OBJECTIVES:
To understand the
risk factors of
demographic data in geriatric
depression scale, and suicidality among in
elderly who live alone at one urban region.
METHODS:
In 2009, 589
elderly who live alone(age> or =65) were carried out a
survey about several socio-
demographic data, Korean version of the Geriatric
Depression Scale(SGDS-K) and
Suicidal Ideation Questionnaire (SIQ).
Statistical analysis was performed for the collected data.
RESULTS:
Mean age of
elderly who live alone is 75.69(SD 6.17). 40.1% of participants uneducated, 31.4% graduate from
elementary school, 12.9% graduate from
high school, 11.7% graduate from middle
school, 3.2% graduate from
university. Religionless, having past
history of
depression or physical
diseases, low subjective
satisfaction of
family situation, and not having any
social group activity have significance to
depressive symptoms of
elderly who live alone. Having past
history of
depression, religionless, low subjective
satisfaction of
family situation have significance to suicidality. Especially, low subjective
satisfaction of
family situation and having past
history of
depression are powerful demographic factor both
depressive symptoms and suicidality of
elderly who live alone.
CONCLUSIONS:
When we take care
elderly who live alone, we should consider many things, but especially the
social support network such as
family satisfaction and past
history of
depression for reducing or preventing their
depression and
suicide both
elderly depression and
suicide who live alone.