Gender Effects of Life Satisfaction on the Depression among the Elderly in Korea

Abstract

This paper examines whether various domains of life satisfaction relate to depressive symptoms, with particular focus on life satisfaction with family relationships. It also explores whether factors leading to depression differ by gender. Using nationally representative data of 2011 Survey of Living Conditions and Welfare Needs of the Korean Elderly, we classified life satisfaction into four domains, health status, economic circumstances, relationships with a spouse, and relationships with children. We used Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) to measure depressive symptoms and conducted multivariate regression to analyze the data. Four domains of life satisfactions significantly decreased depressive symptoms for both men and women while controlling for other factors. Notable differences by gender were observed, indicating that women are more sensitive to family relationships compared to men. The satisfaction with relationships with children is more likely to influence women’s depressive symptoms than men. These results reflect the unique characteristic of Korean society indicating women’s strong attachment to family and children.