OBJECTIVES The characteristics of depressive symptoms in the family members of home-dwelling patients with dementia have not been clearly reported. This study aimed to investigate the characteristics of depressive symptoms in middle-aged family members living with a patient with dementia.
METHODS
This study used the data from the nationwide 2017 Korea Community Health Survey. Among the 228,381 survey participants, 77,276 participants in their 40s and 50s were finally selected for this study. The participants consisted of 760 family members of home-dwelling dementia patients and 76,516 general family members comprising a control group.
RESULTS
The positive rate of Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9)-measured depressive symptoms was significantly higher in the family members of home-dwelling dementia patients (4.4%; control group: 1.9%). After adjusting for potential confounders, the prevalence of PHQ-measured depressive symptoms was 1.72 times (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.03 to 2.85) higher in the family members of home-dwelling dementia patients compared to the control group. The positive rate of depressive symptoms was 2.26 times higher (95% CI, 1.26 to 4.05) in the female middle-aged family members of home-dwelling dementia patients compared to the control group. In addition, those who reported having symptoms almost every day in the PHQ-9 questions had significantly higher positive rates on questions about loss of interest, depression, sleep disturbance, fatigue, poor appetite, and suicidal ideation, and not on questions regarding feelings of worthlessness and psychomotor agitation, compared to the control group.
CONCLUSIONS
Active interventions are needed to relieve depression in the family members of home-dwelling dementia patients.
Summary
Citations
Citations to this article as recorded by
Burden and preparedness of care partners of people living with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis at home in Korea: A care partner survey Sun Young Lee, Shin Hye Yoo, Belong Cho, Kye Hyung Kim, Min Seoul Jang, Jeongmi Shin, Inyoung Hwang, Seok‐Jin Choi, Jung‐Joon Sung, Min Sun Kim Muscle & Nerve.2024; 70(3): 306. CrossRef
Factors influencing the care burden among family caregivers using dementia care centers for older adults with dementia in Korea: a cross-sectional descriptive study Ja Eun Kim, Soo Jin Lee Journal of Korean Biological Nursing Science.2024; 26(4): 382. CrossRef
Impact of the presence of a family member with dementia on the prevalence of depression: a comparison based on household income level Min Hui Moon, Suk Woong Kang, Min Hyeok Choi International Journal for Equity in Health.2024;[Epub] CrossRef
Sleep Quality and Depressive Symptoms in Caregivers of Persons with Dementia: A Systematic Review Rayhanah R. Almutairi, Jaclene A. Zauszniewski Issues in Mental Health Nursing.2023; 44(6): 538. CrossRef
Depression before and during-COVID-19 by Gender in the Korean Population Won-Tae Cha, Hye-Jin Joo, Yu-Shin Park, Eun-Cheol Park, Soo-Young Kim International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.2022; 19(6): 3477. CrossRef
A Study on Complementary Policy to Enhance the Effectiveness of National Dementia Policy in Terms of Medical Services Su Jeong Seong, Kang Joon Lee, Woo Jung Kim, Kiwon Kim, Dong Woo Lee Journal of Korean Neuropsychiatric Association.2021; 60(4): 396. CrossRef
OBJECTIVES The present study examines the relationship between depressive symptoms and subjective chewing and pronunciation ability in Korean seniors. Our goal is to provide the data required to develop appropriate oral health interventions programs for seniors.
METHODS
The Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression Scale (CES-D) is widely used depressive symptoms assessment. A Korean version was used for the 2009 Community Health Survey, which was consulted to extract the present study’s participants comprising 50,694 Korean seniors (males, 20,582; females, 30,112) aged ≥65 years. Those with a CES-D score ≥16 were rated ‘depressed.’ SAS version 9.3 was used for the data analysis.
RESULTS
Prevalence of depressive symptoms increased as the participants socioeconomic status decreased, number of health issues increased, health behavior worsened, and chewing and pronunciation discomfort increased. Males with chewing difficulties were found to have 1.45 times (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.29 to 1.63) greater risk of depressive symptoms than those without, while males with pronunciation discomfort were found to have 1.97 times greater risk of depressive symptoms than those without (95% CI, 1.76 to 2.20). Females with chewing difficulty were found to have 1.50 times (95% CI, 1.39 to 1.61) greater risk of depressive symptoms than those without, and females with pronunciation discomfort were found to have 1.55 times greater risk of depressive symptoms than those without (95% CI, 1.44 to 1.67).
CONCLUSIONS
Intervention programs designed to help with oral health management and alleviate depressive symptoms in seniors are urgently needed. As the prevalence of depressive symptoms may vary geographically, research examining potential variance at city, district, and town levels would be beneficial.
Summary
Korean summary
The Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression Scale(CES-D)을 번역하여 조사된 2009년 지역사회건강조사 원시자료를 이용하여 전국 노인의 구강 보건 관리와 우울증상 관리를 중재하는 프로그램의 개발 및 접근에 있어 기초 자료를 제공하고자 하였다. 한국 노인의 주관적 구강저작능력과 발음능력상태와 우울증상은 인구 사회학적 특성, 건강수준 및 건강행태 관련 요인에 유의한 차이가 있었으며, 이에 따른 체계적이고 지속할 수 있는 중재프로그램의 기획 및 적용이 필요할 것으로 생각된다.
Citations
Citations to this article as recorded by
Significant association of oral health-related quality of life with mental depression in middle-aged and older Taiwanese adults Dun-Yu Hsu, Wu-Chien Chien, Da-Yo Yuh, Ling-Yu Kung, Yuan-Wu Chen Journal of Dental Sciences.2025; 20(1): 261. CrossRef
The impact of oral health on depression: A systematic review Parmida Karimi, Seyedehhasti Zojaji, Asal Abolghasemi Fard, Mohammad Navid Nateghi, Zahra Mansouri, Ramin Zojaji Special Care in Dentistry.2025;[Epub] CrossRef
Association and mediators between the impact of oral health‐related quality of life and depression Tianjiao Xin, Fangfang Hu, Lingzhong Xu, Fanlei Kong, Haifeng Yang, Lei Li, Afei Qin, Binghong Bao, Chiqi Chen, Jing Lan Oral Diseases.2024; 30(6): 4001. CrossRef
Association Between Changes in Oral Health-Related Quality of Life and Depressive Symptoms in the Korean Elderly Population Kyoung Eun Park, Hooyeon Lee, Young Dae Kwon, Sukil Kim International Journal of Public Health.2023;[Epub] CrossRef
Effect of Anesthesia/Euthanasia Method Used for Brain Collection on GSK3β Activation in Male Sprague-Dawley Rats Suryun Jung, Sooyeun Lee Drug Targets and Therapeutics.2022; 1(1): 45. CrossRef
Oral health‐related quality of life is associated with the prevalence and development of depressive symptoms in older Japanese individuals: The Ohasama Study Takashi Ohi, Takahisa Murakami, Takamasa Komiyama, Yoshitada Miyoshi, Kosei Endo, Takako Hiratsuka, Michihiro Satoh, Kei Asayama, Ryusuke Inoue, Masahiro Kikuya, Hirohito Metoki, Atsushi Hozawa, Yutaka Imai, Makoto Watanabe, Takayoshi Ohkubo, Yoshinori Ha Gerodontology.2022; 39(2): 204. CrossRef
Association between subjective oral dysfunction and locomotive syndrome in community-dwelling older adults Misa Nakamura, Masakazu Imaoka, Hidetoshi Nakao, Mitsumasa Hida, Fumie Tazaki, Ryota Imai, Hirotoshi Utsunomiya, Hiroshi Hashizume Scientific Reports.2021;[Epub] CrossRef