The impact of digital communication and offline social interactions on depressive symptoms in Chinese older people

The depressive symptoms among older people in China has greatly increased during 2020 which year the COVID-19 pandemic was in the early stage, accompanied by considerable changes in their modes of social interaction. Our findings suggest that the influences of digital communication and offline social interactions on depressive symptoms may have operated independently during the pandemic. The potential of digital communication engagements in enhancing mental health, particularly in exceptional circumstances such as during a pandemic, underscores the need for further exploration.