Gender-specific secular trends and related factors of high perceived stress level among Korean older adults: a nation-wide serial cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND

Aging is associated with various physical, functional, and social losses, leading to stress, which affects mental health and overall quality of life. Despite its significance, limited research exists on perceived stress and its related factors among community-dwelling older adults. This study aimed to identify temporal trends in the prevalence of high perceived stress according to sex and examine associated factors among older adults.

METHODS

This descriptive study analyzed secondary data from the nationally representative Korean Community Health Survey (KCHS) data from 2009 to 2019, including 274,883 older adults aged ≥ 65 years. High-perceived stress was coded as binary data, categorized as 'yes' or 'no' based on daily stress levels. Gender-stratified analyses examined temporal trends and associated factors affecting high perceived stress.

RESULTS

Women consistently reported higher levels of perceived stress compared with men across all years, with prevalence ranging from 22 to 30% in women and 14-20% in men. Among men, factors such as insufficient physical activity (OR: 1.32, 95% CI: 1.27-1.37), poor subjective health status (OR: 2.80, 95% CI: 2.69-2.92), and living alone were associated with high perceived stress. Among women, low household income (OR: 1.68, 95% CI: 1.56-1.81), smoking (OR: 1.63, 95% CI: 1.49-1.79), and living with a spouse (OR: 1.51, 95% CI: 1.34-1.70) were significant predictors.

CONCLUSIONS

This study highlights significant gender disparities in perceived stress among older adults, with women demonstrating greater vulnerability. Public health policies should prioritize stress reduction strategies tailored to address gender-specific needs and socio-economic disparities in older adults.