Jing Guo1, Dexia Kong2, Liming Fang3, Yingxue Zhu4, Bo Zhang5. 1. Center for Health Policy and Technology Evaluation, Department of Health Policy and Management, School of Public Health, Peking University, Beijing, P. R. China. 2. Institute for Health, Health Care Policy, and Aging Research, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, USA. dkong@ifh.rutgers.edu. 3. School of Insurance and Economics, University of International Business and Economics, Beijing, P. R. China. 4. School of Sociology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, P. R. China. 5. Department of Neurology and ICCTR Biostatistics and Research Design Center, Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to (1) examine the cross-sectional and longitudinal relationships between depressive symptoms and health services utilization among Chinese middle-aged and older adults; and (2) evaluate whether there exists a rural-urban difference in such relationships. METHODS: Data was obtained from China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) in 2013 and 2015, a nationally representative survey of 13,551 adults aged 45 years and above in China. RESULTS: Depressive symptoms were positively associated with a greater likelihood of outpatient and inpatient health services utilization. This association was consistent across rural and urban settings, indicating the robustness of such findings across geographic areas. CONCLUSIONS: Findings indicate that depressive symptoms are significantly associated with both in-patient and out-patient health service utilization among Chinese adults. Screening for depressive symptoms needs to be incorporated in these care settings in China.
OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to (1) examine the cross-sectional and longitudinal relationships between depressive symptoms and health services utilization among Chinese middle-aged and older adults; and (2) evaluate whether there exists a rural-urban difference in such relationships. METHODS: Data was obtained from China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) in 2013 and 2015, a nationally representative survey of 13,551 adults aged 45 years and above in China. RESULTS:Depressive symptoms were positively associated with a greater likelihood of outpatient and inpatient health services utilization. This association was consistent across rural and urban settings, indicating the robustness of such findings across geographic areas. CONCLUSIONS: Findings indicate that depressive symptoms are significantly associated with both in-patient and out-patient health service utilization among Chinese adults. Screening for depressive symptoms needs to be incorporated in these care settings in China.
Authors: Philip S Wang; Sergio Aguilar-Gaxiola; Jordi Alonso; Matthias C Angermeyer; Guilherme Borges; Evelyn J Bromet; Ronny Bruffaerts; Giovanni de Girolamo; Ron de Graaf; Oye Gureje; Josep Maria Haro; Elie G Karam; Ronald C Kessler; Viviane Kovess; Michael C Lane; Sing Lee; Daphna Levinson; Yutaka Ono; Maria Petukhova; José Posada-Villa; Soraya Seedat; J Elisabeth Wells Journal: Lancet Date: 2007-09-08 Impact factor: 79.321