Quality of Life Based on the Experience of Psychological Counseling in Adults with Depressive Symptoms

Objectives: This study aimed to analyze the general characteristics and health-related factors of adults with depressive symptoms based on their experience with mental health counseling and to identify factors that influence their quality of life.Methods: The study utilized data from the raw datasets of the 2019 and 2021 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, incorporating a complex sampling design. A total of 1,607 individuals who reported experiencing depressive symptoms were selected as study participants. Descriptive statistics were conducted to analyze demographic characteristics and health behaviors based on mental health counseling experience. To identify factors affecting the quality of life of individuals with depressive symptoms, a complex samples generalized linear model was employed.Results: Mental health counseling experience showed significant associations with age, educational level, marital status, perceived stress levels, and the number of chronic diseases. Quality of life was found to be higher among those who had a spouse, perceived their health as good, experienced lower levels of stress, had binge drinking frequency of once per week, and were older.Conclusions: It is necessary to identify high-risk groups among individuals with depressive symptoms and develop evidence-based mental health management programs. These findings can serve as valuable foundational data for future mental health policy formulation.