ABSTRACT
PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the association among of Activity of Daily Living (ADL), Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL), depression and isolation in disabled people. METHOD: The subjects consisted of 761 disabled people in Korea. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA, and Pearson's correlational statistics. RESULTS: There were significant differences in age, cause of disability, type of disability, degree of disability, education, job, perceived health condition, and economic status between disabled people with high and low levels of ADL and IADL. Depression showed significant differences in type of disability, degree of disability, education, job, perceived health condition, and economic state; isolation showed significant differences in age, cause of disability, type of disability, education, job, residence, perceived health condition, and economic status. A significant association was identified between depression and isolation (r=.69, p<.001). CONCLUSION: There was a high incidence of depression in disabled men with high levels of isolation and ADL and IADL dependence. An effort to increase disabled people's ADL, IADL, and independence levels is needed, and nursing interventions should be designed and tested to increase their community involvement and decrease the sense of isolation and depression.