Prevalence and factors associated with anxiety and depression among the older people in ethnic minority areas in southern China: a cross-sectional study

The incidence of anxiety and depression symptoms among the older people in the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region is relatively high. Specifically, ethnic minorities such as Jing, Yao, Mulao, and Zhuang exhibited a higher likelihood of experiencing anxiety and depression compared to non-ethnic minorities like Han. This finding highlights the multiple mental health challenges faced by these groups in terms of socioeconomic status, culture, education, and healthcare access. The government should prioritize the mental health of ethnic minorities by optimizing the allocation of social resources and promoting culturally adapted mental health services to address these challenges.