earticle

영어

The goals of the present study are to identify depression of the old, which affects suicide of the old, and which is a potential factor of suicide attempt along with a high prevalence rate, and to review the relationship between social support and depression and contemplation of suicide of
the old. Further, in the present study, it was reviewed what effect the social support has directly
on suicide of the old, in particular, where depression is mediated. In other words, it was pecifically reviewed what effect the social support has on generation of depression of the old,
and what effect the depression has on contemplation of suicide of the old.
Through the review, the present researcher tried to provide a basis to establish social workers’
intervention strategy for the prevention of depression and suicide of the old by identifying the
actual conditions of suicide of the old and the effect of the support and depression on suicide of
the old. For this purpose, in the present study, the following matters were set up: First, what
level of social support, depression and contemplation of suicide are the old aware of? Second,
does depression mediate social support and contemplation of suicide?
The object for the survey in the present study is old men and old women of over 60 years
old who have been served by two welfare facilities for the old and two general welfare facilities,
which are placed throughout Seoul and Kyonggi. The survey was made by conducting an
interview by use of questionnaires. As means for the survey, social support, depression and
validation of suicide were used. For the analysis of the results, SPSS 10.0 was used in analyzing
frequency, technical statistics, correlation, multiple regression, and route with respect to each
variation. The results are as follows:
First, social support for the old who responded to the present survey is average 3.85(maximum
value of 5.0), which shows that the old have received a relatively high level of support. Further, it was analyzed that social support is negatively related to depression of the old. The results also
show that the level of depression is average 2.22(maximum value of 4.3) and contemplation of
suicide is 0.22(maximum value of 2.0).
Second, the results show that social support is negatively related to contemplation of suicide of
the old, which establishes that weakening social support may lead to contemplation of suicide of
the old, i.e., the old who feel weakening social support contemplate committing suicide.
Social support and depression show a negative correlation and social support plays a very
significant variable in depression of the old. That is, it was established that the old who feel lack
of social support fall in a serious depression.
The level of depression of the old has an affirmative relationship(which is the most important
relationship in statistics and measurement) with contemplation of suicide and significantly affects
contemplation of suicide of the old. It was proven that the more the old suffer from a severe
depression, the more the old contemplate committing suicide. In the event depression is controlled, the relationship between social support variable and contemplation of suicide is reduced and depression plays a parameter.
Through the study results as discussed above, it was proven that although social support
critically affects contemplation of suicide of the old, the social support would indirectly(rather than
indirectly) affect contemplation of suicide of the old, if depression were mediated. Namely, it was
established that depression is the most dangerous factor in contemplation of suicide of the old,
and whether the old live alone or together significantly affects suicide of the old. In order to
protect the old from suicide, it would be advisable to provide the old, specifically, the old who
live alone, with a prevention program against suicide and depression, and sufficient supports in
terms of social work.

한국어

본 연구는 노인자살 문제와 관련하여 자살의 잠재적 원인인 노인우울을 파악하고, 사회적 지지와 우울, 노인 자살생각 간의 관계를 살펴보았다. 또한 사회적 지지가 노인 우울에 어떤 영향을주고, 우울이 노인 자살생각에 어떠한 영향을 주는지를 연구하여 노인자살의 실태와 사회적지지, 우울이 노인 자살에 미치는 영향을 파악함으로써 우울과 노인 자살방지를 위한 사회사업가의 개입전략을 수립할 수 있는 근거를 제시하고자 하였다.
연구 조사는 서울, 경기 일원에 위치한 노인종합복지관과 일반종합복지관에서 서비스를 이용하고 있는 60세 이상 남, 여 노인을 대상으로 설문지를 이용한 면접법을 실시하였다. 자료 분석은 빈도분석, 기술통계분석, 상관관계분석, 다중회귀분석, 경로분석을 실시하였다.
연구 결과는 첫째, 노인들은 평균 보다 약간 높은 수준의 사회적 지지를 받고 있고, 사회적 지지가 노인우울과 부적인 상관관계가 있는 것으로 분석되었다. 우울정도는 평균 2.22(최대값 4.3)이고, 자살생각은 0.22(최대값 2.0)이다. 둘째, 사회적 지지와 노인 자살생각은 부적인 상관관계를 나타냈고, 사회적 지지가 약하다고 느끼는 노인이 자살생각을 하는 것으로 나타났다. 사회적 지지와 우울과의 관계는 부적인 상관관계를 나타내며 사회적 지지가 없다고 느끼는 노인이 심각한 우울에 빠지게 되는 것을 증명하였다. 노인의 우울정도는 자살생각에 대해 정적인 상관관계이고, 우울정도가 심한 노인일수록 자살생각을 많이 한다는 것이 증명되었다. 사회적 지지는 노인자살에 대하여 우울을 매개로 간접적 영향을 미치는 것으로 증명되었다. 또한 동거여부가 노인자살에 중요한 영향을 미치고 있었다. 노인자살을 방지하기 위해서는 사회적 지지가 약화된 독거노인 중심으로 자살과 우울예방에 대한 사회사업적 프로그램과 지지를 제공하는 것이 바람직하다.