인구 소멸지역과 비소멸지역의 1인 가구 독거노인의 근린환경 및 사회적 연대와 정신건강과의 연관성 = The Relationship between Neighborhood Environment, Social Cohesion, and Mental Health for the Elderly Living Alone in Single-Person Households in Population-Extinct and Non-extinct Areas

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

Background: The purpose of this study is to analyze the relationship between neighborhood environment, social solidarity, and mental health among the elderly living alone in single-person households and to examine the differences between population-extinct areas and non-extinct areas. Methods: This study utilized data from the 2023 Community Health Survey and selected 21,824 individuals aged 65 and over living alone as the study population. Data analysis was conducted using IBM SPSS software ver. 26.0 (IBM Corp.). Frequency and descriptive statistics analyses were performed to examine the current status of the neighborhood environment, social solidarity, and mental health among the study participants. To analyze differences between population-extinct areas and non-extinct areas, chi-square tests were conducted, and linear regression analysis was employed to investigate differences between the neighborhood environment, social solidarity, and mental health for the elderly living alone among regions. Results: The results of this study revealed that the neighborhood environment and social solidarity significantly influenced stress and depression among elderly living alone in all regions, with notable differences between areas. In population-extinct areas, dissatisfaction with neighborhood environment factors such as community satisfaction, including trust among neighbors, safety levels, natural environment, living environment, and medical services, was significantly associated with increased stress. Conversely, satisfaction with safety levels, living environment, trust among neighbors, and medical services was associated with decreased depression. In terms of social solidarity, frequent contact with friends, family, and neighbors significantly reduced depression in both population-extinct areas and non-extinct areas. However, unlike population-extinct areas social activities, such as friendly activities and religious activities, significantly reduced depression in non-extinct areas. Conclusion: This suggests that a policy direction that considers the social isolation problem of the elderly living alone is needed based on the creation of a physical and social environment such as housing, care services, social exchanges, and activities for the elderly living alone. In addition, in order to solve mental health problems such as increased stress and depression among the elderly living alone in a super-aged society in the mid to long term, the government should take an institutional approach related to the neighborhood environment and social solidarity by establishing basic infrastructure such as medical and health infrastructure and transportation housing.

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