Abstract: Objective To estimate the prevalence of depression in rural community elderly and to explore the association between social support and depression.Methods A cross-sectional study was carried out in three rural communities(17 villages)in Macheng city of Hubei province.Subjects aged 60 years or older were selected with cluster sampling.A structured questionnaire was used to investigate the prevalence of depression and relevant factors among the eldely.Results Totally 210(27.1%)males and 320(28.0%)females were identified as depression based on Geriatric Depression Scale(GDS),with a overall prevalence rate of 27.6%.After adjusting for potential confounding factors,requiring the subject's practical support to the family(odds ratioOR=0.36,95% confidence intervalCI:0.25-0.51),giving required moral support to friends(OR=0.63,95% CI:0.43-0.92)were protective factors,while requiring subject's moral support to the family(OR=2.71,95% CI:1.75-4.19),giving required practical support to family(OR=1.82,95%CI:1.28-2.60)were risk factors of depression among the eldely.Conclusion High prevalence of elderly depression was boserved in the rural areas of Macheng city.Social support was an important influencing factor for elderly depression.