|
KMID : 0379220140340020315
|
|
Journal of Korea Gerontological Society
2014 Volume.34 No. 2 p.315 ~ p.331
|
|
|
The Gender Difference in the Longitudinal Effect of Employment on Depressive Symptoms among Older Adults
|
|
Jue Mihn-Sook
Kim Myoung-Yong
|
|
|
Abstract
|
|
|
|
The goal of this study was to examine the association between employment and depressive symptoms among older adults in Korea, including analysis of potential gender differences. Using a sample of Korean adults aged 60 years or older from the 2008(Time 2) and 2010(Time 3) national longitudinal survey data from the Korean Longitudinal Study of Ageing, we regressed measures of depressive symptoms at Time 3 on employment at Time 2 (and employment both at Time 2 and Time 3), controlling for Time 2 depressive symptoms, subjective physical health, and sociodemographic variables as well. First, there was no evidence that older adults with a job at Time 2 had significantly lower levels of depressive symptoms at Time 3 compared to their counterparts. However, multi-group analyses showed that the effect of employment at Time 2 on depression at Time 3 differed by gender. For older men, employment predicted better mental health over time. However, this was not the case for older women. As such work role provided benefits only for older men. Second, older adults with a job at both Time 2 and Time 3 reported significantly lower levels of depressive symptoms at Time 3 than older adults who did not have a job either at Time 2 or Time 3. However, only older men who were employed at both Time 2 and Time 3 reported significantly less depression than their counterparts. These findings suggest that the mental health effects of employment are contingent on gender.
|
|
|
KEYWORD
|
|
|
productive activity, employment, depressive symptoms, gender difference
|
|
|
FullTexts / Linksout information
|
|
|
|
|
|
Listed journal information
|
|
|
|