Volume 6, Issue 3

Background. Intergenerational co-residence remains common in Mexico and is often assumed to protect older adults against loneliness and depression, but population aging and migration are reshaping household structures. Evidence on how specific living arrangements relate to later depressive symptoms is limited. Methods. We conducted a secondary analysis of the 2018 and 2021 waves of the Mexican Health and Aging Study, including 8,914 respondents aged 60 years and older in 2018. Living arrangements in 2018 were classified as living alone, with a spouse only, or in two-generation, three-generation or skipped-generation households. Elevated depressive symptoms in 2021 were defined as a score of 5 or more on a nine-item version of the CES-D. Survey-weighted logistic regression adjusted for baseline depressive symptoms and sociodemographic and health characteristics. Results. In 2021, 30.7% of respondents had elevated depressive symptoms. Compared with living with a spouse only, living alone (adjusted OR 1.38, 95% CI 1.12–1.70) and living in a skipped-generation household (adjusted OR 1.47, 95% CI 1.09–1.98) were associated with higher odds of elevated symptoms, whereas two- and three-generation households did not differ significantly. Among unmarried respondents, co-residence with adult children was associated with lower odds of elevated symptoms than living alone (adjusted OR 0.71, 95% CI 0.57–0.88). Conclusions. Co-residence with adult children appears protective mainly for older Mexicans without a partner, while older adults raising grandchildren without the middle generation are at elevated risk. Mental health and social programs should target these groups rather than assume that extended family households meet older adults' needs.