Relationship between Actual Health and Yangseng of the Elderly in Rural Areas - Focused on certain parts of rural areas in Jeonbuk province -

농촌지역(農村地域) 노인(老人)들의 건강실태(健康實態)와 양생(養生) 수준(水準)과의 관련성(關聯性) -전라북도(全羅北道) 일부(一部) 농촌지역(農村地域)을 중심(中心)으로-

The present study is designed to provide basic data for the future health promotion projects to be aimed at improving quality of life for the elderly people in the increasingly aging society of Korea by investigating factors related to the yangseng of old people in rural areas. The results of this study are intended to serve as fundamental for efficient approach toward health promotion projects for the elderly in rural communities. For this purpose, a survey by questionnaires was conducted to rural inhabitants from May to June 2004. The replies were analyzed from the perspective of Oriental medicine for yangseng. 1. The average points of health care appeared to be 3.24. In details by sub-areas, morality was 3.79, followed by 3.74 for activities and rest, 3.73 for sleeping, 3.29 for diet, 3.25 for mind, 2.88 for season, 2.12 for exercise and 1.95 for sexual life in sequence, showing that the yangseng of morality was scored highest while the area of sexual life were rated lowest. 2. As for the extent of health care depending on the characters of the subjects, spoused ones, married couples living alone, while the higher educated and the more leisure is utilized, the more the care is paid for yangseng. 3. Concerning the extent of yangseng depending on the general characters of the subjects, men showed more yangseng in activities and rest. The group aged 70 to 74 acquired the highest points in mind yangseng. The group with spouse featured higher concern for yangseng in the categories of morality, diet, activities and rest, sleeping and sexual life. Married couples who are living with no other family members recorded the highest points in the areas of morality, diet, sleeping and sexual life(P<0.05). 4. In terms of socioeconomic characters, the more one is educated, the more he/she is tended to take yangseng in the exercise, sleeping and sexual life. The group with occupation is inclined to take more yangseng in the activities and rest and sleeping. When people have to work for their keep, they usually showed to have highest yangseng for sleeping. People who enjoy leisure showed higher yangseng in all areas except for morality. In case man has religion, he showed more yangseng in the activities and rest, exercise and sleeping(P<0.05). 5. Those who reply they are confident with health showed higher yangseng. No significant difference was found in all areas except for sexual life in which high care is taken for yangseng, as far as one has no disease. Those who are confident with health had highest yangseng in all areas except for season yangseng(P<0.05). As seen above, extents of yangseng by the old people in the rural area are found to have difference depending on the individual and socioeconomic characters, factors which should be seriously considered in the local health promotion projects and projects for the health of the elderly. Particularly important is to launch health promotion programs and to analyze their effects to promote health care particularly in the areas of sexual life, exercise and season yangseng that turned out to be lowest by taking into account of yangseng in each sub-area.