Urban-rural differences in the effect of empty-nest on mental health and behaviors of Chinese older population

• Published in: Psychology, health & medicine health & medicine, 2022-07, Vol.27 (6), p.1334-1346
• Main Authors: Li, Xiu-De, Cao, Hong-Juan, Xie, Shao-Yu, Li, Kai-Chun, Liu, Kai-Yong, Tao, Fang-Biao, Yang, Lin-Sheng
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Activities of daily living; Age differences; Chinese older people; Cholesterol; depression; Empty; empty-nest; Health behavior; Mental depression; Mental health; Older people; Religious beliefs; Rural urban differences; Smoking; total cholesterol; urban-rural difference
• ISSN: 1354-8506; 1465-3966
• DOI: 10.1080/13548506.2021.1874439

This study aimed to comprehensively analyze the effect of empty-nest on mental health and behaviors of the older population and explore the urban-rural differences. Data from the Cohort of Older People Health and Environment Controllable Factors were used, including 1071 older people aged 60 or over from a rural and an urban. Mental health, daily life behaviors, chronic physical diseases, and activities of daily living were evaluated. Logistic regression was used. The prevalence of empty-nest in older people was 55.0% in urban and 58.7% in rural. The empty-nest older people in urban were more likely to participate in physical exercise (OR[95%CI]: 1.55[1.03-2.31]), while the empty-nest older people in rural had lower rate of smoking (OR[95%CI]: 0.46[0.28-0.76]) and religious belief (OR[95%CI]: 1.61[1.01-2.58]), and higher prevalence of depression (OR[95%CI]: 1.55[1.03-2.35]) and higher level of total cholesterol (OR[95%CI]: 1.51[1.03-2.19]) compared with the non-empty-nest older people. In conclusion, the prevalence of empty-nest in older people was high both in rural and urban in China. Empty-nest exerts greater influences on the older people in rural than in urban, which should be given more attention, especially the depression and high total cholesterol.