The relationship between marital status and cognitive function in Chinese older adults: The mediating role of depressive symptoms

Background Emerging research indicates a possible link between marital status and cognitive performance among elderly individuals, yet limited investigations have explored the potential mediating effects of depressive symptoms within this association. Objective The present study aimed to examine the intermediary function of depressive symptoms in the connection between marital status and cognitive abilities within China's aging population. Methods The data for this study were obtained from the 2015 CHARLS survey wave, which included 5671 elderly people aged ≥60 years. To assess the associations among marital status, cognitive performance, and depressive symptoms, we employed linear regression modeling. Subsequently, mediation analysis was conducted to investigate whether depressive symptoms might serve as an intermediary factor in the connection between marital status and cognitive functioning. Subgroup analyses were performed according to marital status, sex, residential area, and education in order to evaluate the robustness and heterogeneity of the mediation effect. Results The findings indicated that marital status was positively associated with cognitive function in the elderly (β = 0.49, 95% CI: 0.17, 0.81, p = 0.0023), with married individuals demonstrating superior cognitive function. Depressive symptoms accounted for approximately 27.39% of the total effect of the correlation between marital status and cognitive impairment (95% CI: 14.16%, 79.68%, p = 0.002). Conclusions Our research indicates that depressive symptoms serve as a mediating factor in the relationship between marital status and cognitive function in aging populations. Older adults with cognitive impairment should be assessed for their marital status, and early identification and intervention for depressive symptoms are recommended.