Prevalence of and Factors Associated with Depression in Korean American Men

재미 한인 남성의 우울증 실태 및 영향요인

  • 조인주 (원광대학교 복지보건학부)
  • Received : 2010.04.19
  • Accepted : 2010.07.05
  • Published : 2010.08.31

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to examine the prevalence of depression in Korean American men and factors associated with the Korean American men's depression by examining how depression is affected by socio-demographic characteristics, immigration-related characteristics, and psychological and social characteristics. Socio-demographic characteristics include age, education, occupation, and monthly income. Immigration-related characteristics include years in the U. S., being U. S. citizens, and acculturation level. Psychological and social characteristics include anger, marital satisfaction, and social support. Using an availability sampling method, data were collected from 201 Korean American married men who were between the ages of 20 and 64 and resided in Los Angeles County. This study used a structured self-administered questionnaire. Due to the unreliable responses, five questionnaires were excluded from the study. Therefore 196 completed questionnaires were used for the data analyses. In order to measure the respondents' depression, the CES-D(Center for Epidemiological Studies of Depression) was used in this study. In the hierarchical multiple regression analyses, monthly income, anger, marital satisfaction, and social support were significantly associated with the respondents' depression. However, there were no significant associations between depression and age, education, occupation, being a U. S. citizen, and acculturation. Implications of the findings for mental health practitioners and social works are discussed.

본 연구의 목적은 재미 한인 남성들의 우울증 실태를 파악하고 그들의 인구사회학적 특성, 이민관련 특성, 심리사회적 특성이 우울증에 미치는 영향을 검증하는 것이다. 인구사회학적 특성 변인은 나이, 학력, 직업, 수입이고, 이민관련 특성 변인은 미국거주기간, 시민권취득여부, 문화적응도이다. 심리사회적 특성 변인은 분노, 결혼만족도, 사회적 지지를 포함한다. 본 연구의 대상은 나이가 20세 이상 64세 이하인 엘에이 카운티에 거주하는 재미 한인 결혼남성들을 편의표집방법으로 선정하였다. 구조화된 설문지를 이용하여 자기기입식 방법으로 자료를 수집하였다. 배부된 설문지는 총 310부이고 회수된 201부 중 응답이 불충분한 5부를 제외한 196부를 본 연구의 분석에 사용하였다. 위계적 다중회귀분석을 실행한 결과 월수입, 분노, 결혼만족도, 사회적 지지가 연구 참여자들의 우울증에 유의미한 영향을 미치고 있는 것으로 나타났다. 그러나 나이, 학력, 직업, 시민권취득 여부, 문화적응도는 우울증과 유의미한 연관성이 없는 것으로 나타났다. 연구결과를 바탕으로 실천적 함의를 제시하였다.

Keywords

Acknowledgement

본 논문은 2010년도 원광대학교 교비 지원으로 연구되었음.

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