Effects Of Widowhood On The Depression In Elderly Persons

With the growing pressure of aging population, the elderly health has become a very important part of the social security. The older people’s mental health gains increasing attention, especially the depression. Stressful events like aging, retired, widowed and so on, may be the main cause of the elderly depression. Recently, considering the huge population of widowed elderly in our country, it calls for the joint support of family and society to help the widowed elderly readapt to life.In this thesis, "China Health And Retired Longitudinal Study 2013 Follow Up Data" is used to study the effects of widowhood on the depression in elderly persons, with the empirical analysis method. Firstly, the basic information about the widowhood, depression, children’s support and participation in social activities of the samples of the elderly is introduced. Secondly, multiple linear regression model is used to test the effects of widowhood on the depression of different kinds of elderly persons. Finally, interaction effects between widowhood and children support or participation in social activities are concerned.After verified the existing research results, this thesis mainly finds that:(1) female’s depression is easier to be affected by widowhood, which is only appeared in the young elderly. (2) from a perspective of the time of being widowed, both in long-term and short-term, the depression of young elderly is significantly affected by widowed while the very older’s is not. (3)comparing to the elderly with spouse, children’s mental support is much more effective in easing depression in the widowed elderly.