• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.21-31
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• 2015

Objective: This study was to evaluate the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) among patients with diabetes in Korea and to compare them with the HRQoL of individuals without diabetes history. Methods: The study subjects were 17,655 adults aged over 19 who participated in the 5th Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2010-2012). The EuroQoL-5Dimension was used to evaluate HRQoL. Chi-square test, t-test, ANOVA and multiple regression analysis were performed to test the difference of HRQoL in diabetic subjects and controls. Results: The mobility dimension was the highest reported problem: 36.4% for diabetic subjects. The proportion of any reported problem was significantly high among diabetic subjects compared with two controls in terms of mobility [reference group: diabetic subjects, chronic controls: adjusted odds ratio (aOR)=0.77, 95% confidence interval (95% CI)=0.66-0.91, healthy controls: aOR=0.61, 95% CI=0.50-0.75], self-care [reference group: diabetic subjects, chronic controls: aOR=0.68, 95% CI=0.55-0.83, healthy controls: OR=0.69, 95% CI=0.51-0.94]. and usual activities [reference group: diabetic subjects, chronic controls: aOR=0.85, 95% CI=0.72-0.99, healthy controls: OR=0.79, 95% CI=0.62-0.98]. Also, EQ-5D index were significantly low in subjects with diabetes compared to two controls. Conclusions: Subjects with diabetes had a significantly lower HRQoL compared with two controls. To improve the quality of life of diabetics, it is necessary to study various variables related to the quality of life, and develop and manage various health programs or welfare policies reflecting socio-demographic characteristics and health related features that affect the quality of life.

• 한국노년학
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• v.40 no.3
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• pp.543-563
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• 2020

As people age and their physical functions are declined, they stay longer in the home, thus being more affected by the home environment. Many studies have shown the association between the home environment and health. However, little is known about the effect of the home environment on disability and depression of older people with functional limitation. This study, therefore, aimed to examine the moderating effect of the home environment on the pathway between walking limitation and instrumental activity of daily living(IADL) disability, and the relationship between IADL disability and depression. We performed logistic regression and multiple linear regression analyses with data on 3,027 participants from the 2018 Seoul Aging Survey. As results, first, older people who lived home with poor conditions showed a higher risk of walking limitation(OR=1.487, 95% CI: 1.250 - 1.770), IADL disability(OR=1.594, 95% CI: 1.303 - 1.949), and depression(OR=1.943, 95% CI: 1.553 - 2.430). Second, the home environment moderated the relationship between walking limitation and IADL disability. Older people with walking limitation who lived in poor housing condition experienced more IADL disability than others. Third, after controlling for walking limitation, the home environment had significant moderating effect on the relationship between IADL disability and depression. Elderly with IADL disability living in poor home experienced higher risk of depression. Based on these results, the study suggests the necessity of home modification intervention targeting functional limitation of older adults as strategy for preventing disability and depression, and enabling aging in place.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.141-155
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• 2024

Background: This study aimed to identified the relationship between the risk of obstructive sleep apnea, subjective health, and health-related quality of life among the middle-aged and elderly population in Korea. Methods: Adults aged 40 or older were extracted from the total 22,559 respondents to the 2019-2020 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey VIII, and secondary analysis was conducted on a total of 6,659 middle-aged and elderly people with no missing values. Logistic regression analysis and multiple regression analysis were conducted to examine the relationship between obstructive sleep apnea risk factors and subjective health as well as quality of life. Results: The subjective health status decline in the high-risk group compared to the non-risk group for obstructive sleep apnea was statistically significantly higher, with an odds ratio of 1.84 (p<0.001). The health-related quality of life was also statistically significantly lower by 0.02 points (β, -0.02; p<0.001). As a result of subgroup analysis on specific variables, the association between the risk of obstructive sleep apnea and subjective health and health-related quality of life was statistically significant depending on gender, sleep time, presence of depression, household income, and number of household members. Based on the obstructive sleep apnea risk group, women had a higher correlation with low subjective health and lower health-related quality of life scores than men. Sleeping time of more than 8 hours or less than 6 hours was more associated with low subjective health and lower health-related quality of life score than sleeping time of 6-8 hours. Patients with depression were more likely to have low subjective health than those without depression. The lower the household income level and the smaller the number of household members, the higher the association with low subjective health and the lower the health-related quality of life score. Conclusion: It is essential to recognize that the risk of obstructive sleep apnea not only directly affects sleep disorders but also impacts individuals' subjective health and quality of life. Consequently, social support and education should be provided to raise awareness of this issue. Particularly, programs for preventing and managing obstructive sleep apnea should target vulnerable groups such as women, individuals in single-person households, low household income, and those with depression, aiming to improve their subjective health and quality of life.