, Bo Yung Bae
, Hyunsuk Jeong
, Minsun Yun
, Jungeun Choi
, Yujin Jeong
, Hyeon Woo Yim
Department of Preventive Medicine, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea
Copyright © 2026 The Korean Society for Preventive Medicine
This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/) which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Conflict of Interest
The authors have no conflicts of interest associated with the material presented in this paper.
Funding
None.
Acknowledgements
None.
Author Contributions
Conceptualization: Hwang HA, Bae BY, Yim HW. Data curation: Yun M, Choi J. Formal analysis: Hwang HA, Jeong H, Yim HW. Funding acquisition: None. Methodology: Hwang HA, Jeong H, Yim HW. Project administration: Jeong H, Yim HW. Visualization: Choi J, Jeong Y. Writing – original draft: Hwang HA. Writing – review & editing: Bae BY, Jeong H, Yun M, Choi J, Jeong Y, Yim HW.
| Variables | Categories |
Residence status |
p-value1 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Living with close family (n=9020) |
Living alone (n=6652) |
||||||
| More than once a week (n=3691) | Once a week (n=889) | 1–3 times a month (n=1214) | Less than once a month (n=858) | ||||
| Gender | Men | 4886 (54.4) | 401 (12.5) | 140 (18.8) | 199 (19.6) | 163 (22.1) | <0.001 |
| Women | 4134 (45.6) | 3290 (87.5) | 749 (81.2) | 1015 (80.4) | 695 (77.9) | ||
| Age (y) | 80-84 | 6356 (71.1) | 2297 (63.3) | 565 (62.9) | 801 (66.8) | 550 (65.0) | <0.001 |
| 85-89 | 2089 (22.5) | 1111 (29.7) | 266 (30.9) | 335 (28.4) | 241 (25.1) | ||
| ≥90 | 575 (6.4) | 283 (7.0) | 58 (6.1) | 78 (4.9) | 67 (9.9) | ||
| Economic activity | Yes | 2025 (12.5) | 701 (12.0) | 146 (9.4) | 210 (10.4) | 141 (10.8) | <0.001 |
| No | 6995 (87.5) | 2990 (88.0) | 743 (90.6) | 1004 (89.6) | 717 (89.2) | ||
| Household income | High | 931 (14.7) | 10 (0.5) | 2 (0.4) | 0 (0) | 3 (0.2) | <0.001 |
| Middle | 1353 (18.7) | 36 (2.1) | 4 (0.8) | 13 (2.3) | 6 (1.0) | ||
| Low | 6736 (66.6) | 3645 (97.3) | 883 (98.8) | 1201 (97.7) | 849 (98.8) | ||
| Location | Urban | 3299 (68.3) | 820 (53.5) | 259 (59.9) | 395 (63.8) | 284 (63.4) | <0.001 |
| Rural | 5721 (31.7) | 2871 (46.5) | 630 (40.1) | 819 (36.2) | 574 (36.6) | ||
| Hypertension | Yes | 5176 (58.7) | 2401(64.2) | 566 (66.1) | 793 (63.2) | 529 (63.6) | <0.001 |
| No | 3844 (41.3) | 1290 (35.8) | 323 (33.9) | 421 (36.8) | 329 (36.4) | ||
| Diabetes | Yes | 1785 (22.1) | 707 (22.0) | 175 (22.4) | 274 (22.3) | 196 (25.8) | <0.001 |
| No | 7235 (77.9) | 2984 (78.0) | 714 (77.6) | 940 (77.7) | 662 (74.2) | ||
| Subjective cognitive impairment | Yes | 490 (6.1) | 185 (5.4) | 48 (5.0) | 76 (5.8) | 67 (8.5) | <0.001 |
| No | 8530 (93.9) | 3506 (94.6) | 841 (95.0) | 1138 (94.2) | 791 (91.5) | ||
| Usual activities | No problems | 4777 (56.1) | 1661 (47.0) | 393 (46.2) | 530 (47.3) | 355 (43.3) | <0.001 |
| Some problems | 3751 (38.7) | 1865 (48.3) | 457 (49.5) | 639 (49.3) | 462 (52.6) | ||
| Extreme problems | 492 (5.2) | 165 (4.7) | 39 (4.3) | 45 (3.4) | 41 (4.1) | ||
| Neighbor interaction (/mo) | ≥1 | 1606 (30.9) | 275 (15.1) | 106 (23.3) | 126 (21.4) | 159 (31.7) | <0.001 |
| <1 | 7414 (69.1) | 3416 (84.9) | 783 (76.7) | 1088 (78.6) | 699 (68.3) | ||
| Friend interaction (/mo) | ≥1 | 3929 (42.5) | 1542 (37.4) | 418 (44.0) | 536 (42.8) | 416 (49.9) | <0.001 |
| <1 | 5091 (57.5) | 2149 (62.6) | 471 (56.0) | 678 (57.2) | 442 (50.1) | ||
| Depressive symptoms | <10 | 8483 (93.5) | 3403 (90.6) | 812 (90.7) | 1077 (88.7) | 744 (85.9) | <0.001 |
| ≥10 | 537 (6.5) | 288 (9.4) | 77 (9.3) | 137 (11.3) | 114 (14.1) | ||
Values are presented as odds ratio (95% confidence interval).
1 Model 1 is adjusted for gender, age interval, household income, economic activity, location, number of diagnosed chronic diseases; Model 2 is adjusted for model 1+interaction frequency with friends and interaction frequency with neighbors.
| Residence status and family interaction2 |
Depressive symptoms |
|||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Men |
Women |
|||||||
| Prevalence rate (%) | Crude model | Model 1 | Model 2 | Prevalence rate (%) | Crude model | Model 1 | Model 2 | |
| Living with close family | 4.66 | 1.00 (reference) | 1.00 (reference) | 1.00 (reference) | 8.63 | 1.00 (reference) | 1.00 (reference) | 1.00 (reference) |
| Living alone | ||||||||
| More than once a week | 6.62 | 1.27 (0.81, 1.99) | 1.06 (0.67, 1.67) | 1.12 (0.70, 1.77) | 9.76 | 1.04 (0.88, 1.23) | 0.89 (0.74, 1.08) | 0.97 (0.81, 1.17) |
| Once a week | 8.21 | 1.50 (0.76, 2.99) | 1.25 (0.62, 2.51) | 1.13 (0.56, 2.28) | 9.51 | 1.18 (0.89, 1.55) | 1.00 (0.75, 1.33) | 1.06 (0.80, 1.41) |
| 1–3 times a month | 5.94 | 1.53 (0.86, 2.73) | 1.36 (0.76, 2.45) | 1.34 (0.74, 2.40) | 12.66 | 1.64 (1.32, 2.04) | 1.38 (1.09, 1.74) | 1.49 (1.18, 1.88) |
| Less than once a month | 11.00 | 2.29 (1.76, 4.75) | 2.48 (1.50, 4.12) | 2.18 (1.30, 3.63) | 14.94 | 1.86 (1.46, 2.38) | 1.56 (1.20, 2.01) | 1.58 (1.22, 2.04) |
Values are presented as odds ratio (95% confidence interval).
1 Model 1 is adjusted for age interval, household income, economic activity, location, number of diagnosed chronic diseases; Model 2 is adjusted for model 1+interaction frequency with friends and interaction frequency with neighbors.
2 The p-value for the interaction between gender and family interaction frequency was 0.40.
| Residence status and family interaction2 |
Depressive symptoms |
|||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Without difficulty |
With difficulty |
|||||||
| Prevalence rate (%) | Crude model | Model 1 | Model 2 | Prevalence rate (%) | Crude model | Model 1 | Model 2 | |
| Living with close family | 1.93 | 1.00 (reference) | 1.00 (reference) | 1.00 (reference) | 12.27 | 1.00 (reference) | 1.00 (reference) | 1.00 (reference) |
| Living alone | ||||||||
| More than once a week | 3.69 | 1.90 (1.35, 2.66) | 1.27 (0.86, 1.88) | 1.31 (0.89, 1.94) | 14.39 | 1.08 (0.92, 1.28) | 0.93 (0.77, 1.12) | 0.99 (0.82, 1.20) |
| Once a week | 2.10 | 1.83 (1.01, 3.30) | 1.25 (0.68, 2.34) | 1.26 (0.68, 2.35) | 15.43 | 1.25 (0.94, 1.65) | 1.05 (0.79, 1.41) | 1.10 (0.82, 1.47) |
| 1–3 times a month | 2.75 | 2.31 (1.44, 3.72) | 1.59 (0.96, 2.65) | 1.63 (0.98, 2.71) | 19.05 | 1.70 (1.36, 2.13) | 1.43 (1.13, 1.82) | 1.51 (1.19, 1.92) |
| Less than once a month | 2.97 | 2.52 (1.46, 4.34) | 1.76 (0.99, 3.12) | 1.74 (0.99, 3.09) | 22.54 | 2.04 (1.60, 2.60) | 1.71 (1.33, 2.21) | 1.70 (1.32, 2.20) |
Values are presented as odds ratio (95% confidence interval).
1 Model 1 is adjusted for gender, age interval, household income, economic activity, location, number of diagnosed chronic diseases; Model 2 is adjusted for model 1+interaction frequency with friends and interaction frequency with neighbors.
2 The p-value for interaction between difficulty in daily activities and family interaction frequency was 0.40.
| Variables | Categories | Residence status |
p-value |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Living with close family (n=9020) | Living alone (n=6652) |
||||||
| More than once a week (n=3691) | Once a week (n=889) | 1–3 times a month (n=1214) | Less than once a month (n=858) | ||||
| Gender | Men | 4886 (54.4) | 401 (12.5) | 140 (18.8) | 199 (19.6) | 163 (22.1) | <0.001 |
| Women | 4134 (45.6) | 3290 (87.5) | 749 (81.2) | 1015 (80.4) | 695 (77.9) | ||
| Age (y) | 80-84 | 6356 (71.1) | 2297 (63.3) | 565 (62.9) | 801 (66.8) | 550 (65.0) | <0.001 |
| 85-89 | 2089 (22.5) | 1111 (29.7) | 266 (30.9) | 335 (28.4) | 241 (25.1) | ||
| ≥90 | 575 (6.4) | 283 (7.0) | 58 (6.1) | 78 (4.9) | 67 (9.9) | ||
| Economic activity | Yes | 2025 (12.5) | 701 (12.0) | 146 (9.4) | 210 (10.4) | 141 (10.8) | <0.001 |
| No | 6995 (87.5) | 2990 (88.0) | 743 (90.6) | 1004 (89.6) | 717 (89.2) | ||
| Household income | High | 931 (14.7) | 10 (0.5) | 2 (0.4) | 0 (0) | 3 (0.2) | <0.001 |
| Middle | 1353 (18.7) | 36 (2.1) | 4 (0.8) | 13 (2.3) | 6 (1.0) | ||
| Low | 6736 (66.6) | 3645 (97.3) | 883 (98.8) | 1201 (97.7) | 849 (98.8) | ||
| Location | Urban | 3299 (68.3) | 820 (53.5) | 259 (59.9) | 395 (63.8) | 284 (63.4) | <0.001 |
| Rural | 5721 (31.7) | 2871 (46.5) | 630 (40.1) | 819 (36.2) | 574 (36.6) | ||
| Hypertension | Yes | 5176 (58.7) | 2401(64.2) | 566 (66.1) | 793 (63.2) | 529 (63.6) | <0.001 |
| No | 3844 (41.3) | 1290 (35.8) | 323 (33.9) | 421 (36.8) | 329 (36.4) | ||
| Diabetes | Yes | 1785 (22.1) | 707 (22.0) | 175 (22.4) | 274 (22.3) | 196 (25.8) | <0.001 |
| No | 7235 (77.9) | 2984 (78.0) | 714 (77.6) | 940 (77.7) | 662 (74.2) | ||
| Subjective cognitive impairment | Yes | 490 (6.1) | 185 (5.4) | 48 (5.0) | 76 (5.8) | 67 (8.5) | <0.001 |
| No | 8530 (93.9) | 3506 (94.6) | 841 (95.0) | 1138 (94.2) | 791 (91.5) | ||
| Usual activities | No problems | 4777 (56.1) | 1661 (47.0) | 393 (46.2) | 530 (47.3) | 355 (43.3) | <0.001 |
| Some problems | 3751 (38.7) | 1865 (48.3) | 457 (49.5) | 639 (49.3) | 462 (52.6) | ||
| Extreme problems | 492 (5.2) | 165 (4.7) | 39 (4.3) | 45 (3.4) | 41 (4.1) | ||
| Neighbor interaction (/mo) | ≥1 | 1606 (30.9) | 275 (15.1) | 106 (23.3) | 126 (21.4) | 159 (31.7) | <0.001 |
| <1 | 7414 (69.1) | 3416 (84.9) | 783 (76.7) | 1088 (78.6) | 699 (68.3) | ||
| Friend interaction (/mo) | ≥1 | 3929 (42.5) | 1542 (37.4) | 418 (44.0) | 536 (42.8) | 416 (49.9) | <0.001 |
| <1 | 5091 (57.5) | 2149 (62.6) | 471 (56.0) | 678 (57.2) | 442 (50.1) | ||
| Depressive symptoms | <10 | 8483 (93.5) | 3403 (90.6) | 812 (90.7) | 1077 (88.7) | 744 (85.9) | <0.001 |
| ≥10 | 537 (6.5) | 288 (9.4) | 77 (9.3) | 137 (11.3) | 114 (14.1) | ||
| Residence status and family interaction | Prevalence rate (%) | Depressive symptoms |
||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crude model | Model 1 | Model 2 | ||
| Living with close family | 6.50 | 1.00 (reference) | 1.00 (reference) | 1.00 (reference) |
| Living alone | ||||
| More than once a week | 9.37 | 1.34 (1.15, 1.55) | 0.94 (0.79, 1.11) | 1.01 (0.85, 1.19) |
| Once a week | 9.26 | 1.50 (1.17, 1.92) | 1.06 (0.82, 1.37) | 1.10 (0.84, 1.42) |
| 1–3 times a month | 11.34 | 2.01 (1.65, 2.45) | 1.42 (1.15, 1.76) | 1.51 (1.22, 1.87) |
| Less than once a month | 14.07 | 2.45 (1.95, 3.00) | 1.72 (1.37, 2.16) | 1.71 (1.36, 2.15) |
| Residence status and family interaction |
Depressive symptoms |
|||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Men |
Women |
|||||||
| Prevalence rate (%) | Crude model | Model 1 | Model 2 | Prevalence rate (%) | Crude model | Model 1 | Model 2 | |
| Living with close family | 4.66 | 1.00 (reference) | 1.00 (reference) | 1.00 (reference) | 8.63 | 1.00 (reference) | 1.00 (reference) | 1.00 (reference) |
| Living alone | ||||||||
| More than once a week | 6.62 | 1.27 (0.81, 1.99) | 1.06 (0.67, 1.67) | 1.12 (0.70, 1.77) | 9.76 | 1.04 (0.88, 1.23) | 0.89 (0.74, 1.08) | 0.97 (0.81, 1.17) |
| Once a week | 8.21 | 1.50 (0.76, 2.99) | 1.25 (0.62, 2.51) | 1.13 (0.56, 2.28) | 9.51 | 1.18 (0.89, 1.55) | 1.00 (0.75, 1.33) | 1.06 (0.80, 1.41) |
| 1–3 times a month | 5.94 | 1.53 (0.86, 2.73) | 1.36 (0.76, 2.45) | 1.34 (0.74, 2.40) | 12.66 | 1.64 (1.32, 2.04) | 1.38 (1.09, 1.74) | 1.49 (1.18, 1.88) |
| Less than once a month | 11.00 | 2.29 (1.76, 4.75) | 2.48 (1.50, 4.12) | 2.18 (1.30, 3.63) | 14.94 | 1.86 (1.46, 2.38) | 1.56 (1.20, 2.01) | 1.58 (1.22, 2.04) |
| Residence status and family interaction |
Depressive symptoms |
|||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Without difficulty |
With difficulty |
|||||||
| Prevalence rate (%) | Crude model | Model 1 | Model 2 | Prevalence rate (%) | Crude model | Model 1 | Model 2 | |
| Living with close family | 1.93 | 1.00 (reference) | 1.00 (reference) | 1.00 (reference) | 12.27 | 1.00 (reference) | 1.00 (reference) | 1.00 (reference) |
| Living alone | ||||||||
| More than once a week | 3.69 | 1.90 (1.35, 2.66) | 1.27 (0.86, 1.88) | 1.31 (0.89, 1.94) | 14.39 | 1.08 (0.92, 1.28) | 0.93 (0.77, 1.12) | 0.99 (0.82, 1.20) |
| Once a week | 2.10 | 1.83 (1.01, 3.30) | 1.25 (0.68, 2.34) | 1.26 (0.68, 2.35) | 15.43 | 1.25 (0.94, 1.65) | 1.05 (0.79, 1.41) | 1.10 (0.82, 1.47) |
| 1–3 times a month | 2.75 | 2.31 (1.44, 3.72) | 1.59 (0.96, 2.65) | 1.63 (0.98, 2.71) | 19.05 | 1.70 (1.36, 2.13) | 1.43 (1.13, 1.82) | 1.51 (1.19, 1.92) |
| Less than once a month | 2.97 | 2.52 (1.46, 4.34) | 1.76 (0.99, 3.12) | 1.74 (0.99, 3.09) | 22.54 | 2.04 (1.60, 2.60) | 1.71 (1.33, 2.21) | 1.70 (1.32, 2.20) |
Values are presented as number (weighted %). Using the chi-square test.
Values are presented as odds ratio (95% confidence interval). Model 1 is adjusted for gender, age interval, household income, economic activity, location, number of diagnosed chronic diseases; Model 2 is adjusted for model 1+interaction frequency with friends and interaction frequency with neighbors.
Values are presented as odds ratio (95% confidence interval). Model 1 is adjusted for age interval, household income, economic activity, location, number of diagnosed chronic diseases; Model 2 is adjusted for model 1+interaction frequency with friends and interaction frequency with neighbors. The
Values are presented as odds ratio (95% confidence interval). Model 1 is adjusted for gender, age interval, household income, economic activity, location, number of diagnosed chronic diseases; Model 2 is adjusted for model 1+interaction frequency with friends and interaction frequency with neighbors. The