Objective This study aimed to investigate the mechanism of community outdoor activity venues on depression changes in the elderly from the perspectives of physiology and society.Methods The study used data from the China Elderly Social Tracking Survey,and included 2928 elderly samples(47.37%were male,mean age=71.1)from the 2016 and 2018 surveys.A fixed-effects model was used to analyze the direct impact of community outdoor activity venues on changes in depression in the elderly and the mediating roles of physiological and social indicators in this relationship.Results Studies have found that outdoor activity venues can inhibit the development of depression in the elderly,and outdoor activity venues can also inhibit the development of depression in the elderly by improving instrumental activities of daily living and social network levels.Conclusion The results of the study suggest the importance of improving the community entertainment environment for the mental health of the elderly.