Association of residential greenness with geriatric depression among the elderly covered by long-term care insurance in Shanghai

Residential greenness exposure has been linked to a number of physical and mental disorders. Nevertheless, evidence on the association between greenness and geriatric depression was limited and focused on developed countries. This study was aimed to investigate whether the relationship between residential greenness exposure and geriatric depression exists among the elderly with long-term care insurance (LTCI) in Shanghai, China. In 2018, a total of 1066 LTCI elderly from a cross-sectional survey completed a questionnaire in Shanghai. Residential greenness indicators, including normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and soil-adjusted vegetation index (SAVI), were calculated from the Landsat 8 imagery data in different buffers (100-m, 300-m, and 500-m). Mediation analysis by perceived social support was conducted to explore potential mechanisms underlying the associations. In the fully adjusted model, one IQR increase of NDVI and SAVI in the 300-m buffer size was associated with an 11.9% (PR: 0.881, 95% CI: 0.795, 0.977) and 14.7% (PR: 0.853, 95% CI: 0.766, 0.949) lower prevalence of geriatric depression, respectively. Stronger association was observed in the elderly with lower education level, living in non-central area, and lower family monthly income. Perceived social support significantly mediated 40.4% of the total effect for NDVI 300-m buffer and 40.3% for SAVI 300-m buffer to the greenness-depression association, respectively. Our results indicate the importance of residential greenness exposure to geriatric depression, especially for the elderly with lower education level, living in non-central area, and lower family monthly income. Perceived social support might mediate the association. Well-designed longitudinal studies are warranted to confirm our findings and investigate the underlying mechanisms.

Automated summary

This study investigated the relationship between residential greenness exposure and geriatric depression among elderly with long-term care insurance in Shanghai, China. The findings suggest that residential greenness exposure is significantly associated with geriatric depression, with perceived social support potentially mediating this association. The association was stronger in elderly with lower education level and lower family monthly income, indicating the importance of green spaces for mental health among vulnerable populations.