Frequency of contact with non-cohabitating adult children and risk of depression in elderly: A community-based three-year longitudinal study in Korea

Highlight
• Depression in elderly was associated with frequency of contact with children.
• Efficacy of face-to-face contact and that of phone contact were similar.
• The elderly lacking both types of contact showed the highest risk of depression.

PurposeOur study aimed to assess the longitudinal association of frequency of contact with non-cohabitating adult children and risk of depression in the elderly.MethodsElderly aged ≥60 years were included from Living Profiles of Older People Survey (LPOPS) in Korea. The baseline assessment, Wave 1, was conducted in 2008, and follow-up assessment, Wave 2, was conducted in 2011. We included participants who completed both waves and excluded those who met the following criteria: no adult children, living with adult children, cognitive impairment at either waves, and depression at baseline (n = 4398). We defined infrequent contact as <1 time per month face-to-face contact or <1 time per week phone contact and classified participants into four groups based on contact method and frequency. Depression was measured using the 15-item geriatric depression scales (SGDS-K).ResultsIn multivariable logistic regression analysis, infrequent face-to-face and phone contact group had adjusted odds ratio (OR) of 1.86 (95% CI, 1.44–2.42) when compared with frequent face-to-face and phone contact group. Frequent face-to-face contact with infrequent phone contact group and infrequent face-to-face contact with frequent phone contact group had adjusted OR of 1.49 (95% CI, 1.12–1.98) and 1.44 (95% CI, 1.15–1.80), respectively, when compared with frequent face-to-face and phone contact group.ConclusionThese results propose that the risk of subsequent depression in elderly is associated with frequency of contact with non-cohabitating adult children. Moreover, the efficacy of face-to-face contact and that of phone contact were similar, while the group lacking both types of contact demonstrated the highest risk of depression.