Longitudinal Study on the Impact of Family and Social Relationship on Late-Life Depression in Korea: Multi Group Analysis By Poverty Status

Background/Purpose:  The purpose of this study is to examine that the trajectories of family and social relationship on depression trajectories among aged 65 years or older. It also examines the effects of economic status (poverty group, non-poverty group) on depression trajectories using multi group analysis. Cumulative disadvantage theory claims that late-life depression was caused by economic problems and difficult interaction with micro-environment (Kim, Richardson, Park & Park, 2013; Seabrook & Avison, 2012; O’rand & Hamil-Luker, 2005). According to the health inequality perspective, there is a high  possibility of depression for women or older adults with less social capital when their social and economic status was low (Spoonly et al., 2005; Carroll et al., 2011: 113). This study is therefore designed to analyze the longitudinal relationship where late-life depression has been associated with the changes in the family or social relationship over time.

 Method : This study analyzes uses the longitudinal data of Korean Welfare Panel Study. The Korean Welfare Panel Study selected 517 enumeration districts as the samples from 90% of population. This paper used the data for five years from the first year (2006) to the fifth year (2010). The number of family members in the first year 2006 was 18,856; there were 3,530 people (18.7%) of over 65 years old. This study analysed 2,322 households of Korean Welfare Panel Study from first (2006) to fifth (2010) data using latent growth curve modeling.

Measures: Depression in this study used 11 CES-D questions developed by Radloff (1977) to measure the depression symptoms. Second, the family relationship was measured by satisfaction with positive family relationships. The social relationship was measured by the positive social acquaintance answered by subjects.

Results : There was a linear reduction in depression among older adults over time. In accordance with the comparison between poor and non-poor older adults, the poor group showed significantly higher depression than non-poor group but the family or social relationship of poor group was statistically significantly low. The family and social relationship of poor older adults was significantly lower than those of non-poor older people in all five waves. In accordance with the multi-group analysis, the most significant difference between poor and non-poor people was the change of social relationship. The poor older adults did not show enough of a significant change enough to affect depression. The averages of initial values and variables of late-life depression, family relationship and social relationship were significant. The difference of x² values between Model 1 and Model 2 was significant so that the intercept invariance by the difference of x² values was established (¡âx²=132.967, p<.001).

Conclusions and Implications: The result that depression of poor older adults was higher than non-poor elderly implies the priority of intervention for the mental health of the poor older adults. Next, the preventive approach is required to reduce depression of non-poor older adults. Considering that the depression has impact on physical, mental and social health in later life, more interventions to prevent depression are required.