How Living Alone and Family Support Relate to Depression in Older Mexican Americans: Does Gender Make a Difference?

Clustered regression analysis revealed gender differences in depressive symptoms related to living alone and intergenerational support among 335 Mexican American older adults.

• Older men experienced more depressive symptoms from living alone compared to older women.
• Receiving instrumental support was linked to increased depressive symptoms in older men relative to older women.
• Emotional closeness with children appeared to benefit older men more than older women in terms of depressive symptoms.
• The findings suggest that gender may play a significant role in how intergenerational support impacts mental health among older adults.

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