[Association between smoking status and the risk of depressive symptoms among the elderly in Shandong Province]

Objective: To explore the association between smoking status and the risk of depressive symptoms among the elderly in Shandong Province. Methods: Using the multi-stage stratified cluster random sampling method, 2 111 elderly individuals aged 60 and above were selected from 4 cities (Yantai, Linyi, Dezhou, and Binzhou) in Shandong,2024. Relevant information was collected through a questionnaire survey, and depressive symptoms were assessed using the Center for Epidemiological Studies Short Depression Scale. Binary logistic regression models were employed to examine the association between smoking status and the risk of depressive symptoms. Results: The smoking rate among the elderly was 13.9%, the smoking cessation rate was 15.4%. A total of 478 older adults (22.6%) scored 10 points or higher on the enter for Epidemiological Studies Short Depression Scale. After adjusting for relevant confounding factors, multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that, compared to never smokers, smoking cessation was a protective factor against depressive symptoms (OR=0.558, 95%CI: 0.386-0.806), while current smoking showed no significant association with depressive symptoms (OR=0.761, 95%CI: 0.520-1.114). Conclusion: Targeted measures should be implemented to help elderly smokers quit smoking early and improve mental health outcomes in this population.