• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Culture
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• v.38 no.5
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• pp.283-292
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• 2023

Considering that the number of middle-aged single-person households is increasing, this study investigates dietary behaviors, nutrient intake, and mental health according to household type. Data were procured from the 2015-2019 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES). Totally, 5,466 participants aged 50-64 years were classified into 2 groups: a household with one member was defined as a single-person household, and households with two or more members were described as multi-person households. Single-person households comprised 10.63% of the total, with a higher average age, and lower income and economic levels than multi-person households. Compared to multi-person households, single-person households had a higher frequency of skipping breakfast, eating alone, and dining out, the moderately and severely food insecure group was more than 5 times, and nutrient intake and dietary quality were poorer. In the fully adjusted model, the odds ratios (ORs) of depressive symptoms were 2.35 times (95% CI: 1.39-3.96), and suicide ideation was 1.95 times (95% CI: 1.35-2.82) in single-person compared to multi-person households. Our results lead us to conclude that poor dietary intake in middle-aged single-person households affects the mental health, and the above factors should be considered when framing the dietary policy.

• Journal of Family Resource Management and Policy Review
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.123-148
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• 2012

The main objective of this study was to investigate how people prepare for old age by looking at financial statements from single-person households in Gyeonggi province; the policy implications regarding low fertility and population aging are considered. The subjects were members of 600 households who were aged 26 to 44 years old and not married. The data were analyzed by t-test, ANOVA, and dichotomous logistic regression using SPSS WIN 12.0. Respondents pointed out that financial problems are the greatest challenges for those facing old age in single-person households; they said that a stable job is the most important factor for secure living. About 57% of household residents responded that they have prepared for retirement, and a majority of them said they hoped to spend their elderly years with a marriage partner. The financial statements from single-person households were inferior to those from other types of households. The assets of single-person household members were less than those of other households. Only 10.5% of respondents have owned homes. The study discusses policy implications for those who want marriage and for those who don't want it. For those who want marriage, job-seeking support was proposed, and for the others, tax deductions and family programs for single-person households were proposed.

• Journal of Family Resource Management and Policy Review
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.103-124
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• 2013

To improve family well-being of single-parents, the utilization of familial social resources-including formal supports, informal supports, and social capital-has become one of the most important family resource management issues. The purpose of this study was to compare the levels of familial social resources of single-parent households with those of two-parent households and to investigate the differences according to three factors, specifically poverty, family types by gender and age of parent, and householders' employment. In addition, the determinants of single-parent households' wellbeing were analyzed from two perspectives: economic wellbeing and psychological life satisfaction. Data from the 5th wave of the Korean Welfare Panel Study (KOWEPS) were used. The major findings were as follows. First, single-parent households utilized their familial social resources more actively than their counterparts, especially in terms of the formal support of child care. Second, single parent households utilized their familial social resources differently in relation to poverty, family types, and parents' employment. Third, the determinants of economic wellbeing and psychological life satisfaction were different according types of familial social resources. Based on these empirical results, policy implications for the future economic wellbeing of baby boomers were provided.

• Asian Journal for Public Opinion Research
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.54-74
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• 2023

This study examined the subcomponents of the local environment that have an important influence on the life satisfaction of people living in single-person households and analyzed how the causal relationship between these variables differs between generations. Specifically, the local environment was classified into the following subcomponents: convenience, comfort, safety, healthcare, and neighborhood relationships. This study analyzed the data of 3,260 respondents from single-person households in the 2020 Residents' Quality of Life Survey in Gyeonggi Province. As a result, it was found that the perception of all subcomponents of the local environment had a positive effect on the life satisfaction of people in single-person households. The effect of neighborhood relationships was relatively large compared to other subcomponents. Next, the influencing factors on life satisfaction of people in single-person households showed differences between generations, which were defined by this study as youth (under age 35), middle-aged (35-64), and elderly (65 and older). Convenience and safety for the youth group and neighborhood relationship for the middle-aged group were most important. The elderly group was most affected by healthcare. The proportion of single-person households worldwide, including in Korea, is gradually increasing, and considering this, this study provides important policy implications.

• Journal of Families and Better Life
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.125-145
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• 2011

The purposes of this study were to examine low-income households' financial statuses and the socio-economic characteristics of single-person and non-single person households according to the financial indexes used for evaluating financial security and growth status developed based on financial ratios. Using 2009 KLIPS(Korean Labor & Income Panel Survey) data collected by the Korean Labor Institute, the satisfaction levels from the indexes were analyzed and compared between the two household types. The results showed that 46.0% of single-person households were not satisfactory in terms of all financial growth indexes but were partially satisfactory in terms of all financial security indexes. These householders tended to be females and in the their 70s, who lived in Seoul or in a suburb of Seoul, Korea. They reported problems with a lack of financial growth possibilities. 47.0% of non-single person households were not satisfactory in terms of all financial growth indexes but were partially satisfactory in terms of all financial security indexes. These householders tended to be males in their 60s and 70s with no job who were living in Seoul or in a suburb of Seoul, Korea. They reported having low level of liquidity and high level of debt redemption. 42.6% of single-person households were not satisfactory in terms of both financial security and growth indexes partially. These householders tended to be females in their 20s or 70s who were living in rural areas. They reported problems related to an adverse balance between household income and expenditures and a large scale of debt. 43.1% of non-single households were not satisfactory in terms of both financial security and growth indexes partially. These householders tended to be males in their 60s or 70s and homeowners. They reported problem related to an adverse balance of household income and expenditures and high a level of housing expenditures and liquidity. The research findings have implication for policy makers considering financial support programs and welfare programs for low-income householders, considering the recent changes in households structures.

• Journal of the Korean Regional Science Association
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.69-88
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• 2024

The study examines the effects of local environmental factors on stress among young and senior single-person households. We analyzed the '2019 Community Health Survey' by employing logistic regression analysis. The empirical results are as follows: First, there are greater differences in stress factors between young single-and multi-person households than senior single-and multi-person households; Second, stress among young single-person households was mainly influenced by physical environmental factors while stress among senior single-person households was influenced by both physical and social environmental factors. The results suggest that customized support at the local level is necessary in consideration of age-specific characteristics and stress vulnerabilities when promoting policies for the promotion of mental health among single-person households.

• Journal of the Korean housing association
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.69-77
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• 2012

The purpose of this study was to explore housing cost burden of young single- or two-person households in the United States who have recently moved for job-related reasons. Total 580 households were selected from 2009 American Housing Survey public-use microdata for data analysis. The findings are as follows: (1) Targeted single-person households were characterized as younger households with higher educational attainment, lower household income, and greater proportion of renters, multifamily housing residents and households with housing cost burden than other households; (2) two-person households showed a higher income level and lower housing cost burden; (3) characteristics that showed significant influences on housing cost burden were household size, householder's age, gender, race and educational attainment, household income level and tenure type; and (4) a linear combination of household size, household income, whether or not a low-income household, residency in metropolitan area, and home structural type were found to be most efficient to predict a single- or two-person household's housing cost burden regardless of the household size.

• The Korean Journal of Health Service Management
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.39-49
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• 2018

Objectives : In this study, we used the data of the 2015 National Health and Nutrition Survey in its 6th Phase, and the total number of subjects included was 4,884. Methods : Frequency analysis, crosstab and logistic regression analysis were conducted to investigate unmet medical factors related to family members. Results : The subjects of the study were 10.3% single-person households and 89.7% non-single-person households. There were statistically significant differences in age, education level, marital status, income level, private health insurance, and subjective health status. Factors associated with unmet healthcare needs according to single-person households was subjective health status. Age, gender, marital status and subjective health status were the factors associated with unmet healthcare needs according to non-single-person households. Conclusions : It is necessary to establish health care policies that can expand the health education necessary for providing appropriate information on medical care and improving awareness of social illnesses and improving affordability and convenience.

• Journal of the Korean housing association
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.97-109
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• 1999

The purpose of this study is to examine the changes of housing characteristics between dwellings occupied by two and more households and one household occupying dwellings over 10 years using the Population and Housing Censuses in 1985, 1990, and 1995. One dwelling for each household, referred to the ratio of the number of dwellings to the number of households, has been one of the most important housing goals in Korea. The results indicated that the ratio of dwellings occupied by one household as well as that of households occupying one dwelling by oneself have been increased since 1985. However, the number of dwellings occupied by two and more households have been decreased but the number of households who share one dwelling with other households have never been decreased. One dwelling for each household has been mainly increased by the multifamily attached dwellers in urban residences. Single-family dettached dwellings in the urban area are the most often shared with other households. Housing policymakers should consider not only the rapidly increasing single households but also renters shared one dwelling with others mostly homeowners of single-family dettached dwellings.

• Journal of Family Relations
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.25-51
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• 2016

Objectives: This research started with the attempt to comprehend the relationship between household types and psychological stability by linking single-person households to the emotional index "depression." Method: For this purpose, we first compare to see if there is a difference in socio-demographic variables, social relationships, the degree of depression between single households and multi-person households, and to comprehend the relative influence that household types have on depression by taking other factors under consideration. Results: Then based on the results, we compare and analyze the factors that affect the degree of depression on single-person households and multi-person households, respectively. To summarize the results, first of all, residents in single-person households are somewhat older but show lower level of income, education, and health condition compared to peers inmulti-person households. They also had a consistently high level not only in the frequency of contact and emotional connection with families, relatives, and friends, but also in the degree of depression when compared to multi-person households. Secondly, for depression, considering the various factors targeting all the households, the following had a strong influence in the order of "health condition compared to peers," "emotional connection with family," "household types," "emotional connection with colleagues," "frequency of contact with neighbors," "gender," and "age."The degree of depression increases in the following conditions: if the health condition is worse, lower emotional connection with family, single-person household, lower emotional connection with colleagues, lower the frequency of contact with neighbors, female, and older the age. Thirdly, comparing the factors that affect depression by dividing single-person households and multi-person households, "health condition compared to peers" and "emotional connection with family" had the largest effect in common, respectively. In cases of living alone, regardless of other factors, the degree of depression increases with "health condition compared to peers" and "emotional connection with family." Conclusions: On the contrary, in multi-person households, "health condition compared to peers," "emotional connection with family," "emotional connection with colleagues," "income," and "gender" are important.