| Association of Health Risk Behaviors with Mental Health among Elderly Koreans |
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Ki Dong Ko, Young Tae Cho, Sung Il Cho, Joo Hon Sung, Be Long Cho, Ki Young Son, Ho Chun Choi |
1Department of Family Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine Seoul, Korea.
2Department of Health Science & Services, Graduate School of Public Health, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea. youngtae@snu.ac.kr |
| 우리 나라 노인에서 건강 위험 행동과 정신 건강과의 연관성: 고령화 연구패널(KLoSA) |
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고기동1, 조영태2, 조성일2, 성주헌2, 조비룡1, 손기영1, 최호천1 |
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서울대학교 의과대학 가정의학교실1, 서울대학교 보건대학원 보건학교실2 |
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| Abstract |
BACKGROUND
Korea is currently experiencing a rapid aging of its population. With regards to healthy aging, a mental health status is an important factor in the elderly. The purpose of our study was to investigate the prevalence of mental health problems (depression symptoms, anxiety symptoms, poor quality of life) and to examine the relationships between health behaviors and mental health status.
METHODS
The data were collected from the Korean Longitudinal Study on Aging, which was designed to compile information on several aspects of aging for use, as a basic statistical data in interdisciplinary research. A total of 5,548 elderly aged 60 years or older were included in this descriptive cross-sectional study. The results were examined with multiple logistic regression analysis.
RESULTS
The prevalence of depression, anxiety experience, and poor quality of life was 40.8%, 29.9%, and 54.6%, respectively. Current smoking was significantly associated with the risk of anxiety symptoms and poor quality of life (adjusted prevalence odds ratio [POR], 1.24; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.02 to 1.52 and adjusted POR, 1.34; 95% CI, 1.12 to 1.60, respectively). Also, not exercising regularly was significantly associated with all of the mental health problems (depression and anxiety symptoms, and poor quality of life), which were measured in this study (adjusted POR, 1.31; 95% CI, 1.14 to 1.51 and adjusted POR, 1.39; 95% CI, 1.19 to 1.62 and adjusted POR, 1.45; 95% CI, 1.27 to 1.65, respectively).
CONCLUSION
Elderly Koreans with health risk behaviors are likely to be vulnerable to mental health concerns. This finding underscores the continued needs to design and implement mental health policies at the community or the country level, especially in elderly Koreans with health risk behaviors. |
| Key Words:
Aged, Health behavior, Mental health |
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