Depressive symptoms and receipt of pensions: a cross-sectional analysis of the ELSI-Brazil study

• Main Authors: Ana Paula Goulart de Freitas (Author), Klaide Lopes de Sena (Author), Jôsi Fernandes de Castro Rodrigues (Author)
• Format: Book
• Published: Ministério da Saúde do Brasil, 2023-12-01T00:00:00Z.
• Subjects: article
• Online Access: Connect to this object online.
• Notes: 2237-9622; 10.1590/s2237-96222023000300017.en
• Keywords: Retirement; Pensions; Depression; Elderly; Cross-sectional studies; Medicine; R; Public aspects of medicine; RA1-1270
• Source: Epidemiologia e Serviços de Saúde, Vol 32, Iss 3 (2023)

ABSTRACT Objective To investigate association between depressive symptoms and receipt of retirement pensions or other pensions in the Brazilian population aged 50 years or older. Method This was a cross-sectional study with participants from the baseline (2015-2016) of the Longitudinal Study of the Health of Elderly Brazilians. Depressive symptoms were measured by the eight-item Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale. Prevalence ratios (PR) were obtained by Poisson regression. Results Among the total 8,469 participants, 33.9% (95%CI 32.8;34.9) reported depressive symptoms and 52.8% (95%CI 51.8;53.9) of the participants received a retirement or other pension. Prevalence of depressive symptoms was lower among participants receiving a retirement or other pension (PR = 0.79; 95%CI 0.73;0.86). Association remained significant after adjustments for sociodemographic and health indicators (PR = 0.84; 95%CI 0.76;0.92). Conclusion Participants who receive retirement or other pensions are less likely to report depressive symptoms.