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ORIGINAL RESEARCH article

Front. Public Health
Sec. Aging and Public Health
Volume 12 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1466083
This article is part of the Research Topic Analyses on Health Status and Care Needs among Older Adults View all 34 articles

Anxiety, Depression, and Their Association with Unintentional Injury Risk Among Elderly Populations in Guangxi, China: a cross-sectional study

Provisionally accepted
Li Niu Li Niu 1Jie Zhang Jie Zhang 2Chun-liu Lu Chun-liu Lu 3Yong Zhang Yong Zhang 4XINXIN MO XINXIN MO 5Rong Xu Rong Xu 5Hong-ye Luo Hong-ye Luo 5*
  • 1 Jiujiang University, Jiujiang, Jiangxi Province, China
  • 2 Health Commission of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nanning, Guangxi Zhuang Region, China
  • 3 Jiangbin Hospital, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nanning, Guangxi Zhuang Region, China
  • 4 The Eighth People’s Hospital of Nanning, Nanning, Guangxi Zhuang Region, China
  • 5 Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    The aging population presents a significant public health challenge, particularly concerning mental health and injury prevention. Anxiety and depression are common among the elderly, affecting their quality of life and increasing the risk of unintentional injuries (UI). This study aims to explore the association between anxiety and depression and UI risk among the elderly in Guangxi, China, using data from the 2023 National Health Service Survey.Methods: A cross-sectional design was employed, analyzing data from 2,894 participants aged 60 and above in Guangxi. The primary variables were anxiety and depression, assessed via validated scales, with UI as the dependent variable. Logistic regression was used to estimate crude and adjusted odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI), adjusting for potential confounders such as age, gender, socioeconomic status, and lifestyle factors.Results: Significant findings indicate that individuals with anxiety and depression had nearly double the risk of UI compared to those without these conditions (adj. OR = 1.92, 95% CI: 1.42-2.6, p < 0.001). Alcohol consumption was also associated with higher UI risk (adj. OR = 1.46, 95% CI: 1.05-2.03, p = 0.023). Females had a significantly higher adjusted odds of UI compared to males (adj. OR = 1.38, 95% CI: 1.03-1.84, p = 0.029), and rural residents were more likely to experience UI than urban dwellers (adj. OR = 1.38, 95% CI: 1.05-1.82, p = 0.02). Exercise frequency was inversely related to UI risk, with those exercising 1-2 times per week having reduced odds (adj. OR = 0.46, 95% CI: 0.22-0.98, p = 0.044). Other factors such as age, marital status, hypertension, diabetes, and main caregiver showed no significant associations with UI.Addressing mental health issues and promoting moderate exercise may help reduce UI risk in the elderly. Policies should focus on enhancing mental health services and injury prevention programs, particularly in rural settings, to improve the overall health and safety of the aging population in Guangxi.

    Keywords: unintentional injuries, elderly population, Mental Health, Anxiety and depression, Rural health disparities

    Received: 17 Jul 2024; Accepted: 23 Dec 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Niu, Zhang, Lu, Zhang, MO, Xu and Luo. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence: Hong-ye Luo, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China

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