Factors associated with the depression status of Chinese parents who have lost their only child

Ya-Ping Ye; Jing-Na Wang; Qing-Chun Li; Cai-Ming Xu; Chao Rong

doi:10.3389/fpubh.2022.931945

Factors associated with the depression status of Chinese parents who have lost their only child

Front Public Health. 2022 Aug 24:10:931945. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2022.931945. eCollection 2022.

Authors

Ya-Ping Ye¹, Jing-Na Wang¹, Qing-Chun Li², Cai-Ming Xu³, Chao Rong¹

Affiliations

¹ School of Humanities and Management, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China.
² Hangzhou Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Hangzhou, China.
³ School of Law, Zhejiang University City College, Hangzhou, China.

Abstract

Aim: This study aimed to assess the risk factors for depression among parents who have lost their only child (PLOCs).

Methods: We used a cross-sectional survey to reveal the risk factors of depression among PLOCs. Multi-stage, stratified, cluster sampling was used to recruit the participants. The cluster sampling method was used to select PLOCs in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, and Wuhu, Anhui Province, while the stratified cluster sampling method was used in Anshun, Guizhou Province. A total of 651 PLOCs were recruited in this study. Participants completed the Social Support Rating Scale (SSRS) and the Geriatric Depression Scale-15 (GDS-15). Socio-demographics were also collected, including age, sex, monthly income, education level, marital status, self-reported health, and a number of diseases were collected as well. Chi-square tests and binary logistic regression were conducted to analyze the influence of these factors on PLOCs' mental status.

Results: Two hundred and fifty-eight PLOCs (39.56%) reported depression. Compared to PLOCs living in Wuhu, those living in Hangzhou (OR = 3.374, CI = 2.337-4.870) had a higher risk of depression. Being single (OR = 1.449, CI = 1.019-2.061) and the presence/absence of grandchildren (OR = 0.430, CI = 0.274-0.676)were significantly associated with the depression status of PLOCs.

Conclusion: The sampled Chinese PLOCs reported a high prevalence of depression that was influenced by their place of residence, marital status, and presence/absence of grandchildren. This may highlight the need for routine assessment and help of this group by the relevant stakeholders (including government, non-profit social organizations, and professional psychologists) with more attention paid to single and low-income PLOCs that have no grandchildren. It is imperative to build a comprehensive care system of "extended family-community-society-government" for this vulnerable group.

Keywords: PLOCs; depression; family planning policy; mental health; only child.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Aged
Child
China / epidemiology
Cross-Sectional Studies
Depression* / epidemiology
Humans
Only Child*
Parents