Accepted for/Published in: JMIR Public Health and Surveillance
Date Submitted: Jun 4, 2024
Date Accepted: Nov 17, 2024
The association between posting WeChat moments and the risk of depressive symptom among middle-aged and elderly Chinese: a prospective, national cohort study
ABSTRACT
Background:
The association between social media usage and risk of depression symptoms has attracted increasing attention. WeChat is a popular social media in China. It is not confirmed and conflicting that the impact of using WeChat and posting WeChat moments on the risk of depression among middle-age and elderly.
Objective:
To confirm the association between using WeChat and posting WeChat moments and the risk of depression among middle-aged and elderly in China.
Methods:
A prospective national cohort study was designed based on the data obtained from the wave 4 and wave 5 of the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS). The association and its strength between using WeChat and posting WeChat moments and the risk of depression was estimated by modified Poisson regressions. Meanwhile, heterogeneity of association was explored by multiple subgroup analyses. Moreover, multiple sensitivity analyses were performed to verify the robustness of association between exposure and outcome.
Results:
A total of 9 670 eligible participants were included in the cohort study, and the incidence rate of depressive symptoms was 19.08% (95% confidence interval [CI] 19.07%-19.09%) from 2018 to 2020. Using WeChat (adjusted relative risk [aRR]=0.691, 95% CI 0.582-0.520), especially posting WeChat moments (aRR=0.673, 95%CI 0.552-0.821) reduces the risk of depression among middle-aged and elderly in China. The association of exposure and outcome was robust proved by multiple sensitivity analyses. However, the association was heterogeneous in certain subgroups, such as solitude or not, the group of actual sleep duration at night, taking nap after lunch or not, the group of physical activity and with or without multiple chronic conditions.
Conclusions:
In China, the 2-year incidence of depression in middle-aged and elderly people is high. Using WeChat and posting moments can prevent the occurrence of depression symptoms. For preventing depression, middle-aged and elderly people were suggested to actively and moderately use social media and internet to keep in touch with the outside world and participate in social activities.
Citation
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