지역사회 노인의 치매와 우울증의 관련요인

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

The purpose of this study was to identify factors associated with dementia and depression among the community-dwelling elderly. This study was based on the survey of elderly residents of Buchon City that was conducted from February 23 to March 31, 2000. A total of 1,015 older persons responded to the in-person household interviews. We used the Mini-Mental State Examination, Korean version(MMSE-K) and the Center for the Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) to assess the person`s level of cognitive and depressive states. The respondents were identified as having dementia only (11.5%), depression only (13.3%), dementia and depression combined (5.2%), or none (70.0%). Multinomial logistic regression analyses were carried out, using those without any mental conditions as the reference category. Older age, females, low income, higher number of IADL limitations, poor self-rated health, rarely meeting friends were significantly associated with dementia. For depression, back pain, occupation, IADL disability, poor self-rated health were found to be significant factors. Having bark pain, not married, higher number of IADL disability were independently associated with comorbid mental conditions. It is important to consider diverse factors associated with depression and dementia among older adults to enhance and promote their mental health and well-being. The findings of low socioeconomic status and poor physical health being associated with mental health states, especially raise attention to the need for targeting these vulnerable segments within the older community.