Ecological Analysis of Mental Health Risks in Single-Person Households: Evidence from the 2023 Korea Community Health Survey
Year: 2025
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: This study aimed to explore the overlap between single-person households and mental health risk indicators-depression, stress, and high-risk drinking-at the county (si-gun-gu) level in Korea using the 2023 Community Health Survey data.The findings indicated that regions with a higher proportion of single-person households tended to report elevated levels of depression and stress.At the same time, high-risk drinking was also concentrated in specific areas.Importantly, a set of overlapping high-risk regions was identified where all three indicators were simultaneously high, suggesting that individual characteristics do not solely determine mental health risks but are also shaped by broader socioeconomic and community-level factors.Among the indicators, stress showed the largest effect size, highlighting its sensitivity to community disparities.These findings provide empirical evidence supporting the need for regionally tailored interventions rather than uniform policies applied at the metropolitan level.Effective resource allocation should prioritize high-risk living zones, and mental health strategies should be tailored to address the distinct needs of young and middle-aged single-person households.Although this study is limited by its cross-sectional data, it makes a significant contribution by empirically demonstrating spatial inequalities in mental health indicators at the county level.Future research should adopt longitudinal and multilevel approaches to examine dynamic trends and incorporate social capital, service accessibility, and environmental contexts into the analysis.These findings suggest that community-level determinants such as housing affordability, employment stability, and accessibility to mental health resources play a critical role in shaping mental health outcomes.Therefore, the study emphasizes the importance of integrating spatial health data into local policy planning and strengthening the evidence base for regional health equity initiatives.
Author: JeongWook Lee
Institution: Kyungnam University
Language: English
Subfield: Health
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: bronze
OpenAlex ID: W4416763585