Korean J Fam Pract.  2020 Jul;10(4):307-313. 10.21215/kjfp.2020.10.4.307.

The Effect of Housing Unaffordability on the Incidence of Depression in Korean Adults: Focusingon Korean Longitudinal Study of Aging

• Hwang KH
• Kim MJ
• Park JM
• Hong SW
• Suh YS
• Kim DH

• KMID: 2505333
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.21215/kjfp.2020.10.4.307

Abstract

Background
This study examined the effect of housing affordability on the incidence of depression in Korean adults aged 45 years and above usingthe Korean Longitudinal Study of Aging (KLoSA).
Methods
Five-year data from wave two to wave six of the KLoSA provided by the Ministry of Labor were used. In the first year of KLoSA in 2006, amongthose who did not suffer from depression, ones who had one or more of the survey data from the second to the sixth were analyzed. generalizedestimating equation (GEE) regression analysis and chi-square test were used as data processing methods.
Results
According to the 2010 data, out of 4,606 people, 3,558 (77.3%) were in the affordable group, and 1,048 (22.8%) in the experienced overburdengroup. The result of regression analysis with controlling general characteristics as covariates showed that the experienced overburden group had ahigher incidence of depression than the affordable group. A longitudinal analysis of housing affordability and incidence of depression for five yearsrevealed no significant difference in the incidence of depression. However, the overall share of overburden experience increased steadily. Acomparison of the incidence of depression between the affordable and experienced overburden groups in each year showed that the incidence ofdepression was statistically higher each year.
Conclusion
Housing affordability increases the incidence of depression, and eight years of data indicated depression in the experienced overburdengroup to be higher than the affordable group.

Keyword

Housing Affordability; Schwabe Index; Depression; Korean Longitudinal Study of Aging