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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Recorded presentation

Tae-Yong Sohn, PhD¹, Won-Mee Jeong, PhD², Carleen H. Stoskopf, ScD¹, Jong-Deuk Baek, PH D³, and Yunho Jeon, PhD¹. (1) School of Public Health, Health Services Policy and Management, University of South Carolina, 800 Sumter, Columbia, SC 29208, 803-777-2772, Jeon@sc.edu, (2) Department of Occupational Therapy, Dongnam Health College, 937 Jeongja dong jangan gu, Suwon, 440-714, South Korea, (3) Health Services Policy and Management, University of South Carolina, 800 Sumter, columbia, SC 29208

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to investigate the prevalence of dementia and depression in older people in urban residents of Korea, and to identify factors associated with dementia and depression among older people.

Data: Older people (aged 65 and over) were sampled using a two-way (age and gender) stratified sampling of the total elderly population in an urban area of Korea, Bu-Cheon. In-person interviews were completed on 1,105 persons by trained interviewers between February 23, 2000 and March 31, 2000.

Methods: Screening for dementia and depression among the elderly was done using the Korean version of Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE-K) and the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D). Interview items included demographic characteristics (gender, age, marital status, education, occupation, income), chronic conditions, ADL's, IADL's, social and emotional support, and food habit.

Results: The prevalence of dementia was 16.5% and depression 31.8% in persons over 65 year of age among urban residents. The percentage of persons suspected of dementia was 42.6% and persons with mild, moderate, and severe depression was determined to be 13.4%, 6.9%, 11.5%, respectively. Being older, female, less educated, of lower income, with chronic conditions, and with low social or emotional support showed relatively higher levels of depression and dementia as compared to others.

Recommendation and Implication: This study has identified dementia and depression as prevalent mental health problems among the elderly in an urban area of Korea. It points to the need for the development of more mental health prevention and treatment activities of for community-dwelling older people. Future research should focus on a follow-up study of persons identified at risk for psychiatric illnesses to help address their health care needs and to develop community mental health care programs.

Learning Objectives:

• Psychiatric illnesses in older people impose major social and mental health burden on the patients and the family caregivers. It contributes to serious physical health problems and adversely affects the quality of life. Dementia and depression, the two leading psychiatric diagnoses of older people in Korea, are increasingly becoming an important public health issue as the proportion of the population who are older increases.

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No

Recorded presentation