J Korean Med Assoc.  2011 Apr;54(4):362-369. 10.5124/jkma.2011.54.4.362.

A review of the epidemiology of depression in Korea

Affiliations
  • 1Department of Psychiatry, Jeju National University School of Medicine, Jeju, Korea.
  • 2Department of Psychiatry, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. kwkimmd@snu.ac.kr

Abstract

Depression is one of the most significant public health problems in Korea. The lifetime prevalence rates of major depressive disorder (MDD) in Korean adults have ranged from 3.3% to 5.6%, which are lower than those of western countries. Point prevalence rates of MDD in Korean elders from 4.6% to 7.5%, which are relatively higher than those of Western countries and other Eastern countries, have been reported. The prevalence rate of probable depression (depressive symptoms defined by the cutoff point of 16 on the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale was lowest in the age group of 40 to 49 years at 7.6%, and highest in the age group of 15 to 18 years at 46.8%. The prevalence of probable depression in Korean elders increased with age and was highest in the group aged 80 years and over, at 35.4%. There is relatively consistent evidence that being female, having low income, no education, prior MDD, dementia and history of cerebrovascular attack increased the risk of depression. Although it is difficult to come to consistent conclusions on the epidemiology of depression in Korea due to methodological differences between studies, depression is already common and will become more common in Korea. Tremendous sociocultural, economic, and political changes along with rapid population aging have contributed and will contribute to the prevalence and impacts of depression in Korea.

Keyword

Depression; Epidemiology; Prevalence; Risk factors; Korea

MeSH Terms

Adult
Aged
Aging
Dementia
Depression
Depressive Disorder, Major
Epidemiologic Studies
Female
Humans
Korea
Prevalence
Public Health
Risk Factors

Figure

  • Figure 1 Comparison of the Prevalence rates of depressive symptoms between age groups. CES-D, the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale.


Cited by  10 articles

Association between organizational justice and depressive symptoms among securities company workers
HyunSuk Lee, KangHyun Um, YoungSu Ju, Sukkoun Lee, Min Choi, Domyung Paek, Seong-Sik Cho
Ann Occup Environ Med. 2019;31(1):.    doi: 10.35371/aoem.2019.31.e7.

Depression Among HIV-infected Patients in Korea: Assessment of Clinical Significance and Risk Factors
Joon Young Song, Jin Soo Lee, Yu Bin Seo, In Seon Kim, Ji Youn Noh, Ji Hyeon Baek, Hee Jin Cheong, Woo Joo Kim
Infect Chemother. 2013;45(2):211-216.    doi: 10.3947/ic.2013.45.2.211.

The association between dietary pattern and depression in middle-aged Korean adults
Seon-Joo Park, Myung-Sunny Kim, Hae-Jeung Lee
Nutr Res Pract. 2019;13(4):316-322.    doi: 10.4162/nrp.2019.13.4.316.

Factors Influencing Depressive Symptoms in Community Dwelling Older People
Jung Nam Sohn
J Korean Acad Psychiatr Ment Health Nurs. 2013;22(2):107-116.    doi: 10.12934/jkpmhn.2013.22.2.107.

Factors Influencing the Decrease in Depression among Married Women with Depression: Using the Fifth and Sixth Wave Data of Korean Longitudinal Survey of Women and Families
Ji Min Seo, Hyejin Lee
J Korean Acad Psychiatr Ment Health Nurs. 2018;27(4):321-331.    doi: 10.12934/jkpmhn.2018.27.4.321.

The Relationship Between Serum Lipids and Depression
Keum Ji Jung, Yejin Mok, Hyoung Yoon Chang, Dongkoog Son, Eun-Jeong Han, Young Duk Yun, Sun Ha Jee
J Lipid Atheroscler. 2014;3(1):11-19.    doi: 10.12997/jla.2014.3.1.11.

The Relationship Between Serum Lipids and Depression
Keum Ji Jung, Yejin Mok, Hyoung Yoon Chang, Dongkoog Son, Eun-Jeong Han, Young Duk Yun, Sun Ha Jee
J Lipid Atheroscler. 2014;3(1):11-19.    doi: 10.12997/jla.2014.3.1.11.

Systematic Review on the Relationship between Depressive Symptoms and Activities of Daily Living in Cognitively Intact Older Adults
Myoungjin Kwon, Sun-Ae Kim, Kawoun Seo
Korean J Adult Nurs. 2019;31(1):1-13.    doi: 10.7475/kjan.2019.31.1.1.

Trends in the Prevalence of Major Depressive Disorder by Sociodemographic Factors in Korea: Results from Nationwide General Population Surveys in 2001, 2006, and 2011
Jimin Lee, Hyerim Kim, Jin Pyo Hong, Seong-Jin Cho, Jun-Young Lee, Hong Jin Jeon, Byung-Soo Kim, Sung Man Chang
J Korean Med Sci. 2021;36(39):e244.    doi: 10.3346/jkms.2021.36.e244.

Abuse potential of propofol used for sedation in gastric endoscopy and its correlation with subject characteristics
Ja Hyun Kim, Heewon Byun, Jun Hyun Kim
Korean J Anesthesiol. 2013;65(5):403-409.    doi: 10.4097/kjae.2013.65.5.403.


Reference

1. Suh GH, Kim JK, Yeon BK, Park SK, Yoo KY, Yang BK, Kim YS, Cho MJ. Prevalence and risk factors of dementia and depression in the elderly. J Korean Neuropsychiatr Assoc. 2000. 39:809–824.
2. Park JH, Lee JJ, Lee SB, Huh Y, Choi EA, Youn JC, Jhoo JH, Kim JS, Woo JI, Kim KW. Prevalence of major depressive disorder and minor depressive disorder in an elderly Korean population: results from the Korean Longitudinal Study on Health and Aging (KLoSHA). J Affect Disord. 2010. 125:234–240.
Article
3. Ohayon MM, Hong SC. Prevalence of major depressive disorder in the general population of South Korea. J Psychiatr Res. 2006. 40:30–36.
Article
4. Lee CK, Kwak YS, Rhee H, Kim YS, Han JH, Choi JO, Lee YH. The epidemiological study of mental disorders in Korea: lifetime prevalence of urban and rural area. J Korean Med Assoc. 1985. 28:1223–1244.
5. Cho MJ, Hahm BJ, Kim JK, Park KK, Chung EK, Suh TW, Kim SU, Cho SJ, Lee JY, Hong JP, Choi YS, Park JI, Lee DW, Lee GC, Bae JN, Shin JH, Chung IW, Park JH, Bae A, Lee CK. Korean Epidemiologic Catchment Area (KECA) Study for psychiatric disorders: prevalence of specific psychiatric disorders. J Korean Neuropsychiatr Assoc. 2004. 43:470–480.
6. Cho MJ, Chang SM, Hahm BJ, Chung IW, Bae A, Lee YM, Ahn JH, Won SH, Son J, Hong JP, Bae JN, Lee DW, Cho SJ, Park JI, Lee JY, Kim JY, Jeon HJ, Lee HW. Prevalence and correlates of major mental disorders among Korean adults: a 2006 National Epidemiologic Survey. J Korean Neuropsychiatr Assoc. 2009. 48:143–152.
7. Cho MJ, Nam JJ, Suh GH. Prevalence of symptoms of depression in a nationwide sample of Korean adults. Psychiatry Res. 1998. 81:341–352.
Article
8. Chang SM, Hahm BJ, Lee JY, Shin MS, Jeon HJ, Hong JP, Lee HB, Lee DW, Cho MJ. Cross-national difference in the prevalence of depression caused by the diagnostic threshold. J Affect Disord. 2008. 106:159–167.
Article
9. Cho MJ, Kim KH. Diagnostic validity of the CES-D (Korean version) in the assessment of DSM-III-R major depression. J Korean Neuropsychiatr Assoc. 1993. 32:381–399.
10. Koenig HG, Blazer DG. Epidemiology of geriatric affective disorders. Clin Geriatr Med. 1992. 8:235–251.
Article
11. Kwak YS, Lee CI, Hong SC, Song YJ, Kim IC, Moon SH, Moon JH, Seok EM, Jang YH, Park MJ, Hong JY, Kim YB, Lee SH, Kim HJ, Kim MD. Depressive symptoms in elementary school children in Jeju Island, Korea: prevalence and correlates. Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2008. 17:343–351.
Article
12. Cho SJ, Jeon HJ, Kim MJ, Kim JK, Kim US, Lyoo IK, Cho MJ. Prevalence and correlates of depressive symptoms among the adolescents in an urban area in Korea. J Korean Neuropsychiatr Assoc. 2001. 40:627–639.
13. Park JH, Lim S, Lim JY, Kim KI, Han MK, Yoon IY, Kim JM, Chang YS, Chang CB, Chin HJ, Choi EA, Lee SB, Park YJ, Paik NJ, Kim TK, Jang HC, Kim KW. An overview of the Korean longitudinal study on health and aging. Psychiatry Investig. 2007. 4:84–95.
14. Cho MJ, Hahm BJ, Jhoo JH, Bae JN, Kwon JS. Prevalence of cognitive impairment and depressive symptoms among the elderly in an urban community. J Korean Neuropsychiatr Assoc. 1998. 37:352–362.
15. Cho MJ, Hahm BJ, Rhi BY, Kim SY, Shin YM, Lee CI. Prevalence of cognitive impairment and depressive symptomatology of the elderly in a long-term institution. J Korean Neuropsychiatr Assoc. 1998. 37:913–920.
16. Kim E, Jo SA, Hwang JY, Shin C, Kim DK, Woo EK, Kim SS, Shin KR, Jo I. A survey of depressive symptoms among South Korean adults after the Korean financial crisis of late 1997: prevalence and correlates. Ann Epidemiol. 2005. 15:145–152.
Article
17. Kim MD, Hong SC, Lee CI, Kwak YS, Shin TK, Jang YH, Oh EH, Lee JW, Jeon BH, Hwang SE. Prevalence of depression and correlates of depressive symptoms for residents in the urban part of Jeju Island, Korea. Int J Soc Psychiatry. 2007. 53:123–134.
Article
18. Hahm BJ, Kim JK, Cho MJ. Prevalence, incidence, and risk factors of dementia and depressive disorders of the elderly residing in the community: a two stage one-year follow-up study. J Korean Geriatr Psychiatry. 1999. 3:140–148.
19. Djernes JK. Prevalence and predictors of depression in populations of elderly: a review. Acta Psychiatr Scand. 2006. 113:372–387.
Article
20. Murray CJ, Lopez AD. Harvard School of Public Health. World Health Organization. World Bank. The global burden of disease: a comprehensive assessment of mortality and disability from diseases, injuries, and risk factors in 1990 and projected to 2020. 1996. Cambridge: Harvard School of Public Health.
21. Frasure-Smith N, Lesperance F, Talajic M. Depression following myocardial infarction. Impact on 6-month survival. JAMA. 1993. 270:1819–1825.
Article
22. Langa KM, Valenstein MA, Fendrick AM, Kabeto MU, Vijan S. Extent and cost of informal caregiving for older Americans with symptoms of depression. Am J Psychiatry. 2004. 161:857–863.
Article
23. Lyness JM, Kim J, Tang W, Tu X, Conwell Y, King DA, Caine ED. The clinical significance of subsyndromal depression in older primary care patients. Am J Geriatr Psychiatry. 2007. 15:214–223.
Article
24. Cheon JS, Lee SS, Roh JR, Oh BH. Psychosocial factors associated with suicidal idea among Korean elderly. J Korean Geriatr Psychiatry. 2005. 9:132–139.
25. Simon GE, Fleck M, Lucas R, Bushnell DM. LIDO Group. Prevalence and predictors of depression treatment in an international primary care study. Am J Psychiatry. 2004. 161:1626–1634.
Article
26. Olfson M, Marcus SC, Druss B, Elinson L, Tanielian T, Pincus HA. National trends in the outpatient treatment of depression. JAMA. 2002. 287:203–209.
Article
Full Text Links
  • JKMA
Actions
Cited
CITED
export Copy
Close
Share
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
Similar articles
Copyright © 2024 by Korean Association of Medical Journal Editors. All rights reserved.     E-mail: koreamed@kamje.or.kr