Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41607922›Full record

Observational studyFrontiers in public health2025

Quantifying the association between rural older adult daily internet use duration and affective disorders: an empirical study based on propensity score matching.

Yudong Miao, Yixi Wang, Zhiping Guo, Tao Li, Jingming Wei, Zhanlei Shen, Dongfang Zhu, Jingbao Zhang, Jiajia Zhang, Mingyue Zhen and 7 more

Abstract readObservational Study
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Observational study in Frontiers in public health, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

17 authors.

Yudong MiaoDepartment of Health Management, College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China.
Yixi WangDepartment of Health Management, College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China.
Zhiping GuoHenan Key Laboratory of Chronic Disease Management, Fuwai Central China Cardiovascular Hospital, Central China Fuwai Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China.
Tao LiHenan Key Laboratory of Chronic Disease Management, Fuwai Central China Cardiovascular Hospital, Central China Fuwai Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China.
Jingming WeiInstitute of Mental Health, Peking University Sixth Hospital, Beijing, China.
Zhanlei ShenDepartment of Health Management, College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China.
Dongfang ZhuDepartment of Health Management, College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China.
Jingbao ZhangDepartment of Health Management, College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China.
Jiajia ZhangDepartment of Health Management, College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China.
Mingyue ZhenDepartment of Health Management, College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China.
Xinran LiDepartment of Health Management, College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China.
Jinxin CuiDepartment of Health Management, College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China.
Clifford Silver TarimoDepartment of Health Management, College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China.
Qingyong LuDepartment of Health Management, College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China.
Jiaxin HanDepartment of Health Management, College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China.
Lingxiao MouDepartment of Health Management, College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China.
Jingwei QinDepartment of Health Management, College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: There are significant disparities in internet usage among rural older adults, while affective disorder is an increasing public health concern. The potential link between these phenomena remains underexplored. This study investigates the association between internet use and affective disorder among rural older adults, to inform public health policies promoting appropriate internet engagement and psychological well-being. Methods: The baseline survey of the Northern China Lifestyle Medicine Cohort was conducted among rural older adult (≥65 years old) in China from July 2023 to January 2024. Questionnaires were used to collect data on the average daily usage schedule of the Internet and emotional disorders. Multivariate Logistic regression models were used to determine the factors influencing the prevalence of affective disorders. Propensity score matching (PSM) analysis was adopted to explore the relationship between Internet usage and emotional disorders. Results: A total of 9,924 participants were included in this study (43.0% were male), significantly higher than that of medium-term users (29.79%) and long-term users (25.29%). The prevalence of affective disorders is 18.54%, and there is a significant gender difference (males: 14.24%; females: 21.77%). After adjusting for potential confounders, we found that female gender was associated with a higher risk of affective disorders in both the medium-long internet usage group [aOR = 1.44, 95%CI (1.21-1.72)] and the short usage group [aOR = 1.39, 95%CI (1.15-1.68)], compared to males. For participants in the medium-long internet usage group, healthy sleep duration was associated with a lower risk of affective disorders [aOR = 0.68, 95%CI (0.58-0.79)]. The short prevalence of affective disorders among short-term Internet users is associated with healthy physical activity [aOR = 0.57, 95%CI (0.48-0.68)]. PSM analysis shows that after matching, the prevalence of affective disorders among short-term Internet users was higher than that among medium to long-term Internet users by 2.64%, and among all educational levels, the prevalence rate among women is higher than that among men. Conclusion: This study indicates that Internet use is associated with a lower prevalence of affective disorders among rural older adult. These findings emphasize the importance of formulating a public health strategy that integrates digital inclusion and mental health promotion. Clinical trial registration: https://www.chictr.org.cn/showprojEN.html?proj=206128.

Indexed as

Internet UseMood DisordersRural PopulationAgedAged, 80 and overChinaFemaleHumansMalePrevalencePropensity ScoreSurveys and Questionnairesaffective disordersempirical studyinternet use durationpropensity score matchingrural older adult

Identifiers

PMID41607922
PMCPMC12834733

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.