title: Childhood Socioeconomic Status and Onset of Depression among Japanese Older Adults: The JAGES Prospective Cohort Study.
abstract: Previous investigations on the impact of childhood socioeconomic status (SES) on depression have focused on middle-aged adults in Western countries. It is unknown whether childhood SES has a long-latency effect on the onset of depression among older adults.
  
  
  
  Prospective cohort study.
  
  
  
  Data were from the Japan Gerontological Evaluation Study.
  
  
  
  We analyzed 10,458 individuals aged 65 years and older without depression (Geriatric Depression Scale <5) at baseline in 2010.
  
  
  
  Participants rated their childhood SES at the age of 15 years according to standards at that time. We used binomial regression analyses with log link and with adjustment for known and potential risk factors to evaluate the risk of depression onset by 2013.
  
  
  
  Overall, 13.9% of participants newly reported depression in 2013. After adjusting for age and sex, low childhood SES was positively associated with depression onset (adjusted risk ratio [ARR]: 1.44, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.23-1.69). The association decreased after adjustment for education (ARR: 1.33; 95% CI: 1.13-1.57). Even after adjustments for adult SES, current disease status, health behaviors, and social relationships, the association remained significant (ARR: 1.27; 95% CI: 1.08-1.50). The link was stronger among the younger old (65-74 years) than the oldest old (≥75 years).
  
  
  
  Low childhood SES, perhaps due to poverty in post-World War II, has a long-latency effect on the onset of depression among older Japanese adults. The impact of childhood SES on depression was weaker among the oldest old, suggesting survival effects for healthy older Japanese people.
authors: Department of Health Education and Health Sociology, School of Public Health, The University of Tokyo, Japan; Department of Global Health Promotion, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan; Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Tokyo, Japan; Department of Social Medicine, National Research Institute for Child Health and Development, Tokyo, Japan. Electronic address: taniyukako@m.u-tokyo.ac.jp.
authors: Yukako
authors: Y
authors: Tani
authors: Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Tokyo, Japan; Department of Social Medicine, National Research Institute for Child Health and Development, Tokyo, Japan.
authors: Takeo
authors: T
authors: Fujiwara
authors: Department of Health Education and Health Sociology, School of Public Health, The University of Tokyo, Japan.
authors: Naoki
authors: N
authors: Kondo
authors: Department of Data Science, The Institute of Statistical Mathematics, Tokyo, Japan.
authors: Hisashi
authors: H
authors: Noma
authors: Center for Preventive Medical Sciences, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan.
authors: Yuri
authors: Y
authors: Sasaki
authors: Center for Preventive Medical Sciences, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan; Department of Gerontological Evaluation, Center for Gerontology and Social Science, National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Aichi, Japan.
authors: Katsunori
authors: K
authors: Kondo
mesh_terms: D000069586:Adult Survivors of Child Adverse Events / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017668:Age of Onset; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D011203:Poverty / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011599:Psychopathology; D012307:Risk Factors; D012923:Social Class
keywords: Depression; childhood socioeconomic status; life course; older adults