Beyond Isolation: Social Determinants of Mental Health among Single-Person Households in Urban Contexts.

The rapid global increase in single-person households has created urgent public mental health challenges, with South Korea showing particularly high levels of depression and suicidal ideation in this group. To address this critical gap, this study applies the Social Determinants of Health framework to analyze how individual, community, and policy factors shape mental health among single-person households. Using data from 41,913 individuals in the 2023 Community Health Survey, combined with regional infrastructure and policy data, we conducted T-tests, regression models, and hierarchical linear modeling (HLM). Results show that single-person households experience depression 1.7 times more frequently than multi-person households and report significantly higher suicidal ideation. Trust and interpersonal networks consistently reduced these risks, while urban residency was associated with poorer outcomes. Local governments' policy commitments showed only limited associations with improved mental health. These findings underscore the need for evidence-based, multi-level policy approaches that enhance social capital and strengthen the capacity of local governments to address the mental health needs of single-person households.