Korean J Fam Pract.  2022 Sep;12(4):254-261. 10.21215/kjfp.2022.12.4.254.

Association between Personal Encounters and Incidence of Depression in Korean Middle-Aged and Elderly Adults: Result from the Korean Longitudinal Study of Aging

• Kim JW
• Lee NR
• Lee HJ
• Hong SW
• Suh YS
• Kim DH

• KMID: 2533238
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.21215/kjfp.2022.12.4.254

Abstract

Background
The effects of social activities, including personal encounters and social life, on the incidence of depression were investigated by evaluating the results of the Korean Longitudinal Study of Aging (KLoSA), including Korean adults over 45 years of age.
Methods
Middle-aged and elderly adults aged over 45 years who participated in the first KLoSA 2006 survey with no depressive symptoms, and 3,543 people who responded to CESD-10 (depression index) and social life questions in the 7th survey in 2018 were included in this study. The effect of social life on the occurrence of depression in people over 45 years of age was analyzed using generalized estimating equation.
Results
The influence of personal encounters on the occurrence of depression was significantly high for both men and women aged over 45 years. After adjustment for both general and health characteristics, the risk of depression in men who rarely met up with close friends was 2.22 times higher than those who met up with friends daily. Furthermore, in men who met up with friends once or twice a month, it was 1.40 times higher.
Conclusion
The risk of developing depression was highest in the group who rarely met up with close people, followed by the group who had close social contacts once or twice a month.

Keyword

Depression; Social Activities; Korean Longitudinal Study of Aging; Aging