Adults Living Alone Have Higher Reported Feelings of Depression
By Elana Gotkine HealthDay Reporter
THURSDAY, Feb. 15, 2024 -- Adults living alone have higher reported feelings of depression than those living with others, according to a study published online Feb. 15 in National Health Statistics Reports, a publication from the National Center for Health Statistics.
Laryssa Mykyta, Ph.D., from the National Center for Health Statistics in Hyattsville, Maryland, used data from the 2021 National Health Interview Survey to describe differences in self-reported feelings of depression and living arrangement by selected sociodemographic characteristics among adults.
Mykyta found that in 2021, 16.0 percent of adults lived alone. For both men and women, across most race and Hispanic-origin groups and by family income, reported feelings of depression were higher for adults living alone versus those living with others (6.4 versus 4.1 percent). The likelihood of reporting feelings of depression was almost twice as high for adults who reported never or rarely receiving social and emotional support and living alone versus those never or rarely receiving social and emotional support and living with others (19.6 versus 11.6 percent). However, among those who reported sometimes, usually, or always receiving social and emotional support, there were no significant differences in reported feelings of depression, regardless of living alone or living with others.
"Social and emotional support has been shown to be protective of health and this finding suggests that additional studies could examine the relationship between social and emotional support, living alone, and health outcomes," Mykyta writes.
Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.
© 2024 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Posted February 2024
Read this next
Perinatal Suicide Tied to Intimate Partner Problems, Depression, Substance Use
WEDNESDAY, July 3, 2024 -- Perinatal suicide is often associated with intimate partner problems (IPPs) and behavioral health issues, according to a study published online...
High Social Media Use Tied to Depression in Only Some Teens
TUESDAY, July 2, 2024 -- High social media use is only tied to increased depression in teens who are already vulnerable, according to a study published online June 26 in...
Small Differences in Weight Change With First-Line Antidepressants
MONDAY, July 1, 2024 -- For eight first-line antidepressants, small differences are seen in mean weight change, with the least weight gain with bupropion, according to a study...
More news resources
- FDA Medwatch Drug Alerts
- Daily MedNews
- News for Health Professionals
- New Drug Approvals
- New Drug Applications
- Drug Shortages
- Clinical Trial Results
- Generic Drug Approvals
Subscribe to our newsletter
Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.