Gender Differences in the Relationship between Living alone and Depressive Symptoms in Elderly Korean Adults
Abstract
Background: This study examined gender differences in the relationship between living alone and depressive symptoms in elderly Korean adults and the variables that influence this relationship.
Methods: We conducted a secondary analysis using fourth-wave data from adults 65 yr of age or older who participated in the Korean Longitudinal Study of Aging. Depressive symptoms were measured using the 10-item short-form of the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale. Multiple logistic regression analyses were used.
Results: After controlling for the factors of formal and informal social activities, financial support from children, employment, activities of daily living, instrumental activities of daily living, self-rated health, frequency of meals, and gender, living alone (AOR=1.45, 95% CI =1.09-1.93, P=0.010) was an independent risk factor that contributed to depressive symptoms in late life. Living alone was more likely to elevate depressive symptoms in older women but not in older men.
Conclusion: Gender differences in the depressive effect of living alone in late life may differ across diverse cultures.
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14. Hanna KL, Collins PF (2015). Relationship between living alone and food and nutri-ent intake. Nutr Rev, 73 (9): 594-611.
15. Michael YL, Berkman LF, Colditz GA, Ka-wachi I (2001). Living arrangements, so-cial integration, and change in functional health status. Am J Epidemiol, 153 (2): 123-31.
16. Sarwari AR, Fredman L, Langenberg P, Magaziner J (1998). Prospective study on the relation between living arrangement and change in functional health status of elderly women. Am J Epidemiol, 147 (4): 370-8.
17. Kikuchi H, Takamiya T, Odagiri Y et al (2014). Gender differences in association between psychological distress and de-tailed living arrangements among Japa-nese older adults, aged 65-74 years. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol, 49 (5): 823-30.
18. Lee SH, Kim YB (2016). Which type of so-cial activities may reduce cognitive decline in the elderly?: a longitudinal population-based study. BMC Geriatrics, 16 (1): 165.
19. Jeon GS, Jang SN, Kim DS, Cho SI (2013). Widowhood and depressive symptoms among Korean elders: the role of social ties. J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci, 68 (6): 963–73.
20. Zhang W, O'Brien N, Forrest JI et al (2012). Validating a shortened depression scale (10 item CES-D) among HIV-positive people in British Columbia, Canada. PLoS One, 7 (7): e40793. .
21. Cartierre N, Coulon N, Demerval R (2011). Confirmatory factor analysis of the short French version of the center for epide-miological studies of depression scale (CES-D10) in adolescents. Encephale, 37 (4): 273-7.
22. Lemon WB, Bengtson VL, Peterson JA (1972). An exploration of the activity the-ory of aging: Activity types and life satis-faction among in-movers to a retirement community. J Gerontol, 27 (4): 511–23.
23. Allison PD (1999). Multiple Regression: A Primer. London: A Sage Publications Company.
24. Hatfield JP, Hirsch JK, Lyness JM (2013). Functional impairment, illness burden, and depressive symptoms in older adults: Does type of social relationship matter? Int J Geriatr Psychiatry, 28 (2): 190-8.
25. Kim YB (2009). Type of social activity and morale in later life: A comparison be-tween male and female. Asian Women, 25 (1): 69-85.
26. Lee SH, Kim YB (2014). Which type of so-cial activities decrease depression in the elderly? An analysis of a population-based study in South Korea. Iran J Public Health, 43 (7): 903-12.
27. Kupek E (2002). Bias and heteroscedastic memory error in self-reported health be-havior: an investigation using covariance structure analysis. BMC Med Res Methodol, 2: 14.
2. Lim EJ (2014). Gender differences in the re-lationship between physical functioning and depressive symptoms in low-income older adults living alone. Nurs Health Sci, 16 (3): 381-6.
3. Akiyama A, Hanabusa H, Mikami H (2011). Characteristics of home care supporting clinics providing home care for frail el-derly persons living alone in Japan. Arch Gerontol Geriatr, 52: e85-88.
4. Tong HM, Lai DW, Zeng Q, Xu WY (2011). Effects of social exclusion on de-pressive symptoms: Elderly Chinese liv-ing alone in Shanghai, China. J Cross Cult Gerontol, 26 (4): 349-64.
5. Nicole MB (2013). Examination of the im-pact of living arrangements and marital status on depression among older adult male veterans (Unpublished doctoral dis-sertation). College of Saint Benedict/Saint John's University, Collegeville, Minneso-ta, United States.
6. Russell D, Taylor J (2009). Living alone and depressive symptoms: The influence of gender, physical disability, and social support among Hispanic and non-Hispanic older adults. J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci, 64 (1): 95-104.
7. Pimouguet C, Rizzuto D, Schön P et al (2016). Impact of living alone on institu-tionalization and mortality: A population-based longitudinal study. Eur J Public Health, 26 (1): 182-7.
8. Chou KL, Ho AH, Chi I (2006). Living alone and depression in Chinese older adults. Aging Ment Health, 10 (6): 583-91.
9. Zhang B, Li J (2011). Gender and marital status differences in depressive symp-toms among elderly adults: The roles of family support and friend support. Aging Ment Health, 15 (7): 844-54.
10. Lee GR, DeMaris A, Bavin S, Sullivan R (2001). Gender differences in the depres-sive effect of widowhood in later life. J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci, 56: S56-61.
11. van Grootheest DS, Beekman AT, Broese van Groenou MI, Deeg DJ (1999). Sex differences in depression after widow-hood. Do men suffer more? Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol, 34 (7): 391-8.
12. Chan A, Malhotra C, Malhotra R, Ostbye T (2011). Living arrangements, social net-works and depressive symptoms among older men and women in Singapore. Int J Geriatr Psychiatry, 26 (6): 630-9.
13. Lin PC, Wang HH (2011). Factors associat-ed with depressive symptoms among older adults living alone: An analysis of sex difference. Aging Ment Health, 15 (8): 1038-44.
14. Hanna KL, Collins PF (2015). Relationship between living alone and food and nutri-ent intake. Nutr Rev, 73 (9): 594-611.
15. Michael YL, Berkman LF, Colditz GA, Ka-wachi I (2001). Living arrangements, so-cial integration, and change in functional health status. Am J Epidemiol, 153 (2): 123-31.
16. Sarwari AR, Fredman L, Langenberg P, Magaziner J (1998). Prospective study on the relation between living arrangement and change in functional health status of elderly women. Am J Epidemiol, 147 (4): 370-8.
17. Kikuchi H, Takamiya T, Odagiri Y et al (2014). Gender differences in association between psychological distress and de-tailed living arrangements among Japa-nese older adults, aged 65-74 years. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol, 49 (5): 823-30.
18. Lee SH, Kim YB (2016). Which type of so-cial activities may reduce cognitive decline in the elderly?: a longitudinal population-based study. BMC Geriatrics, 16 (1): 165.
19. Jeon GS, Jang SN, Kim DS, Cho SI (2013). Widowhood and depressive symptoms among Korean elders: the role of social ties. J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci, 68 (6): 963–73.
20. Zhang W, O'Brien N, Forrest JI et al (2012). Validating a shortened depression scale (10 item CES-D) among HIV-positive people in British Columbia, Canada. PLoS One, 7 (7): e40793. .
21. Cartierre N, Coulon N, Demerval R (2011). Confirmatory factor analysis of the short French version of the center for epide-miological studies of depression scale (CES-D10) in adolescents. Encephale, 37 (4): 273-7.
22. Lemon WB, Bengtson VL, Peterson JA (1972). An exploration of the activity the-ory of aging: Activity types and life satis-faction among in-movers to a retirement community. J Gerontol, 27 (4): 511–23.
23. Allison PD (1999). Multiple Regression: A Primer. London: A Sage Publications Company.
24. Hatfield JP, Hirsch JK, Lyness JM (2013). Functional impairment, illness burden, and depressive symptoms in older adults: Does type of social relationship matter? Int J Geriatr Psychiatry, 28 (2): 190-8.
25. Kim YB (2009). Type of social activity and morale in later life: A comparison be-tween male and female. Asian Women, 25 (1): 69-85.
26. Lee SH, Kim YB (2014). Which type of so-cial activities decrease depression in the elderly? An analysis of a population-based study in South Korea. Iran J Public Health, 43 (7): 903-12.
27. Kupek E (2002). Bias and heteroscedastic memory error in self-reported health be-havior: an investigation using covariance structure analysis. BMC Med Res Methodol, 2: 14.
| Files | ||
| Issue | Vol 48 No 3 (2019) | |
| Section | Original Article(s) | |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.18502/ijph.v48i3.890 | |
| Keywords | ||
| Living arrangement Depressive symptom Social activity Support Elderly Korea | ||
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How to Cite
1.
KIM YB, LEE SH. Gender Differences in the Relationship between Living alone and Depressive Symptoms in Elderly Korean Adults. Iran J Public Health. 2019;48(3):465-473.
