Abstract: Depression symptom is a key indicator of psychological well-being among the elderly.Drawing on the 10 Percent Data from the 2006 Survey on the Living Condition between Rural and Urban Elderly and utilizing exploratory factor analysis,multivariate analysis,and structural equation models,this paper examines the depression symptom among the elderly,and compares the differentials in depression between urban and rural elderly.Results suggest significantly different depression symptoms between them.Health status,financial condition and social support are significant predictors of the depression level.Location of residence acts as a mediating variable in the model of depression.The effects of health status and financial condition in the depression model differ by urban and rural residence.Contrary to the urban elderly,the power of finances is greater than that of health in model of rural elderly.

Keywords: The Elderly, Depression, Rural and Urban Difference

摘要： 抑郁症状是衡量老年人心理健康水平的有效指标。本研究采用2006年中国城乡老年人生活状况追踪调查10%数据,运用探索性因素分析、多元线性回归和结构方程模型等方法考察中国老年人的总体抑郁水平,比较抑郁水平的城乡及年龄差异,并对老年人抑郁症状及影响因素进行探索。结果显示,我国老年人抑郁症状较轻,心理健康处于良好水平。农村老年人抑郁症状较城镇老年人明显。健康水平、经济状况、社会支持可有效地预测老年人的抑郁症状。城乡在影响因素模型中起调节效应,健康水平和经济状况对老年人抑郁水平的影响作用受城乡因素的影响,对于农村老年人,经济状况的影响作用大于健康水平;在城镇老年人中表现出完全相反的模式。对于不同的老年人群,应采取有针对性的政策和措施,方能有效减缓老年人抑郁症状,促进心理健康。

关键词:  , 老年人, 抑郁, 城乡差异