Work type rather than working hours influences depression: a longitudinal study of middle-aged and older adults in China.

Background: Research on the impact of working hours and work types on depression among middle-aged and older adults is relatively scarce, especially in China.

Method: This study employs a longitudinal research design, utilizing data from the 2011-2020 China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Survey (CHARLS). Depression was measured using the 10-item CESD-10 scale. The Latent Growth Curve Models (LGCM) were used to analyze the impact of working hours on depression, while the Multilevel Generalized Estimating Equation was applied to explore the relationship between work types (including work sector and employment type) and depression.

Results: A total of 3045 Chinese individuals aged ≥45 were studied. Female workers had a higher average depression score (9.6) than males (7.1; P < 0.001). The LGCM model showed no significant impact of initial working hours or their changes on depression levels or rates of change. In terms of work type sector, non-agricultural workers reported lower depression levels (β = -0.92 [-1.14, -0.70]) than agricultural workers. According to work employment type, self-employed individuals had higher depression scores (β = 0.59 [0.38, 0.81]) than employed workers. No significant gender differences were found in the effects of working hours or work type on depression.

Conclusion: It is not yet certain whether working hours are significantly associated with depression in middle-aged and older adults in China. However, different work types impact depression. Therefore, the government should pay more attention to the mental health of women, agricultural and self-employed workers.