Objective  To examine mental health status and its influencing factors among empty-nest elderly in rural China and to provide evidences for promoting mental health among the rural empty-nest elderly.

  Methods  The data on 1 892 empty-nest elderly aged ≥ 60 years in rural regions of China were extracted from the fourth wave of China Family Panel Study (CFPS) conducted in 2016. Mental health condition of the elderly was assessed with Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D). Unconditional multivariate logistic analysis was used to evaluate mental health of the participants by demographics, physical health, social economic condition, and psychosocial factors.

  Results  The results of univariate analysis indicated following significant impact factors on mental health of the empty-nest elderly: gender, marriage status, physical health, chronic diseases, self-care ability, exercise, education, relationship with children, frequency of contact with children, and support from neighborhoods (P < 0.05 for all). The results of unconditional multivariate logistic analysis demonstrated that unmarried (odd ratio OR = 1.742) and low self-care ability (OR = 2.431) were significant risk factors but good physical health (OR = 0.226), high education in comparison with illiteracy or semiliterate (primary school: OR = 0.477, junior high school and above: OR = 0.428) and not having poor relationship with children (general relationship: OR = 0.321, close relationship: OR = 0.171) were protective factors of mental health for the empty-nest elderly (P < 0.05 for all).

  Conclusion  For the promotion of mental health among rural empty-nest elderly, more attention should be paid to those being female, the living alone, in poor physical health, having chronic diseases, with low self-care ability, not doing physical exercise, with low education, having poor relationship with children, less frequently contacting with children, and with less support from neighborhood.