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Objectives: Previous studies have found an association between socioeconomic status (SES) and depressive symptoms among older adults, however the mechanisms underlying this association remained unclear. This study aimed to examine the mediating role of social support and the moderating role of living arrangement in the association between SES and depressive symptoms. Methods: Data was collected from the 2020 Household Health Interview Survey in Taian city, Shandong Province, China. A total of 3896 older adults aged 60 and above were included in this study. Depressive symptoms was measured by the Patient health Questionnaire‐9 (PHQ‐9), Social support by the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS), and other variables by related demographic scales. The moderated mediation model was examined using HAYES PROCESS 3.5. Results: SES negatively predicted depressive symptoms among older adults, and social support could mediate this association. Living arrangement played a moderating role in the relationship between social support and depressive symptoms (the second half of the mediating effect), and the effect was stronger among older adults who lived alone. Conclusions: Social support partially mediated the relationship between SES and depressive symptoms among older adults, and living alone strengthened the effect of social support on depressive symptoms. Interventions that address older adults' social support and living arrangement may ameliorate depressive symptoms among older adults. Key points: Socioeconomic status was negatively associated with depressive symptoms among Chinese older adults.Social support partially mediated the association between socioeconomic status and depressive symptoms.Living arrangement moderated the indirect effect of social support. Preventing depressive symptoms should be sensitive to differences in living arrangement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Relative deprivation has been confirmed as one of the pathways underlying the link between income inequality and health. However, the mechanism between relative deprivation and health was still unclear. This study aimed to test the mediating role of depression and the moderating role of social support in the association between relative deprivation and quality of life.Methods: Data were collected from the 2020 Household Health Interview Survey in Taian City, Shandong province. In total, 8496 adults were included to complete the measures of relative deprivation, depressive symptoms, perceived social support, and quality of life.Results: Relative deprivation was negatively associated with quality of life, and depressive symptoms could mediate this association. Furthermore, the direct effect of relative deprivation on quality of life and the indirect effect of depressive symptoms in this relationship were moderated by perceived social support. Both these two effects were stronger for individuals with a low level of perceived social support.Limitations: Data are cross-sectional, and causal conclusions cannot be drawn. All measures were based on participant self-report.Conclusions: Personal relative deprivation has negative effects on quality of life. Social support moderated the direct effect of relative deprivation and the mediating effect of depressive symptoms on quality of life. For individuals with a high level of relative deprivation, particularly those with a low level of social support, interventions tailoring psychological services and community-based activities could be designed to reduce relative deprivation and promote social support for disadvantaged individuals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]