Multimorbidity and Mental Health: The Role of Gender among Disease-Causing Poverty, Rural, Aged Households in China

Chen Jiao, Anli Leng, Stephen Nicholas, Elizabeth Maitland, Jian Wang, Qinfeng Zhao, Lizheng Xu and Chaofan Gong
Additional contact information
Chen Jiao: Centre for Health Management and Policy Research, School of Public Health, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China
Anli Leng: School of Political Science and Public Administration, Institute of Governance, Shandong University, 72 Binhai Rd, Qingdao 266237, Shandong, China
Stephen Nicholas: Australian National Institute of Management and Commerce, 1 Central Avenue, Australian Technology Park, Sydney, NSW 2015, Australia
Elizabeth Maitland: School of Management, University of Liverpool, Chatham Building, Chatham Street, Liverpool L697ZH, UK
Jian Wang: Dong Fureng Institute of Economics and Social Development, Wuhan University, No. 54 Dongsi Lishi Hutong, Dongcheng District, Beijing 100010, China
Qinfeng Zhao: Centre for Health Management and Policy Research, School of Public Health, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China
Lizheng Xu: The George Institute for Global Health, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
Chaofan Gong: Center for Digital Health, School of Medicine, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA 94305, USA

IJERPH, 2020, vol. 17, issue 23, 1-12

Abstract: (1) Background: The association between multimorbidity and mental health is well established. However, the role of gender in different populations remains unclear. Currently, China is facing an increased prevalence of multimorbidity, especially in its disease-causing poverty population. The present study explores the gender-based differences in the relationship between multimorbidity and mental health using data from the rural, disease-causing poverty, older-age population in Shandong province, China, as a case study. (2) Methods: The data were obtained from the survey on the health and welfare of disease-causing poverty households in rural Shandong province. We identified 936 rural participants who were over 60 years old from disease-causing poverty households. The mental health status was measured using the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K10) instrument. Using a multivariable linear regression model, including the interaction of gender and multimorbidity, gender differences in the association between multimorbidity and mental health were explored. (3) Results: Multimorbidity was a serious health problem in rural, disease-causing poverty, older-age households, with the prevalence of multimorbidity estimated as 40% for women and 35.4% for men. There was a strong association between multimorbidity and mental health, which was moderated by gender. Women had higher K10 scores than men, and the mean K10 score was highest in women with three or more chronic diseases. Compared with men, women with multimorbidity had a higher risk of mental health problems. (4) Conclusions: The prevalence of multimorbidity in older-age rural disease-causing poverty subpopulations is a severe public health problem in China. The association between multimorbidity and mental health differed by gender, where multimorbid women suffered an increased mental health risk compared with men. Gender differences should be addressed when delivering effective physical and mental healthcare support to disease-causing poverty, older-age, rural households.

Keywords: multimorbidity; mental health; older-age adults; gender; disease-causing poverty (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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