중장년층의 독거, 직업유무와 정신건강: 제7기 국민건강영양조사 (2016-2018)

Abstract

Objectives: This study aims to evaluate the difference in psychological symptoms between middle-aged whether or not to live alone according to employment status. Methods: Subjects were 6,910 people, aged 40 to 59 years, who participated in the Seventh Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2016-2018). Depressive symptoms were assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9. Experience with psychiatric counseling, stress awareness, and suicidal risks—such as suicidal ideation or suicide attempts—were assessed via questionnaire. Participants were assessed through a questionnaire for whether or not to live alone, employment status, and several confounding factors. Survey logistic regression analysis was performed to evaluate the association between living alone, employment status, and psychological factors. Results: The weighted prevalence (%) of stress awareness, depressive symptoms, suicidal risk, and experience with psychiatric counseling were 26.3, 3.8, 2.0, and 2.6, respectively. Compared to people not living alone and who were also employed, odds ratios for suicidal risk and depressive symptoms were 3.02 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.52-6.01) and 4.03 (95% CI: 1.70-9.57), respectively, in those who lived alone and were unemployed. Conclusion: Living alone might be a risk factor for mental health—such as suicidal risks and depressive symptoms—in the Korean middle-aged population, especially among those also unemployed.