Korean J Psychosom Med.  2015 Jun;23(1):36-46. 10.0000/kjpm.2015.23.1.36.

Risk Factors of Socio-Demographic Variables to Depressive Symptoms and Suicidality in Elderly Who Live Alone at One Urban Region

• Park HS
• Oh HJ
• Kwon MY
• Kang MJ
• Eun TK
• Seo MC
• Oh JK
• Kim EJ
• Joo EJ
• Bang SY
• Lee KY

• KMID: 2071078
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.0000/kjpm.2015.23.1.36

Abstract

OBJECTIVES
To understand the risk factors of demographic data in geriatric depression scale, and suicidality among in elderly who live alone at one urban region.
METHODS
In 2009, 589 elderly who live alone(age> or =65) were carried out a survey about several socio-demographic data, Korean version of the Geriatric Depression Scale(SGDS-K) and Suicidal Ideation Questionnaire (SIQ). Statistical analysis was performed for the collected data.
RESULTS
Mean age of elderly who live alone is 75.69(SD 6.17). 40.1% of participants uneducated, 31.4% graduate from elementary school, 12.9% graduate from high school, 11.7% graduate from middle school, 3.2% graduate from university. Religionless, having past history of depression or physical diseases, low subjective satisfaction of family situation, and not having any social group activity have significance to depressive symptoms of elderly who live alone. Having past history of depression, religionless, low subjective satisfaction of family situation have significance to suicidality. Especially, low subjective satisfaction of family situation and having past history of depression are powerful demographic factor both depressive symptoms and suicidality of elderly who live alone.
CONCLUSIONS
When we take care elderly who live alone, we should consider many things, but especially the social support network such as family satisfaction and past history of depression for reducing or preventing their depression and suicide both elderly depression and suicide who live alone.

Keyword

Depressive symptom; Suicidality; Socio-demographic data; Elderly who live alone

MeSH Terms

Aged*
Demography
Depression*
Humans
Questionnaires
Risk Factors*
Suicidal Ideation
Suicide