The Aassociation Between the Basic Old-Age Pension and Depression of the Older Adults in Korea

Abstract

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to identify investigate the association between the non-contributory pension, the Basic Old-Age Pension (BOP), which is a non-contributory pension, and depression as part of the mental health of thein BOP beneficiaries in South Korea. Method: We used the second and third waves (2007-2008) of the Korea Welfare Panel Study to identify the effect of the BOP on mental health in the year of its introduction. The Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression Scale(CES-D), applied in a Korean context, was used to evaluate mental health. To analyze the effect of the BOP, a difference-indifference approach was used for in analyses of the wholeall subjects and subby groups. Results: For athis study population of 760 adults, the benefits of the BOP did not have a statistically significant relationship with depression for thein its beneficiaries. After controlling for type of household, the BOP was still not associated with decreased lower reporting of depression symptoms, both either in single-and or doublebeneficiary households, in the very year of the benefit. (using a with the statistical significance threshold of 0.05). Conclusion: In this research, it was shown that tThe BOP policy had no significant relationship with the recipients' reducedthe level of depression symptoms among recipients. However, this did should not not be interpreted as implying that income subsidizing subsidy programs for the older adults, such as the BOP, do not affect mental health, considering the importance of their economic hardship in this population 메모 [오전2]:

Factors Associated with Aging in Place among Community-Dwelling Older Adults in Korea: Findings from a National Survey

“…Moreover, basic pensions and non-contributory pensions have shown positive effects on mental health and reduced psychosocial stress associated with financial hardship. It also increased the likelihood of independent living [25].…”