Determinants of life satisfaction and depressive symptoms among older adults living alone: longitudinal national evidence from Thailand, 2015–2022

Background: A few longitudinal studies on the life satisfaction and depressive symptoms of older people living alone have been carried out. The present study aimed to investigate the determinants of life satisfaction and depressive symptoms of older people living alone in Thailand. Methods: We used data from Thailand’s Health, Aging, and Retirement research conducted in 2015, 2017, 2020, and 2022. The community-based analytic sample included 1735 observations of older adults living alone. The average age of the pooled sample was 74.0 years (SD = 8.5, range: 60–107 years). Life satisfaction and depressive symptoms were measured using established metrics. Linear random-effects models evaluated determinants of life satisfaction and depressive symptoms. Results: Regressions found that higher education, higher subjective economic status, female sex, urban residence, social engagement, better self-rated health status, physical activity, chewing ability, wearing dentures, and participation in annual health check-ups were positively associated with higher life satisfaction. Being single, divorced, separated, or widowed, having depressive symptoms, and loneliness were negatively associated with life satisfaction. Furthermore, male sex, currently working, rural residence, functional limitations, and loneliness were associated with higher depressive symptoms, while self-rated physical health, physical activity, and wearing dentures were negatively associated with depressive symptoms. Conclusions: Overall, this study among older adults living alone showed that advantages and disadvantages in socioeconomic situation, health, and health behaviour were the determinants of life satisfaction and depressive symptoms, respectively. Efforts to promote well-being among older adults living alone should reduce or promote the identified associated factors.