노인의 고독이 건강상태에 미치는 영향: 우울의 매개효과 검증

초록

This study intended to understand the way loneliness and depression affect psychological and physical health of older adults, and conducted a structuralequational modeling of a relationship among loneliness, depression and health status of older adults. A survey was conducted on 329 individuals who were utilizing senior welfare agencies located in Seoul and the surrounding cities. The study examined the effects of loneliness and depression on their health status as well as the role of depression in this process. The data analysis showed a good fit of the structural model and suggested an evidence of depression fully mediating the effect of loneliness on health status. This result indicated that the current focus of services on increasing quantity of social contact among older people may need a paradigm shift towards improving their subjective loneliness and quality of interpersonal relationships.

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