title: Living alone is associated with depression among the elderly in a rural community in Japan.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to investigate factors associated with depression in a sample of elderly Japanese individuals in a rural community and to examine differences among factors associated with individuals living alone or living with others.
  
  
  METHODS
  Using a population-based sample from rural Japan, we assessed a total of 1552 participants aged 65 years or older by mailing a survey and evaluating responses based on the Geriatric Depression Scale. Factors associated with depression were also examined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We received 964 valid responses. Depressed subjects comprised 20.5% of the sample. Living alone was significantly related to depression. In individuals living alone, depression was associated with loss of appetite, suicidal ideation, financial strain, and worries in life. However, multiple linear regression analyses revealed that the influence of living alone was negated by having a good social support system.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings confirm that living alone is an important factor in depression among the elderly in a rural part of Japan. Results also confirm what others have found in Western cultures: high levels of social support, awareness of receiving social support, and willingness to receive assistance may reduce the risk of depression.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Neuropathobiology, Kumamoto University Graduate School of Medical Science, Kumamoto, Japan.
authors.forename: Ryuta
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Fukunaga
authors.forename: Yasuhisa
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Abe
authors.forename: Youichi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nakagawa
authors.forename: Asuka
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Koyama
authors.forename: Noboru
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Fujise
authors.forename: Manabu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ikeda
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005190:Family; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008393:Marriage / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012111:Residence Characteristics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012423:Rural Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012424:Rural Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012944:Social Support