In-Person Interactions & Depression

Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU)  announced the forthcoming publication of a report on elders and depression and the differences when they had in-person interactions vs. virtual interactions.  Research: Face-to-face socializing more powerful than phone calls, emails in guarding against depression in older adults  is published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society (free to members).  The release on the study described the findings: “Study participants who regularly met in person with family and friends were less likely to report symptoms of depression, compared with participants who emailed or spoke on the phone. The gains people derived from face-to-face socializing endured even years later.”

Here are some more details about the study from the news release:

Researchers examined the frequency of in-person, telephone and written social contact, including email. Then they looked at the risk of depression symptoms two years later, adjusting for potential confounding factors including health status, how close people lived from family and preexisting depression.

The researchers found that having little face-to-face social contact nearly doubles your risk of having depression two years later. They also reported that having more or fewer phone conversations, or written or email contact, had no effect on depression.

Study participants who met up with family and friends at least three times a week had the lowest level of depressive symptoms two years later – 6.5 percent – than those who had less frequent contact. Individuals who met up just once every few months or less frequently had an 11.5 percent chance of depressive symptoms.