WORLD OF MEDICINE

ARE YOU A CITY MOUSE OR A COUNTRY MOUSE?

- Beth Weinhouse

People can be lonely and depressed no matter where they live. But a study of more than 5,000 older adults in China found that the rate of depressive symptoms among those who lived in rural areas was 1.37 times higher than in the city dwellers. Of course the solution isn't for everyone to move to the city, but the study, published in the journal Psychology Research and Behavior Management, points to the importance of participating in social activities. People in rural areas were less likely to do so very often, but those who played cards or mahjong at least once a week, or participated in other organized social activities at least once a month, were at less risk of depression.

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