Gender differences in trajectories of depressive symptom among Korean elderly using latent class growth modeling

Background: Current literature lacks understanding of longitudinal patterns of depressive symptom among Korean elderly. Understanding of gender differences in depressive symptom trajectories is also limited. Using the latent class growth modeling (LCGM), we aimed a) to identify depressive symptom trajectories over 7 years and b) to explore gender differences in these trajectories.

Method: From the 2006-2012 Korean Welfare Panel Study data, 3,169 Korean elderly (>65 years old in 2006) with 3 or more years of information on depressive symptoms were included in the study. Series of LCGMs were performed to identify depressive symptom trajectories and to explore gender differences in these trajectories after controlling for individual socioeconomic status (SES), health status, and levels of social relationships.

Results: Using all samples, we identified three depressive symptom trajectories: (a) one group showing consistent low levels of depressive symptom (40.1%), (b) another group showing slow decreased depressive symptom from the moderate level (45.9%), and (c) the other group showing consistent high levels of depressive symptoms (14.0%). From the separate LCGMs for men and women, we identified an additional trajectory for elderly men, showing a rapid decrease in depressive symptoms from high to low levels, while elderly women showed the same three depressive symptom trajectories. We also found SES, health status, and the social relationship levels were significant factors for explaining the depressive symptom trajectories.

Conclusion: Findings highlight gender differences in depressive symptom trajectories, supporting the need for a gender-specific approach to promote the mental health of the elderly.