This study investigated the association between social media use and depressive symptoms in middle-aged and older Chinese adults using data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS). The study found a substantial burden of depressive symptoms (36.0% in 2020), particularly among women, rural residents, and those in western China. Engaging in social media activities was associated with a lower likelihood of developing depressive symptoms in those without baseline depression and a higher likelihood of recovering from depression in those with baseline depression.

Yanling Qi, Chenghe Zhang, Mei Zhou, Ruiyuan Zhang, Yuxiao Chen, Changwei Li