Depression was most connected in older adults in China
A cross-sectional analysis of 32,523 adults aged 65 or older ranked depression highest among nine health measures for connection strength, with a score of 1.401.
Research Square
Researchers analysed data from 32,523 community-dwelling adults aged 65 or older in China in a cross-sectional observational study. They compared urban and rural participants using networks of links among nine measures of mental health, sleep, cognition and functioning. They adjusted the analysis for other measured factors.
Depression was the most consistently connected indicator in both settings. The pattern of connections differed between urban and rural participants. Cognitive-change screening scores and daytime sleepiness had stronger connections across health domains in the urban group. Removing one indicator preserved the main pattern of links. However, there was no longer clear statistical evidence of an urban–rural difference in overall connection strength.
Why it matters
Mental health symptoms, sleep problems, cognitive changes and limitations in functioning often occur together in later life. The authors identified specific connections for future studies that follow people over time.
Caveats
The cross-sectional data cannot show which problems came first or whether one caused another. The study is a preprint and has not been peer-reviewed.
The paper
Zhou L, Chen C, Fung HH et al.
Research Square · 5 Oct 2026 · Preprint, not peer-reviewed