The impact of the development level of rural e-commerce on the depressive symptoms among rural older adult individuals

In the context of China, where the demographic trend of population aging intertwines with the rapid advancement of information digitalization, rural older adult individuals, who are part of a vulnerable population, are witnessing a deteriorating depression status. The proliferation of rural e-commer...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Frontiers in public health 2024-12, Vol.12, p.1477417
Main Authors: Xie, Xiaofeng, Wei, Siying, Zhu, Ling, Gan, Xiaoting, He, Yong, Wang, Rui
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
China - epidemiology
Depression - epidemiology
depressive symptoms
Difference-in-Differences
e-commerce
Female
Humans
Longitudinal Studies
Male
mediation analysis
Middle Aged
Public Health
rural older adult individuals
Rural Population - statistics & numerical data
Citations: Items that this one cites
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:In the context of China, where the demographic trend of population aging intertwines with the rapid advancement of information digitalization, rural older adult individuals, who are part of a vulnerable population, are witnessing a deteriorating depression status. The proliferation of rural e-commerce, which fuels the digital economic revolution in rural areas, is concurrently affecting the depressive symptoms among rural older adult individuals. This study uses longitudinal data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) and applies a multi-period Difference-in-Differences (DID) model to explore how rural e-commerce affects the depressive symptoms among rural older adult individuals. The findings indicate that the development of rural e-commerce can indeed improve the depressive symptoms among rural older adult individuals, with a particularly pronounced effect on those residing in the eastern and central regions of China, as well as those who do not live with their children. The mechanism analysis indicates that e-commerce improves depressive symptoms among rural older adult individuals by enhancing social interaction frequency and increasing financial support by children. Based on these insights, we recommend a targeted approach to implementing e-commerce policies in rural areas, focusing on innovative methods to improve the depressive symptoms among rural older adult individuals.
ISSN:2296-2565
2296-2565
DOI:10.3389/fpubh.2024.1477417