Lifetime urban/rural residence, social support and late-life depression in Korea.
BACKGROUND
Population ageing and rural-urban migration are accelerating in many non-Western nations. This study aimed to investigate: (i) the association between lifetime urban/rural residence and late-life depression in Korea and (ii) modification of associations between depression and social support by lifetime residence.


METHODS
1204 urban/rural residents aged 65+were interviewed and GMS-AGECAT diagnoses made. Previous areas of residence were recorded and social support deficits quantified.


RESULTS
Depression was present in 9% and 21% of the rural and urban samples respectively. For the urban sample, depression was not associated with earlier urban/rural residence. Social support deficits were most strongly associated with depression in people with a lifetime rural residence, followed by urban residents with a rural birthplace.


CONCLUSIONS
Prevalence rates of depression were increased in the urban sample regardless of previous urban/rural residence. Reduced social support was particularly strongly associated with depression in people with a rural upbringing.
Kim
Jae-Min
JM
Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, Chosun University, Kwangju, Republic of Korea.
Stewart
Robert
R
Shin
Il-Seon
IS
Yoon
Jin-Sang
JS
Lee
Hyung-Yung
HY
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D004641:Emigration and Immigration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007723:Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D012111:Residence Characteristics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012307:Risk Factors; D012423:Rural Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012944:Social Support; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014504:Urban Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*