Structural Equation Modeling to Assess Discrimination, Stress, Social Support, and Depression among the Elderly Women in South Korea

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to find the relationship and conceptual model of discrimination, stress, support, and depression among the elderly in South Korea.

Methods: This was a cross-sectional descriptive study involving 207 community-dwelling elders. Data were collected through questionnaires from May 5 to May 31, 2014 in community senior centers, and analyzed using descriptive statistics, t test, analysis of variance, Scheffé test, and structural equation modeling.

Results: There were significant effects of discrimination on stress, support on stress and stress on depression. Moreover, there were two significant indirect effects observed between discrimination and depression, and between support and depression. For each indirect effect, the mediating factor was stress. Additionally, there was no direct effect between discrimination and depression or support.

Conclusions: This study found that social support and discrimination had indirect effects on depression through stress. More specifically, decreased stress led to a reduction of depression. Therefore, social support based on a thorough understanding of stress is very important for caring elderly who are depressive.

Keywords: ageism; depression; life stress; social support.