Association of Health Risk Behaviors with Mental Health among Elderly Koreans

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.