Between Chronic Diseases and Geriatric Depression: Mediational Effects of Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) Disability Among Older Adults

This study is aimed to explore relations between chronic diseases, activities of daily living (ADLs) disability and depression among older adults, particularly ADLs disability mediational effects on the correlation between chronic diseases and geriatric depression. Records of 5931 participants at age 60 and above from China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) in 2015 were used as valid samples for data relating to their chronic diseases index, ADLs scale and Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression (CES-D) scale. Our findings confirm that among older adults, 75.9% are afflicted with chronic diseases and 52.5% have ADLs difficulty or disability, and that there exists a significant positive correlation between the numbers of chronic diseases they suffer, these verity of ADLs disability they experience and the risks/level of depression they have or will have. Besides, for older adults, ADLs disability plays a partially mediational role in the correlation between the numbers of chronic diseases and the level/risks of geriatric depression. Mental health of the older adults with chronic diseases, therefore, should be taken seriously by caregivers and self-management support and ADLs exercises are supposed to be provided by them to help reduce the risk of geriatric depression.