# Analysis of the current status and associated factors of depressive symptoms in Chinese middle-aged and elderly stroke patients—based on CHARLS data

## TL;DR

This study examines how common depressive symptoms are in Chinese middle-aged and elderly stroke patients and identifies factors linked to depression.

## Contribution

The study identifies multiple socio-demographic and health-related factors associated with depressive symptoms in stroke patients using CHARLS data.

## Key findings

- 55.4% of middle-aged and elderly stroke patients in China showed depressive symptoms.
- Factors like education, sleep quality, loneliness, and self-rated health were significantly associated with depression.
- Healthcare professionals are encouraged to assess and intervene early to address depressive symptoms in stroke patients.

## Abstract

To investigate the prevalence and associated factors of depressive symptoms in middle-aged and elderly stroke patients in China, and to provide reference for improving the mental health of middle-aged and elderly stroke patients in China.

The data for this study were drawn from the 2020 wave of the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS), and middle-aged and elderly stroke patients aged ≥45 years were considered as study subjects (n=988). A simplified version of the Epidemiological Survey Depression Scale score was used to determine depressive symptoms (≥10 points defined as depression) in the study population, and associated factors were analyzed using binary logistic regression.

Among the 988 middle-aged and elderly stroke patients, 547 (55.4%) had depressive symptoms and 441 (44.6%) did not. The results of binary logistic regression analysis showed that education level, history of alcohol consumption, sleep quality, loneliness, self-rated health status, self-rated memory status, life satisfaction, and ADL were the associated factors of depressive symptom in middle-aged and elderly stroke patients (P < 0.05).

The study has shown that depressive symptoms in Chinese middle-aged and elderly stroke patients are associated with a variety of factors, and healthcare professionals should regularly assess with early recognition and take interventions to improve the disease.