Objectives While the risk of depression is expected to substantially increase among older adults receiving community care, leisure life satisfaction can be regarded as a key component in enhancing the mental health of those receiving community care. However, it is not yet known whether community care utilization increases the risk of depression, or what role is played by leisure life satisfaction in these settings. This study investigated the relationship between community care utilization and depression, as well as the main effect and the moderating role of leisure life satisfaction on the link between community care utilization and depression among older adults.
Methods This study, using the 2019 Korean Welfare Panel Survey, conducted multiple regression analysis on data from 4494 elderly people aged 65 years or older.
Results After controlling for potential covariates, older community care recipients were more likely to report symptoms of depression than those who did not receive community care. Meanwhile, leisure life satisfaction was negatively associated with depression in older adults. The test for interaction between community care utilization and leisure life satisfaction revealed that leisure life satisfaction significantly attenuated the link between depression and community care utilization.
Conclusions The findings of this study imply that leisure life satisfaction could play a meaningful role in improving the mental health of older adults receiving community care. Welfare policies affecting older adults should consider leisure life satisfaction as an important resource for reducing depression in community care settings.
Summary
Korean summary
본 연구는 2019년 한국복지패널조사의 4,494명의 노인들을 대상으로 돌봄노인의 우울 수준과 여가생활 만족의 조절효과를 검증하였다. 연구결과, 돌봄노인의 우울증상이 일반노인에 비하여 유의하게 높았다(p<0.001). 반면 여가생활 만족은 돌봄서비스 이용노인의 우울 증상을 조절하는 효과가 있었다. 이 연구의 결과는 여가생활 만족이 돌봄노인의 정신건강을 향상시키는데 의미 있는 역할을 할 수 있다는 것을 암시한다.
Citations
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