• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.87-98
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• 2002

This study is to reveal the overall level of loneliness, depression and social supports of the elderly in rural area of Korea. The interview survey was performed in February 2001 with structured questionnaires to 486 respondents of 65 years or more of age who lived in Muan-gun area. The questionnaire was the revised translation of Japanese Elderly Study Which was composed of general characteristics, Japanese Loneliness Scale, abridged General Depression Scale(GDS) and Duke University social support Inventory. The following analyses adopted the analysis of covariate, t-test, and Chi- squire were used for some of the cross- sectional analyses. Average age of 486 respondents was 73.9 years old. 58.0% of the respondents noticed their partner or son as the primary consultant for the stressful situation. 56.2% of the respondents experienced the loss of their marital partner, health and/or friends. Average score of loneliness, GDS and social supports of the respondents that was each $35.54{\pm}8.38$, $7.23{\pm}2.21$ and $26.01{\pm}.90$. The overall level of depression seemed to be low as the 'pleasure to be alive' and 'happiness' scored high while the 'state of anger' and 'ominous presentiment' scored low. The level of loneliness and depression was positively correlated while the relationships were negative between loneliness and support and between depression and social support. These results suggested that social and health promotional programmes be necessary for the elderly of rural area. Further research would be required to specify the necessities.