Family Environment And Depression: A Population-Based Analysis Of Gender Differences In Rural China

Objective:The aim of the current study was to describe the distribution characteristics of generalpopulations’ demographic characteristics, family environment characteristics anddepressive symptom and to investigate the association between family environmentcharacteristics and depressive symptoms, and provide new evidence andrecommendations for prevention and intervention in the depressive symptoms ofgeneral population.Methods:A cross-sectional survey was conducted door-to-door in rural China with a sample of3,720individuals aged18years and older. The five family characteristics variablesrecorded were: family structure; support of family members; self-reported economicstatus of family; level of neighbor’s concern; family related negative life events. Threemultiple logistic regression models were used to examine the independent effects ofthe family environment variables on the symptoms of depression.Result:Results showed that the difference in depression prevalence between extended andnuclear families was not statistically significant. In addition, the association of family structure and depression (for males and females) was not statistically significant afteradjusting for potential confounding variables. The association of family-relatednegative life events and economic status of the family with depression (for males andfemales) was statistically significant. However, family-related negative life events anddepression were more strongly associated for females than for males (OR=9.43,95%CI:6.54-13.62for females while OR=4.63,95%CI:2.78-7.89for males). Theassociation of economic status of the family and depression was relatively similarbetween males and females (OR=4.64,95%CI:2.27-9.48for females; OR=4.43,95%CI:2.06-9.51for males). In addition, the association of family support anddepression was statistically significant for males (OR=1.45,95%CI:1.10-1.91), butnot for females.Conclusion:To the best of our knowledge, this study reports the first empirical data on familyenvironment in China and their association with depression by gender. Findingssuggest that the Chinese traditional extended family may not be protective againstdepression at the general population level. Family-related negative life events andself-reported economic status of the family and were significantly associated withdepressive symptoms for both males and females. Support of family members andlevel of neighbors’ concern had a difference between genders. Family interventionstargeting family environment should reflect the above gender differences.