A Study on Health Care of the Aged Live in Seoul

노령자의 건강관리에 관한 연구 -서울 지역을 중심으로-

This study aims to research on the actual state of the ways that the aged people live in Seoul use intentionally or unintentionally to maintain in their health. The aged people selected randomly for the study are 541 men and 902 women who are all more than 65 years old. This survey carried out from April to May in 1980. The results of this study are summed up as follows: 1. The main means of making a living engage was agriculture with the per cent of 57. 3 and next was commerce (11.9%). 2. As for their staple foods, the majority of them eat mixed food of rice and barley, and the rest eat rice or minor-grain mixed rice. As subsidiary foods, vegetables are the most common side dishes (68.9%) and see-weeds (6.7%) are taken by the minority of them. 3. Most of them (74.6%) frequently or occasionally take special health foods to maintaing their health. The most common health food turned out to be tonic liquor to men, while honey to women. 4. The majority of them(23.2% of men and 45.5% women) refrain from drinking and smoking. 5. 39.5 per cent of men and 25.5 per cent of wome) take light exercise such as going up hill and walking. 6. The majority of them undergo routine health check with the per cent of 10.8 or occasioanal health check with the 42.9. As medical treatment, many of them(45.9%) take Chinese remedies, western remedies(39.1%) and folk remedies (15.0%). 7. Many of them (66.0%) feel subjective symptoms about some geriatric diseases such as neuralgia, hypertension and cough. 8. Many of them (63.2%) free from mental trouble, while 17.7 per cent of them appeal to no job to do, 10.0 per cent of alienation and 9.1 per cent of domestic troubles. 9. Their subjective judgements of their secrets of health and longevity attach more importance to leading a regular life. 10. Most of them want to be served appropriate medical care, rest place, health consultations, etc. All these results reveal that health and longevity of the aged people are maintained by necessary cares and efforts, not by accident nor by apathy. It is thus highly desired tha tmany studies, enlightments and nationwide support about this problem be carried out in future.