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Impact of Living Alone on Depressive Symptoms in Older Korean Widows

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  • Gyeong-Suk Jeon

    (Department of Nursing Science and Research Institute of Women, Mokpo National University, 1666 Yeongsan-ro, Cheonggye-myeon, Muan-gun, Jeonam 534-729, Korea)

  • Kyungwon Choi

    (Department of Nursing, Korea National University of Transportation, 61 Daehak-ro, Jeungpyeong-gun Chungbuk 27909, Korea)

  • Sung-Il Cho

    (Department of Public Health Science, Graduate school of Public Health and Institute of Health and Environment, Seoul National University, 1 Gwanak-ro, Gwanak-gu, Seoul 08826, Korea)

Abstract

We examined the relationship between living alone and the prevalence of depressive symptoms in older Korean widows and assessed the individual contributions of health, social ties, and socioeconomic factors to the development of depressive symptoms. The study was a secondary analysis using data from widows, 65 years of age and older, who participated in the Living Profiles of Older People Survey (LPOPS). A logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate the contributions of health, social ties, and socioeconomic factors to the development of depressive symptoms. Working status and equivalent household income were significantly associated with depressive symptoms in both those living with others and those living alone. Adjustment for health status and social ties did not change the impact of living alone on the prevalence of depressive symptoms. However, adjustment for equivalent household income eliminated the negative association between living alone and depressive symptoms. Our findings indicate that economic resources are more important than health and social ties for alleviating the negative impact of living alone on the development of depressive symptoms in older widows.

Suggested Citation

  • Gyeong-Suk Jeon & Kyungwon Choi & Sung-Il Cho, 2017. "Impact of Living Alone on Depressive Symptoms in Older Korean Widows," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 14(10), pages 1-11, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:14:y:2017:i:10:p:1191-:d:114266
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Hyunjoon Park & Jaesung Choi, 2015. "Long-term trends in living alone among Korean adults: Age, gender, and educational differences," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 32(43), pages 1177-1208.
    2. Denton, Margaret & Prus, Steven & Walters, Vivienne, 2004. "Gender differences in health: a Canadian study of the psychosocial, structural and behavioural determinants of health," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 58(12), pages 2585-2600, June.
    3. Gyeong-Suk Jeon & Soong-Nang Jang & Dong-Sik Kim & Sung-Il Cho, 2013. "Widowhood and Depressive Symptoms Among Korean Elders: The Role of Social Ties," The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, The Gerontological Society of America, vol. 68(6), pages 963-973.
    4. Jang, Soong-Nang & Kawachi, Ichiro & Chang, Jiyeun & Boo, Kachung & Shin, Hyun-Gu & Lee, Hyejung & Cho, Sung-il, 2009. "Marital status, gender, and depression: Analysis of the baseline survey of the Korean Longitudinal Study of Ageing (KLoSA)," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 69(11), pages 1608-1615, December.
    5. Gyeong-Suk Jeon & Soong-Nang Jang & Seon-Ja Rhee & Ichiro Kawachi & Sung-Il Cho, 2007. "Gender Differences in Correlates of Mental Health Among Elderly Koreans," The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, The Gerontological Society of America, vol. 62(5), pages 323-329.
    6. David Russell & John Taylor, 2009. "Living Alone and Depressive Symptoms: The Influence of Gender, Physical Disability, and Social Support Among Hispanic and Non-Hispanic Older Adults," The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, The Gerontological Society of America, vol. 64(1), pages 95-104.
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    Cited by:

    1. Yu-Han Hsiao & Meng-Chih Lee & Chih-Jung Yeh & Chi-Jung Tai & Shiuan-Shinn Lee, 2021. "Social Participation and Survival in Widowed Persons: Results of the Taiwan Longitudinal Study on Aging," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(20), pages 1-11, October.
    2. Chiyoung Lee & Jee-Seon Yi, 2021. "Socioeconomic Classes among Oldest-Old Women in South Korea: A Latent Class Analysis," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(24), pages 1-13, December.
    3. Yoh Murayama & Sachiko Yamazaki & Masami Hasebe & Tomoya Takahashi & Jun Yamaguchi & Erika Kobayashi, 2022. "Psychological Factors That Suppress Help-Seeking among Middle-Aged and Older Adults Living Alone," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(17), pages 1-13, August.
    4. Mingwang Fang & Jinfeng Chen & Ling Guo & Xiao Ma, 2019. "Gender Differences in Geriatric Depressive Symptoms in Rural China: The Role of Physical Housing Environments and Living Arrangements," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(5), pages 1-13, March.

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