An Exploratory Analysis of the Effects of Gyungrodang Use on Depression among Rural Elderly

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to analyze the effects of Gyungrodang use on depression among the elderly living in rural areas. Data from 「Korean Social Life, Health and Aging Project(KSHAP)」was used for analyzing the experiences of seven hundred and eleven elderly living in one rural village of a province located in the northeastern part of Korea. Comparative analysis was carried out in order to delineate the characteristics of those who utilized Gyungrodang and those who did not. The effects of Gyungrodang use on depression among the participants was explored as well. Results from data analysis showed that thoseelderly who use Gyungrodang had lower level of depression even after controlling for socio-demographic characteristics, economic and health status. Implications were drawn for improving the accessibility of Gyungrodang and for paying more attention to its non-users in rural areas.