Research on the connection between altitude and depression in China remains scarce, despite the country’s extensive plateau regions. While the impact of altitude on physical health is well documented, existing studies have largely focused on social adaptation or physical well-being, leaving the relationship between altitude and depression underexplored. This study addresses this gap by examining how altitude affects depression among Chinese residents.
Data were drawn from various sources, including the 2016?2020 China Family Panel Studies, the 2015 China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study, the 2016 survey on physical and mental health in Yushu, and statistics from the China Urban Statistical Yearbook and China Statistical Yearbook. The study involved several statistical techniques, including multilevel linear models, mediation models, and epidemiological case-control methods. The results revealed a significant positive association between altitude and depression, even when personal factors such as age, sex, education, and chronic illness were controlled for, along with regional factors such as temperature, PM2.5 concentration, per capita GDP, and hospital bed availability. Notably, per capita GDP and C-reactive protein levels were found to mediate this relationship. The risk of depression in individuals living at altitudes of 500?1, 000 meters, 1, 000?2, 000 meters, and 4, 000?6, 000 meters was 1.53?1.79 times, 1.67?2.25 times, and 9 times greater, respectively, than the risk in for individuals living below 500 meters.
The study also revealed age-specific variations in the risk of depression. Middle-aged and elderly individuals living at altitudes between 500?2, 000 metres are more vulnerable to depression than younger individuals are. In contrast, young people residing at altitudes of 4, 000?6, 000 metres face a greater risk of depression than their older counterparts do. These findings highlight the diverse impacts of altitude on the risk of depression across different age groups.
In conclusion, this study highlights altitude as a significant risk factor affecting depression among Chinese residents, which suggests the need for targeted mental health interventions that consider both age and altitude. It also challenges the traditional view of age and mental health, suggesting that both individual and environmental factors should be considered in mental health prevention and intervention strategies.
