A Dyadic Study of Depressive Symptom Trajectories and Health Lifestyle and Health Outcomes Among Middle-Aged and Older Couples: Evidence From the China Family Panel Studies

This study examined associations between depressive symptom trajectories and health lifestyle and health outcomes within middle-aged and older couples. Using data of 1438 couples aged 45+ from 2016 to 2022 China Family Panel Studies, group-based trajectory modeling and structural equation modeling were applied to characterize couples’ depressive symptom trajectories separately and fit the actor-partner effect of distinct trajectories on health lifestyle and health index. Results identified four depressive symptom trajectories for couples. Compared to non-symptom trajectory, wives’ and husbands’ trajectories of stable in low level, increase from moderate level and fluctuant increase from high level were linked to lower health lifestyle index and health index of their own. Moreover, husbands’ fluctuant increase from high level trajectory was predictive of wives’ lower health index. Findings underscored the gender-specific actor-partner effect of depressive symptom trajectories on health lifestyle and health among couples, emphasizing the need for couple-united interventions to improve their health and well-being.