KSPM
Search
- Page Path
- HOME > Search
Original Articles
- Who Dies Alone? Demographics, Underlying Diseases, and Healthcare Utilization Patterns of Lonely Death Individuals in Korea
- Haibin Bai, Jae-ryun Lee, Min Jung Kang, Young-Ho Jun, Hye Yeon Koo, Jieun Yun, Jee Hoon Sohn, Jin Yong Lee, Hyejin Lee
- J Prev Med Public Health. 2025;58(2):218-226. Published online March 4, 2025
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.3961/jpmph.24.704
- 929 View
- 71 Download
-
Abstract
Summary
PDF
Supplementary Material - Objectives
Lonely death is defined as “a person living in a state of social isolation, disconnected from family, relatives, and others, who dies from suicide, illness, or other causes”. This study investigated the characteristics of individuals who die alone in Korea.
Methods
We constructed a database of lonely death cases by linking data from the Korea Crime Scene Investigation Unit of the Korea National Police Agency with National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) records. A descriptive analysis was performed to evaluate the demographics, underlying diseases, and healthcare utilization patterns among lonely death cases.
Results
Among the 3122 individuals identified as lonely death cases, 2621 (84.0%) were male and 501 (16.0%) were female. The most common age group was 50-59 years (n=930, 29.8%). The NHIS covered 2161 individuals (69.2%), whereas 961 individuals (30.8%) were enrolled in Medical Aid (MA). The highest number of lonely deaths occurred in Seoul areas, with 1468 cases (47.0%). Mood disorders were diagnosed in 1020 individuals (32.7%), and various alcohol-related diseases, including alcoholic liver disease, were also observed. Outpatient visits increased leading up to death but declined in the final 3 months, while hospitalizations decreased and emergency room visits slightly increased.
Conclusions
Most lonely death cases involved male in their 50s, with a disproportionately high number of MA beneficiaries compared to the general population. Many of these individuals also experienced mental health issues or alcohol-related disorders. Preventing social isolation and strengthening social safety nets are critical to reducing the occurrence of lonely deaths. -
SummaryKorean summary
한국에서 고독사란 법적으로 “가족, 친척 등 주변 사람들과 단절된 채 사회적 고립상태로 생활하던 사람이 자살ㆍ병사 등으로 임종”하는 것으로 정의하고 있다. 고독사 사망자는 대체적으로 50대 남성이었고, 의료급여 수급권자의 비율이 일반 인구보다 월등히 높았으며, 사망자 대다수는 정신건강 문제 또는 알코올성 질환을 앓고 있었다. 사회적 고립의 예방 및 사회안전망 구축은 고독사 예방에 있어 매우 중요한 역할을 할 것으로 보인다.Key Message
Lonely death is defined as “a person living in a state of social isolation, disconnected from family, relatives, and others, who dies from suicide, illness, or other causes”. This study investigated the characteristics of individuals who die alone in Korea. Most lonely death cases involved male in their 50s, with a disproportionately high number of MA beneficiaries compared to the general population. Many of these individuals also experienced mental health issues or alcohol-related disorders. Preventing social isolation and strengthening social safety nets are critical to reducing the occurrence of lonely deaths.
- Association Between Objective Social Isolation and Unmet Medical Needs: A Nationwide Cross-sectional Study in Korea
- Jeong Min Yang, Seul Ki Lee, Jae Hyun Kim
- J Prev Med Public Health. 2024;57(3):242-251. Published online April 27, 2024
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.3961/jpmph.23.516
- 9,377 View
- 345 Download
-
Abstract
Summary
PDFSupplementary Material
- Objectives
The aim of this study was to analyze the relationship between objective social isolation (SI) and unmet medical needs (UMN) in adults aged 19 and older.
Methods
A cross-sectional analysis was conducted of 208 619 adults aged 19 and older, excluding missing data, using the 2019 Korea Community Health Survey. To analyze the association between objective SI and UMN, the chi-square test and logistic regression analysis were performed.
Results
The prevalence of UMN was 1.14 times higher (odds ratio [OR], 1.14; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.06 to 1.23) among those with SI than among those without SI, and the OR for groups with 5 SI types was 2.77 (95% CI, 1.86 to 4.12) compared to those with no SI types. In addition, a stratified analysis by age group showed that the association between SI and UMN existed even in groups under 64 years old. However, among those aged 65 and older, SI was associated with an OR of 1.53 (95% CI, 1.37 to 1.71) for UMN compared to non-SI. As the number of SI types increased, the prevalence of UMN also increased, indicating a strong association between SI and UMN in older adults.
Conclusions
This study found that individuals with SI experienced UMN due to fear and anxiety about interpersonal relationships. Therefore, based on the results of this cross-sectional study, it is necessary to investigate the causal relationship between SI and UMN through future longitudinal data. -
SummaryKorean summary
본 연구는 2019년 지역사회건강조사를 활용하여 사회적 고립과 미충족의료 간의 연관성을 분석한 연구이다. 분석 결과 사회적 고립이 있을 경우 비사회적고립 집단에 비하여 미충족의료 경험률이 높았고, 사회적 고립의 강도가 높아질수록 강한 연관성을 발견할 수 있었다. 본 연구 결과를 바탕으로 미충족의료 취약 집단에 대한 정책적, 제도적 기반 마련이 요구된다.Key Message
This study analyzed the association between social isolation and unmet medical needs using the 2019 Korea Community Health Survey. The analysis revealed that individuals experiencing social isolation had a higher rate of unmet medical needs compared to the non-social isolation group. Furthermore, a stronger association was observed as the intensity of social isolation increased. Based on the results of this study, there is a need to establish policy and institutional foundations to support vulnerable groups with unmet medical needs.
- The Effect of Cognitive Impairment on the Association Between Social Network Properties and Mortality Among Older Korean Adults
- Eunji Kim, Kiho Sung, Chang Oh Kim, Yoosik Youm, Hyeon Chang Kim
- J Prev Med Public Health. 2023;56(1):31-40. Published online November 22, 2022
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.3961/jpmph.22.350
- 5,642 View
- 185 Download
- 1 Web of Science
- 1 Crossref
-
Abstract
Summary
PDFSupplementary Material
- Objectives
This study investigated the effect of cognitive impairment on the association between social network properties and mortality among older Korean adults.
Methods
This study used data from the Korean Social Life, Health, and Aging Project. It obtained 814 older adults’ complete network maps across an entire village in 2011-2012. Participants’ deaths until December 31, 2020 were confirmed by cause-of-death statistics. A Cox proportional hazards model was used to assess the risks of poor social network properties (low degree centrality, perceived loneliness, social non-participation, group-level segregation, and lack of support) on mortality according to cognitive impairment.
Results
In total, 675 participants (5510.4 person-years) were analyzed, excluding those with missing data and those whose deaths could not be verified. Along with cognitive impairment, all social network properties except loneliness were independently associated with mortality. When stratified by cognitive function, some variables indicating poor social relations had higher risks among older adults with cognitive impairment, with adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) of 2.12 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.34 to 3.35) for social nonparticipation, 1.58 (95% CI, 0.94 to 2.65) for group-level segregation, and 3.44 (95% CI, 1.55 to 7.60) for lack of support. On the contrary, these effects were not observed among those with normal cognition, with adjusted HRs of 0.73 (95% CI, 0.31 to 1.71), 0.96 (95% CI, 0.42 to 2.21), and 0.95 (95% CI, 0.23 to 3.96), respectively.
Conclusions
The effect of social network properties was more critical among the elderly with cognitive impairment. Older adults with poor cognitive function are particularly encouraged to participate in social activities to reduce the risk of mortality. -
SummaryKorean summary
고령인구에서의 불충분한 사회연결망 특성은 높은 사망 위험과 연관이 있었으며, 이는 인지기능이 저하된 그룹에서 그렇지 않은 군에 비해 더 높게 관찰되었다. 특히, 인지기능이 저하된 노인에서 사회활동들에 참여하지 않는 것, 한정된 소집단에만 속하는 것, 주변으로부터 도움을 받지 못하는 것은 높은 사망 위험과 연관이 있기 때문에, 이들의 사회연결망을 강화하는 것이 사망 위험을 낮추는 데 도움이 될 수 있다. -
Citations
Citations to this article as recorded by
- Associations between taxi drivers’ aggressive driving behavior and sleep, cognition, and psychological factors in Korea: negative binomial regression analysis
Jong Sun Ok, Hyeongsu Kim, Soo Young An, Mi Young Kim
Epidemiology and Health.2024; 46: e2024085. CrossRef
- Associations between taxi drivers’ aggressive driving behavior and sleep, cognition, and psychological factors in Korea: negative binomial regression analysis
- Can Obesity Cause Depression? A Pseudo-panel Analysis
- Hyungserk Ha, Chirok Han, Beomsoo Kim
- J Prev Med Public Health. 2017;50(4):262-267. Published online June 27, 2017
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.3961/jpmph.17.067
- 13,968 View
- 256 Download
- 20 Crossref
-
Abstract
PDF
- Objectives
The US ranks ninth in obesity in the world, and approximately 7% of US adults experience major depressive disorder. Social isolation due to the stigma attached to obesity might trigger depression. Methods: This paper examined the impact of obesity on depression. To overcome the endogeneity problem, we constructed pseudopanel data using the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System from 1997 to 2008. Results: The results were robust, and body mass index (BMI) was found to have a positive effect on depression days and the percentage of depressed individuals in the population. Conclusions: We attempted to overcome the endogeneity problem by using a pseudo-panel approach and found that increases in the BMI increased depression days (or being depressed) to a statistically significant extent, with a large effect size. -
Summary
Citations
Citations to this article as recorded by- Identifying early screening factors for depression in middle-aged and older adults: A cohort study
Guanqun Chao, Lan Zhang, Zheli Zhan, Yang Bao
Open Medicine.2025;[Epub] CrossRef - Associations between adiposity measures and depression and well-being scores: A cross-sectional analysis of middle- to older-aged adults
Caoimhe Lonergan, Seán R. Millar, Zubair Kabir, Yuichiro Nishida
PLOS ONE.2024; 19(3): e0299029. CrossRef - Comparison of Dutch healthy eating and healthy eating indexes and anthropometry in patients with major depression with health subjects: a case-control study
Melika Tohidi Nafe, Ariyo Movahedi, Abolghasem Djazayery
Frontiers in Nutrition.2024;[Epub] CrossRef - The effect of prebiotic supplementation on serum levels of tryptophan and kynurenine in obese women with major depressive disorder: a double-blinded placebo-controlled randomized clinical trial
Fatemeh Khademi, Helda Tutunchi, Elnaz Vaghef-Mehrabani, Mehrangiz Ebrahimi-Mameghani
BMC Research Notes.2024;[Epub] CrossRef - Mindful eating for weight loss in women with obesity: a randomised controlled trial
Renata Bressan Pepe, Graziele Souza de Menezes Amorim Coelho, Flavia da Silva Miguel, Ana Carolina Gualassi, Marcela Mosconi Sarvas, Cintia Cercato, Marcio C. Mancini, Maria Edna de Melo
British Journal of Nutrition.2023; 130(5): 911. CrossRef - Weight discrimination, BMI, or weight bias internalization? Testing the best predictor of psychological distress and body dissatisfaction
Sergio Macho, Ana Andrés, Carmina Saldaña
Obesity.2023; 31(8): 2178. CrossRef - The Relationship Between Pregnancy Body Mass Index and Delivery Method and Postpartum Depression
Ayça ŞOLT, Derya KANZA GÜL
Acibadem Universitesi Saglik Bilimleri Dergisi.2023;[Epub] CrossRef - “Jolly fat” or “sad fat”: a systematic review and meta-analysis of the association between obesity and depression among community-dwelling older adults
Mingming Yu, Yuexian Shi, Libin Gu, Wenru Wang
Aging & Mental Health.2022; 26(1): 13. CrossRef - Computational approaches to predicting treatment response to obesity using neuroimaging
Leonard Kozarzewski, Lukas Maurer, Anja Mähler, Joachim Spranger, Martin Weygandt
Reviews in Endocrine and Metabolic Disorders.2022; 23(4): 773. CrossRef - Factors Associated With Myocardial Infarction Reoccurrence
Willie M. Abel, Lauren N. Scanlan, Carolyn E. Horne, Patricia B. Crane
Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing.2022; 37(4): 359. CrossRef - Effects of obesity on neuroinflammatory and neurochemical parameters in an animal model of reserpine-induced Parkinson's disease
Eulla Keimili Fernandes Ferreira Cavalheiro, Larissa Espindola da Silva, Mariana Pacheco Oliveira, Marina Goulart Silva, Adriani Paganini Damiani, Catharina de Bem Ribeiro, Marina Lummertz Magenis, Luana Cucker, Monique Michels, Larissa Joaquim, Richard S
Behavioural Brain Research.2022; 434: 114019. CrossRef - Calorie restriction in combination with prebiotic supplementation in obese women with depression: effects on metabolic and clinical response
Elnaz Vaghef-Mehrabany, Fatemeh Ranjbar, Mohammad Asghari-Jafarabadi, Sonia Hosseinpour-Arjmand, Mehrangiz Ebrahimi-Mameghani
Nutritional Neuroscience.2021; 24(5): 339. CrossRef - Investigation of quality of life in obese adolescents: the effect of psychiatric symptoms of obese adolescent and/or mother on quality of life
Ümit Işık, Büşra Bağcı, Faruk Kılıç, Evrim Aktepe, Mustafa Özgür Pirgon
Journal of Pediatric Endocrinology and Metabolism.2021; 34(12): 1593. CrossRef - Biological, Psychological, and Social Determinants of Depression: A Review of Recent Literature
Olivia Remes, João Francisco Mendes, Peter Templeton
Brain Sciences.2021; 11(12): 1633. CrossRef - The Effect of an Abnormal BMI on Orthopaedic Trauma Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Florence Kinder, Peter V. Giannoudis, Tim Boddice, Anthony Howard
Journal of Clinical Medicine.2020; 9(5): 1302. CrossRef - The impact of BMI on mental health: Further evidence from genetic markers
Vikesh Amin, Carlos A. Flores, Alfonso Flores-Lagunes
Economics & Human Biology.2020; 38: 100895. CrossRef - Efficacy of weight loss intervention can be predicted based on early alterations of fMRI food cue reactivity in the striatum
Petra Hermann, Viktor Gál, István Kóbor, C. Brock Kirwan, Péter Kovács, Tamás Kitka, Zsuzsanna Lengyel, Eszter Bálint, Balázs Varga, Csongor Csekő, Zoltán Vidnyánszky
NeuroImage: Clinical.2019; 23: 101803. CrossRef - Does Depression Cause Obesity or Does Obesity Prompt Depression?
Nevzat Demirci
International Journal of Disabilities Sports and Health Sciences.2019; 2(1): 25. CrossRef - The association between body mass index and postpartum depression: A population-based study
Michael E. Silverman, Lauren Smith, Paul Lichtenstein, Abraham Reichenberg, Sven Sandin
Journal of Affective Disorders.2018; 240: 193. CrossRef - Obesity and the onset of depressive symptoms among middle-aged and older adults in China: evidence from the CHARLS
Huiqiang Luo, Jijie Li, Qi Zhang, Peiya Cao, Xiaohui Ren, Aiping Fang, Haiying Liao, Lijuan Liu
BMC Public Health.2018;[Epub] CrossRef
First
Prev
