Later-life migration and depression among older adults in India: examining the role of functional limitations

Abstract

The prevalence of depression is increasing in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) such as India

migration is often associated with this rise. Nevertheless, there is limited knowledge about the moderating effect of functional limitations in the association between age at migration and depression in the middle and old age population. This study aimed to examine how functional limitations moderate the association between age at migration and depression in older adults in India. We utilized Longitudinal Aging Study in India data, comprising a sample of 61,855 adults aged 45 and above. Depression was the outcome variable. We employed negative binomial regression and interaction analyses to fulfill the study objective. Migrants (9.94) reported higher mean depressive scores than non-migrants (9.44). Migrants with Activities of Daily Living limitations (ADL) who migrated at a younger age (< 20 years) had 1.12 times higher risk, those at the age of 20–39 had 1.13 times higher risk, and those who migrated at the age of 40–59 had 1.15 times higher risk of depression than their non-migrant counterparts without any ADL limitations. The findings suggest that migrating at older ages comes with a higher psychological risk. Functional limitations significantly amplify the development of depression among migrants. The results advocate specific interventions aimed at reducing psychological stress among migrants who migrate at later ages and have functional limitations. © 2025 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.