Asian Nursing Research
Volume 3, Issue 2 , Pages 63-70, June 2009

Loneliness, Depression and Health Status of the Institutionalized Elderly in Korea and Japan

  • Oksoo Kim, RN, PhD

      Affiliations

    • Professor, Division of Nursing Science, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, Korea
    • Corresponding Author InformationCorrespondence to: Oksoo Kim, RN, PhD, Professor, Division of Nursing Science, Ewha Womans University, 11-1 Daehyun-dong, Seodaemun-gu, 120750 Seoul, Korea
    • ,
  • Young-Soon Byeon, RN, PhD

      Affiliations

    • Professor, Division of Nursing Science, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, Korea
    • ,
  • Jung-Hee Kim, RN, PhD

      Affiliations

    • Full-time Lecturer, Department of Nursing, Woosuk University, Wanju-gun, Korea
    • ,
  • Emiko Endo, RN, PhD

      Affiliations

    • Professor, Musashino University, School of Nursing, Tokyo, Japan
    • ,
  • Makoto Akahoshi, RN, PhD

      Affiliations

    • Professor, Miyazaki Prefectural Nursing University, Miyazaki, Japan
    • ,
  • Hiromi Ogasawara, RN, MS

      Affiliations

    • Associate Professor, Miyazaki Prefectural Nursing University, Miyazaki, Japan

Received 28 January 2009; received in revised form 4 February 2009; accepted 30 April 2009.

Article Outline

Purpose

The purpose of the study was to describe loneliness, depression, and health status in Korean and Japanese institutionalized elderly and explore differences between the countries. Also this study determined predictors of depression in each group.

Methods

Elderly subjects, aged 65–98 (n = 184), were recruited from private nursing homes in Korea and Japan. Subjects were interviewed on health status, loneliness, and depression.

Results

Korean subjects had higher loneliness scores than Japanese. More Korean elderly had depressive symptoms than Japanese elderly. The mean GDS score of Korean elderly was 8.07 and that of Japanese elderly was 5.21. Korean elderly had less physical function, and perceived their general health to be poor. Loneliness and perception of general health were significant predictors of depression in Korean and Japanese subjects.

Conclusion

It is necessary to assess the levels of loneliness and depression of institutionalized Korean elderly and pursue an intervention to reduce these problems.

Key Words:  aged , depression , health status , loneliness

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PII: S1976-1317(09)60017-7

doi:10.1016/S1976-1317(09)60017-7

Asian Nursing Research
Volume 3, Issue 2 , Pages 63-70, June 2009

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