노인의 정신장애에 관한 역학적 연구( I ) ㅡ연구설계ᅳ

Design and Field Method o f the Epidemiologic Study of Psychiatric Disorders in the Elderly —(Kangwha County)ㅡ

We have described the design and field method of epidemiologic study of psychiatric disorders in the elderly living in the Kangwha County, Korea. A stratified two-stage cluster sampling procedure was used. The sampling of the elderly admitted in institution was excluded in this sampling. Two major instruments used in this study were Korean versions of Older Americans Resources and Services(OARS) and Diagnostic Interview Schedule(DIS). The instruments such as mental health screening test, Korean version of Geriatric Social Readjustment Questionnaire, and Mini Mental Status Examination were also applied. And they were administered by trained lay interviewers. The hiring and training of interviewers and the supervision of field work was carried out with great care. The data editing, review, and cleaning required meticulous attention. The data analysis and weighting procedure were complex but had the advantage of adjusting results to the census population. The overall response rate was considered satisfactory.