"Middle-Aged People Living with Family but Lacking Communication Feel More Depressed Than Those Living Alone"

▲ An elderly person at a park in Tokyo, Japan (File Photo)

Middle-aged and older adults who live with family members but experience little conversation or interaction at home, a condition known as "isolation within the household," were found to experience higher levels of depression than single-person households living alone.

According to Kyodo News on August 25, the Tokyo Metropolitan Institute for Gerontology and Geriatrics analyzed data from a 2023 survey conducted by Wako City in Saitama Prefecture on the living conditions and levels of interaction with cohabiting family members of about 8,800 residents aged 40 and older, releasing the findings.

The research team defined "household isolation" as a state where, despite having cohabiting family members, daily conversation time is less than 15 minutes and the individual mostly spends time alone at home.

The analysis showed that 4.7% of the total respondents fell under the category of household isolation.

By age group, the rate was 3.2% for those aged 40 to 64 and 5.3% for those aged 65 and older, showing that the ratio increased with age. In most age groups, men outnumbered women.

According to the health status analysis, the probability of experiencing a state of depression was 1.48 times higher for individuals isolated within the household compared to those who were not isolated.

This figure is higher than that of people living alone (1.19 times).

The probability of feeling that they were not in good health was 1.10 times that of non-isolated individuals for single-person households, whereas it reached 1.33 times for those isolated within the household.

The probability of having a low level of happiness was also significantly higher for those isolated within the household (1.56 times) than for those living alone (1.21 times).

Research on social isolation has previously focused mainly on single-person households or a lack of interpersonal relationships outside the home.

Murayama Hiroshi, the research department director at the Institute for Gerontology who led the study, emphasized, "We cannot simply feel reassured just because someone has cohabiting family members," adding, "Administrative and welfare sectors need to closely examine not only household structures but also actual interaction conditions within the home."

(Photo: Yonhap News)

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