Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society (한국산학기술학회논문지)

The Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society (한국산학기술학회)
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The Effects of the Stress of Elderly People Living Alone in Urban Areas on the Quality of Life: With a Focus on the Mediating Effect of Social Support

도시지역 독거노인의 스트레스가 삶의 질에 미치는 영향 : 사회적 지지의 매개효과를 중심으로

  • 김형기 (한세대학교 사회복지학과)
  • Received : 2017.10.27
  • Accepted : 2017.12.08
  • Published : 2017.12.31
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Abstract

The purpose of this research is to examine ways to improve the quality of life of elderly people living alone in urban areas by identifying their stress, social support, and quality of life as well as analyzing the relationships between these factors. In this research, a questionnaire survey was conducted for approximately two weeks including 232 elderly people aged 65 years and above who were using 10 senior welfare centers in the Seoul and Gyeonggi regions. The results of the analysis based on the collected data showed that of the stresses experienced by elderly people living alone in urban areas, the stresses of health, family, and psychological and social stresses had negative effects on social support and quality of life. Also, it was found that the social support of elderly people living alone had positive effects on the quality of life. Additionally, it was found that social support had a mediating effect in the relationship between stress and quality of life of elderly people living alone in urban areas. In other words, social support plays a buffer role in enhancing the quality of life regarding health, family, economy, and psychological and social stresses. This research has significant implications in that it was conducted on elderly people living alone, since elderly people living alone are not only under more stressful circumstances in a vulnerable environment than other seniors but also their quality of life is much lower. The implications of this research are that, from a social point of view, these elderly people living alone should no longer be neglected and that differentiated policy interventions for elderly people living alone is required.

본 연구에서는 도시지역 독거노인의 스트레스, 사회적 지지와 삶의 질 정도를 파악하고 그 관계를 분석함으로써 독거노인의 삶의 질 향상 방안을 모색하는데 도움이 되고자 하였다. 본 연구는 서울과 경기지역의 10곳 노인복지관 이용노인 중, 만 65세 이상 독거노인 232명을 대상으로 약 2주간 설문조사를 실시하였다. 수집된 자료를 바탕으로 분석을 실시한 결과, 도시지역 독거노인의 스트레스 중, 건강, 가족, 경제, 심리사회적 스트레스는 사회적 지지와 삶의 질에 부정적인 영향을 미치는 것으로 나타났다. 또한 독거노인의 사회적 지지는 삶의 질에 긍정적인 영향을 미치는 것을 알 수 있었다. 추가적으로 도시지역 독거노인의 스트레스와 삶의 질 관계에서 사회적 지지는 매개역할을 한다는 것을 검증하였다. 즉, 도시지역 독거노인의 건강, 가족, 경제, 심리사회적 스트레스가 사회적 지지를 통하여 삶의 질을 좀 더 향상시킬 수 있는 완충제 역할을 한다는 것이다. 본 연구는 일반노인이 아닌 독거노인을 대상으로 연구를 진행한 것에 큰 의의가 있고, 독거노인은 일반노인보다 취약한 환경 속에서 더 많은 스트레스 상황에 놓일 뿐 아니라 그에 따른 삶의 질 수준도 현저히 낮은 상태이다. 이러한 독거노인들을 사회적 차원에서 더 이상 방치해서는 안 되고, 독거노인을 위한 적극적인 관심과 차별화된 정책적 개입이 필요하다고 시사하였다.

Keywords

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