Purpose: This study examined changes in the prevalence of depression and associated factors among adult men before and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: A secondary analysis was conducted using data from the 2018 and 2022 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Participants were adult men aged 19~64 (2,052 in 2018; 1,563 in 2022). Data were analyzed using the Rao-Scott x2 test and complex sample logistic regression. Results: The prevalence of depression was 4.1%, 1.94 times higher than before the COVID-19 pandemic (p=.004). Depression was more likely among men with low household income (OR=3.41, p=.037), unmarried men (OR=4.58, p<.001), and those who were divorced, separated, or bereaved (OR=4.80, p=.002). Higher risk was also associated with drinking more than four times a week (OR=4.64, p=.018), and sleeping fewer than five hours per day (OR=3.11, p=.011). Conclusion: Interventions are needed to address depression in adult men, along with ongoing monitoring of prevalence. Efforts should prioritize low-income, unmarried, and divorced, separated, or bereaved men, with attention to alcohol use and sleep habits.

https://doi.org/10.12934/jkpmhn.2025.34.4.472