OBJECTIVES We examined the associations of individual and regional-level perceived stress and depression with health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in Korean adults.
METHODS
We used data from the 2017 Korea Community Health Survey, which included 216,713 adults living within 254 municipal districts. As individual-level independent variables, perceived stress (higher vs. lower) and depression (Patient Health Questionnaire-9 ≥10) were defined. Regional-level age-adjusted rates of perceived stress (%) and depression (%) were created for 254 municipal districts and categorized into quartiles to generate regional levels of stress and depression. HRQOL was defined as the individual-level EuroQol 5-dimensional index×100. A multilevel analysis was performed to identify the relationship between individual or regional-level independent variables and individual HRQOL.
RESULTS
In the null model, the proportions of individual variation in the HRQOL explained by region were 1.7% and 2.7% for men and women, respectively. When adjusted with all individual-level variables, regional stress and depression, as well as individual-level perceived stress and depression, were significantly related to HRQOL for both genders. In the full model including all variables, the decrease in HRQOL from the first to the fourth quartile group of regional stress was greater in women (-1.09; 95% confidence interval [CI], -1.87 to -0.31) than in men (-0.65; 95% CI, -1.04 to -0.26).
CONCLUSIONS
Our results suggest that regional-level perceived stress and depression, as well as individual-level perceived stress and depression, are inversely associated with individual HRQOL.
Summary
Korean summary
시군구 단위 스트레스 인지율과 우울 유병률이 개인 단위 건강관련 삶의 질 수준과 연관성을 갖는지 파악하고자 지역사회건강조사 자료를 이용하여 다수준 분석을 수행하였다. 개인 수준에서 인지된 스트레스와 우울은 건강관련 삶의 질 감소와 관련이 있었다. 스트레스와 우울 수준이 높은 시군구일수록 개인의 건강관련 삶의 질은 낮아지는 관계를 보였는데, 이는 남성보다는 여성에서 더 저명하였다.
Key Message
This study examined the associations of regional-level perceived stress and depression with individual HRQOL measured in terms of the EQ-5D using a multilevel model. Individual-level perceived stress and depression were significantly related to individual HRQOL. Regional stress and depression were also significant factors and both had greater negative impacts on HRQOL among women than among men.
Citations
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PURPOSE This study was performed to develop a proper self-administered survey instrument which can be used to measure psychiatric stress symptoms in Korean dental laboratory technicians, and to investigate the relationship between the symptom dimensions and stress inducing factors, such as psychological distress, stress inducing overload, work demand, work procedure and so forth in them.
METHODS
Prepared questionnaires were mailed to 1,000 dental laboratory technicians who were systematically selected. There were 786 responses to the questionnaires.
All the data obtained were analyzed with SAS program.
RESULTS
Fifty items for the stress symptom checklist for dental technician(SCLD) were selected after a pilot test, interviews and literature reviews. Stress symptoms were classified into the following 6 categories, i.e, somatization, obsessive-compulsive, interpersonal sensitivity, depression, anxiety, and hostility symptom.
Factor analysis for validity was carried out for corroboration, using the SCL-90-R as a standard.
CONCLUSION
SCLD had the reasonable reliability and validity. We believe that this study provides validity and reliability for new self-report questionnaire, it will make a significant contribution to assessment of stress symptoms.