Unstable Drinking Water Linked to Increased Depressive Symptoms in Women

Research conducted by Peking University has discovered a significant association between household drinking water sources and depressive symptoms in Chinese middle-aged and older adults, with notable differences by sex. The study, published in BMC Public Health, found that the use of unstable water was associated with a higher risk of depressive symptoms in females, with the risk increasing with greater water instability. In contrast, no such association was observed in males. The researchers attributed 5.42% of the depressive symptoms burden in females to unstable water use, emphasizing the need for sustainable policies to secure reliable water supply to protect women's mental health.

Key Takeaways:

• The study analyzed data from 5,868 participants aged 40 years selected from the China Family Panel Studies (2012-2020).
• Time-varying Cox models were used to assess the association between household water sources and depressive symptoms, and group-based trajectory models were employed to identify water-use trajectories.
• The research found that using unstable water was associated with a higher follow-up depressive symptoms risk in females (hazard ratio = 1.260, 95% confidence interval: 1.116, 1.423).
• The association between household water sources and depressive symptoms increased with greater water instability in females.
• No such association was observed in males.
• The researchers identified three water-use trajectories by sex, with constant unstable water linked to post-follow-up depressive symptoms, and switching from unstable to stable water reducing this risk in females.
• 5.42% of the depressive symptoms burden in females was attributed to unstable water use.

Statistics:

• 5,868 participants aged 40 years were selected from the China Family Panel Studies (2012-2020).
• The study found a significant association between household water sources and depressive symptoms, with a hazard ratio of 1.260 for females.
• 5% of the depressive symptoms burden in females was attributed to unstable water use, translating to 5.42% of the total depressive symptoms burden.
• The study used a time frame of 8 years (2012-2020) to analyze data from the China Family Panel Studies.

Sources:

• Zhang, L., et al. (2025). Sex-specific associations between household drinking water sources and depressive symptoms in middle-aged and older Chinese populations: evidence from one 8-year nationwide cohort. BMC Public Health, 25(1), 3448.
• BMC Public Health. (www.biomedcentral.com/bmcpublichealth/)
• Peking University. (institute of population research)
• China Family Panel Studies. (2020)