Department of Psychology, Yonsei University, 50 Yonsei-Ro, Suhdaemun-Gu, Seoul, 02799, Republic of Korea.
Department of Psychiatry, Yonsei University College of Medicine, 50 Yonsei-Ro, Suhdaemun-Gu, Seoul, 02799, Republic of Korea.
Qual Life Res. 2021 Apr;30(4):1083-1092. doi: 10.1007/s11136-020-02693-1. Epub 2020 Nov 11.
Elderly living alone in South Korea report higher rates of psychological distress compared to the population at large. Using a person-centered approach, the aim of the present study was to identify the latent profiles of South Korean elderly living alone based on self-esteem, life satisfaction, and depression.
Latent profile analysis (LPA) was conducted based on data of 1545 older age individuals living alone. In addition, we examined significant factors that differentiate the observed profiles using multinomial logistic regression analysis.
We identified five profiles: "extremely depressed (n = 44, 2.9%)," "severely depressed (n = 169, 10.9%)," "mildly depressed (n = 529, 34.2%)," "low life satisfaction (n = 128, 8.3%)," and "positive adaptation (n = 675, 43.7%)." In addition, results of multinomial logistic regression analysis indicated that males (OR: 1.69; 95% CI: 1.02-2.81), and elderly with lower income (OR: 0.86; 95% CI: 0.81-0.91), lower level of physical health (OR: 0.43; 95% CI: 0.33-0.57), and lower social relationship satisfaction (OR: 0.25; 95% CI: 0.18-0.35) were more likely to fall in the "low life satisfaction" rather than the "positive adaptation" profile. In addition, being female (OR: 0.48; 95% CI: 0.30-0.79), of older age (OR: 1.04; 95% CI: 1.01-.1.07), and higher income (OR: 1.14; 95% CI: 1.08-1.20) were related to classification in the "mildly depressed" rather than the "low life satisfaction" profile. The "severely depressed" group was differentiated by older age (OR: 1.05; 95% CI: 1.01-1.08), lower level of physical health (OR: 0.49; 95% CI: 0.34-0.71), and lower satisfaction with social relationship (OR: 0.54; 95% CI: 0.38-0.76).
The results highlight the need for welfare policies that secure income and physical health in elderly living alone to enhance their quality of life. Furthermore, interventions that aim to maintain social networks are tantamount in order to prevent isolation in the elderly living alone.
与一般人群相比，独自居住在韩国的老年人报告的心理困扰率更高。本研究采用以个体为中心的方法，旨在根据自尊、生活满意度和抑郁来确定独自居住的韩国老年人的潜在特征。
基于 1545 名年龄较大的独居者的数据进行潜在剖面分析 (LPA)。此外，我们使用多项逻辑回归分析检查了区分观察到的特征的显著因素。
我们确定了五个特征：“极度抑郁（n=44，2.9%）”、“严重抑郁（n=169，10.9%）”、“轻度抑郁（n=529，34.2%）”、“生活满意度低（n=128，8.3%）”和“积极适应（n=675，43.7%）”。此外，多项逻辑回归分析的结果表明，男性（OR：1.69；95%CI：1.02-2.81）和收入较低的老年人（OR：0.86；95%CI：0.81-0.91）、较低的身体健康水平（OR：0.43；95%CI：0.33-0.57）和较低的社会关系满意度（OR：0.25；95%CI：0.18-0.35）更有可能属于“生活满意度低”而不是“积极适应”特征。此外，女性（OR：0.48；95%CI：0.30-0.79）、年龄较大（OR：1.04；95%CI：1.01-.1.07）和较高的收入（OR：1.14；95%CI：1.08-1.20）与分类为“轻度抑郁”而不是“生活满意度低”有关。“严重抑郁”组的特征是年龄较大（OR：1.05；95%CI：1.01-1.08）、身体健康水平较低（OR：0.49；95%CI：0.34-0.71）和社会关系满意度较低（OR：0.54；95%CI：0.38-0.76）。
研究结果强调了需要制定保障独居老年人收入和身体健康的福利政策，以提高他们的生活质量。此外，为了防止独居老年人的孤立，维持社会网络的干预措施是必不可少的。
