Prevalence and Associated Factors of Depressive Symptoms Among Elderly Individuals in Rural Areas of Jeju Island
10.22722/KJPM.2024.32.1.43
- Author:
Hyun Ju YANG
1
;
Min Su OH
;
Woo Young IM
;
Sung Wook SONG
Author Information
1. Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, Jeju National University, Jeju, Korea
- Publication Type:Original Articles
- From:Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
2024;32(1):43-51
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
Objectives:：This study aims to explore the prevalence of depressive symptoms among elderly residents in the relatively stable rural areas of Jeju and to examine the relationships between levels of depression, sociodemographic factors, and health habits.
Methods:：The study site was within rural Jeju, where elderly individuals aged 65 and older were randomly selected from the ‘Agricultural Cohort’ registered at the Centers for Farmers` Safety and Health Center. Trainedinterviewers conducted surveys using the Short Form Geriatric Depression Scale (sGDS-K), defining those withscores of 6 or above as experiencing depressive symptoms for the analysis. Other variables such as sex, age, educational level, marital status, annual income, subjective health status, underlying disease, perceived stress levels, smoking, and drinking status were also recorded Results：Out of 533 subjects, the prevalence of depressive symptoms was 35.3%, with 28.5% in male and 45.6%in female (p<0.001). Factors significantly associated with the prevalence of depressive symptoms included maritalstatus (p=0.014), educational level (p<0.001), annual income (p=0.034), subjective health status (p<0.001), perceived stress level (p<0.001), feeling of despair (p<0.001) and suicidal ideas (p<0.001). Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that subjective health status, perceived stress level, and feelings of despair were associated with the prevalence of depressive symptoms.
Conclusions:：The high prevalence of depressive symptoms among the rural elderly in Jeju highlights the need for targeted mental health interventions. Addressing sociocultural factors and improving early detection and intervention strategies can help reduce the socioeconomic impact of depression in this population.
