluate the psychometric characteristics of CES-D in Chinese university students. Secondly, we aimed to describe the prevalence of subthreshold depression among the student sample and examine its demographic correlates. Methods: A total of 2,068 university students participated in the study, and they were asked to respond to the Chinese CES-D, Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II), and Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS). The factor structure was evaluated by conducting exploratory (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) using a structural equation modeling approach. The reliability was assessed by calculating Cronbach's alpha, inter-item correlation, and item-total correlation coefficients. The prevalence of subthreshold depression was calculated and demographic correlates of gender, grade, and major were examined by multiple regression. Results: The final sample included 1,920 participants. The EFA results suggested extraction of three factors (somatic symptoms, negative affect, and anhedonia) that account for 52.68% of total variance. The CFA results suggested that the newly derived model with 14 items was the best fit for our data. Six items were removed from the original scale (item 9, 10, 13, 15, 17, and 19). The Cronbach's alpha of the 14-item CES-D was 0.87. The prevalence of subthreshold depression among university students reached 32.7% for the 20-item CES-D and 31% for the 14-item CES-D, although there was no significant difference of prevalence in gender, grade, and major. Conclusions: The CES-D has good reliability and validity for assessing subthreshold depression in Chinese university students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression (CES-D) scale is one of the most widely used tools to measure depressive symptoms in epidemiological studies. Given the importance of cross-racial measurement equivalence of the CES-D scale for research, we performed confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) of the 12-item CES-D in a nationally representative sample of Black and White adults in the United States. Methods: We used data from the National Survey of American Life (NSAL), 2001-2003. A total number of 3570 Blacks (African-Americans) and 891 non-Hispanic Whites were included in the present study. CFA was carried out on the 12-item CES-D scale using multi-group structural equation modeling. results: For both Blacks and Whites, the best fitting model was found to be the 3-factor model, indicating invariance of factor structure between Blacks and Whites. A statistically different fit of the models with and without constraints indicated lack of invariance of factor loadings between Blacks and Whites. Some of the positive (i.e., "as good" and "hopeful") and interpersonal (i.e., "people were unfriendly") items showed poor loadings, even in the 3-factor solution that allowed separate domains for positive affect, negative affect, and interpersonal problems. Despite the good fit of our final model, more items (i.e., "as good," "hopeful," "keeping mind," and "everything effort") had poorer loadings in Blacks than Whites (i.e., "as good"). conclusion: There is invariance in factor structure but lack of invariance in factor/item loadings between Blacks and Whites. These findings have implications for cross-racial studies of depressive symptoms using CES-D scale among Blacks and Whites. Further research is warranted to scrutinize the role of socioeconomics and culture in explaining the lack of invariance of the CES-D scale between Blacks and Whites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The degree by which depressive symptoms and clinical depression reflect each other may vary across populations. The present study compared Blacks and Whites for the magnitude of the cross-sectional associations between various domains of depressive symptoms and endorsement of clinical disorders of depression. Methods: Data came from the National Survey of American Life, 2001-2003. We included 3570 Black (African-Americans) and 891 Non-Hispanic Whites. Predictors were positive affect, negative affect, and interpersonal problems measured using the 12-item Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D). Outcomes were lifetime major depressive disorder (MDD), lifetime major depressive episode (MDE), 12-month MDE, 30-day MDE, and 30-day major depressive disorder with hierarchy (MDDH) based on the Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI). Logistic regression models were applied in the pooled sample as well as Blacks and Whites. results: Regarding CES-D, Blacks had lower total scores, positive affect, negative affect, and interpersonal problems compared to Whites (p < 0.05 for all comparisons). Blacks also had lower odds of meeting criteria for lifetime MDD and MDE, 12-month MDE, and 30-day MDE and MDDH (p < 0.05 for all comparisons). For most depressive diagnoses, ethnicity showed a positive and significant interaction with the negative affect and interpersonal problems domains, suggesting stronger associations for Blacks compared to Whites. The CES-D total score and CES-D positive affect domain did not interact with ethnicity on CIDI-based depressive diagnoses. conclusion: Stronger associations between multiple domains of depressive symptoms and clinical depression may be due to higher severity of depression among Blacks, when they endorse the CIDI criteria for the disorder. This finding may explain some of previously observed ethnic differences in social, psychological, and medical correlates of depressive symptoms and clinical depression in the general population as well as clinical settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]