Sex Differences in Mental Health of Older People

This study examines the differences in mental health between older men and women. A cross-sectional telephone survey was conducted with a representative sample of 504 older adults aged 55 years and older. Mental health was measured by a revised Chinese version of the Geriatric Depression Scale and the Mental Component Summary (MCS) of a Chinese version of SF-36. Mental health differences between men and women were not identified, but gender was found to have an effect on mental health in the 54 to 64 age group, when being a female predicted a poorer status of mental health. The poorer financial status of women was the reason for the gender effect. Mental health predictors for men and women were also compared. The findings concluded that interventions to strengthen financial assistance for aging women were important for enhancing mental health.

這研究對五百零四名五十五歲或以上的長者進行電話調查。結果發現男、女長者精神健康差別在五十五至六十四歲的組別中顯示，較差的經濟狀況是影響女性精神健康的因素。比較男、女精神健康指標的結果顯示，經濟援助對強化女性精神健康的重要性。