Effects Of Social Health And Physical Activity On Emotionality And Depression In The Elderly: A Multiple Mediation Model

PURPOSE: Emotionality and depression are significant mental health challenges among the elderly. This study aims to explore the key influences and underlying mechanisms of social health (SH) and physical activity (PA) on emotionality and depression in this demographic. METHODS: Conducted between 2017 and 2019 across five provinces in China, this study engaged 7,536 participants (3,309 males and 4,227 females), age (70.100 ± 7.270) through a randomized sampling process. Participants were carefully selected based on specific inclusion and exclusion criteria, utilizing a stratified sampling approach. The research extensively analyzed the contributing factors of SH, PA, emotionality, and depression within a comprehensive framework. For statistical analysis, logistic regression, random forest model (RFM), and structural equation model (SEM) were employed. RESULTS: The logistic regression and RFM showed that SH, PA, and personal characteristic (PC) ranked the five factors with the highest influence on agreeableness: PA time (0.131) > PA frequency (0.125) > hobbies (0.100) > chatting (0.099) > residential area (0.098). The five factors with the highest degree of influence on calmness were ranked: PA frequency (0.207) > PA time (0.182) > hobbies (0.175) > chatting (0.147) > net household income (0.138). The Multiple Mediation Model revealed that SH, PA, and PC influenced emotionality and depression, along with agreeableness and calmness, via several mediating pathways. PA emerged as a crucial mediator between SH and PC in impacting emotionality and depression among the elderly. Emotionality also served as a key mediator between SH and PC in influencing depression. Additionally, SH(β = -0.033) was found to affect emotionality by influencing PA (β = -0.062), which in turn affects depression through chain mediation effects. CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest that enhancing social health and personal characteristics of the elderly through physical activity can effectively be channeled to prevent or reduce depression, by positively influencing their emotionality. National Population Health Data Center