• Informatization Policy
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.55-71
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• 2020

Digital accessibility of the middle-aged and elderly has been increasing at a faster pace than other groups such as the handicapped and adolescents. However, studies related to the digital accessibility of middle and older adults are scarce. In order to examine variables affecting accessibility to digital information of the middle-aged and elderly people, this study researches the impacts of sociodemographic, physical and mental health and social activity variables on the accessibility of digital information. We analyzed data of 1,661 people between the ages of 55 and 84 from the 2018 Status Survey on Digital Divide conducted by the National Information Society Agency. The hierarchical multiple regression analysis shows the higher education, economic, and life satisfaction levels are, the higher digital accessibility levels of both male and female are. The result of the analysis also shows that the aged male has a higher accessibility level when he does not live alone; meanwhile, the aged female has higher digital capability as her age is lower, which describes that there are differences between gender. We expect the result of this study to be used as an important reference to understand factors related to digital accessibility level and active intervention for improving digital accessibility of the middle-aged and elderly male and female.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.452-462
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• 2020

This study analyzed the impact of resilience on the job satisfaction of middle-aged employees and the meditating effect of retirement attitude. The survey was administered to 468 regular workers aged 40 or older in Seoul and the surrounding metropolitan area. This study utilized SPSS 19.0 statistical program, and multiple regression and mediated effect analyses were applied with descriptive statistics, reliability and validity of measurement tools to analyze differences between correlations and groups. First, male workers had higher self-regulation ability and job satisfaction than women. Female workers had higher old age rest than male ones. The higher the educational background, the higher the recognition of retirement as a new beginning, The longer the working years, the higher the self-regulation ability and job satisfaction. The higher the household income, the higher the positiveness. Second, the Resilience had a positive effect on job satisfaction. Third, resilience had had a negative impact on the forced frustration and a positive influence on the new beginning of retirement attitudes. Fourth, the forced frustration and new beginning showed mediating effects of resilience and job satisfaction. The study results confirmed the importance of resilience and demonstrated the need for measures to enhance resilience in order to reduce anxiety about retirement and increase job satisfaction.

• 한국노년학
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.813-833
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• 2017

The purpose of this study was to classify the results of previous studies on the cognitive function improvement program of the elderly into the cognitive impairment group and the normal group to compare the effect sizes of the groups using meta - analysis. Among the previous studies on cognitive function improvement programs reported in Korea for the last five years, 86 were selected and the effect sizes were summarized using meta-analysis. As a result of the study, the overall average effect size showed a large effect size in both groups. The effect sizes of the intervention types were high for the cognitive impairment group, and the exercise and cognitive-based interventions were similar for the normal group. The gender effect size was higher for the women with cognitive impairment group, and higher for the combined case with normal group. The effect sizes according to group size were higher for 20 persons in cognitive impairment group and higher for 21~40 persons in normal group. The total number of sessions in both groups was higher than 32 times, The number of sessions per week was 3 times for the cognitive impairment group, 4 to 6 times for the normal group. The duration of activity was 55~60 minutes in cognitive impairment group and 70~180 minutes in normal group as the number of sessions and activity time increased the effect size was higher in normal group. This study will be meaningful in that it provided basic data necessary for future program development by comparing and analyzing the effect sizes of the cognitive function improvement program type and the activity factors between the cognitive impairment group and the normal group.

• 한국노년학
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.147-161
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• 2020

The purpose of this research is to investigates 10-year trajectories of cognitive functions among older adults in their 70s to understand changes in cognitive functions as a continuum until very late life. This study also examines differences in trajectories of cognitive functions by gender and by changes in marital status, especially widowhood. Among participants of the Korean Longitudinal Study of Ageing(KLoSA), the sample of this study includes 800 older adults in their 70s during the first study wave (2006) and those who reported their cognitive functions for six consecutive study waves (2006, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2014, and 2016). The analyses were conducted in two steps. First, we conducted Latent Class Growth Analyses(LCGA) to investigated heterogeneous trajectories of cognitive functions in 10 years. Then, we performed multinomial logistic regression. Three heterogeneous trajectories of cognitive functions were identified. One group of 48.7% of older adults showed high cognitive function at baseline and maintained it over 10 years. Second group of 14.7% of older adults reported low cognitive function scores at baseline and showed continuous decline over time. Third group of 36.6% were showed mid-level cognitive functions and maintained their functions over time. We also found significant gender differences but not significant differences in marital status when we consider both in our model; however, the we found significant differences in changes in marital status when we did not consider gender in the model. The results suggest that the importance of considering dynamics of gender and changes in marital status to understand changes in cognitive functions in later life.

• 한국노년학
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.215-228
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• 2014

This study aims to develop a scale to measure the elderly's intention on home renovation and to verify its validity. As a methodological study based on the theory of planned behavior, this study provides 26 preliminary items in the pre-test. The first main test, performed to verify the content validity of the developed items, was followed by a second test of construct validity and reliability. As the result of the content validity test targeting experts, some of the original 26 items were excluded, while others were combined for a total of 22. As the result of the construct validity test of the scale, targeting the elderly aged 65 and over, the 22 items were narrowed down to 14 items, excluding the items that were unsuitable for communality and Eigen value. After once more conducting a factor analysis, the items were classified into five factors with a total cumulative variance of 72.5% and a Cronbach's α of 0.75. This study will contribute to the discussion of housing for the elderly by giving force to environmental regeneration activities through facilitating the identification of the home owners' intentions to renovate in order to improve the physical environment in decayed areas at a public level.

• 한국노년학
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.577-592
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• 2012

The purpose of this study is to examine which factors determine fall experience among Korean elderly. To achieve this purpose, it uses the Korean Longitudinal Study of Aging(KLoSA), wave 1 and 2. Participants aged 65 from wave 1 were selected. From wave 2, a dependent variable was selected and it was fall experiences since the first interview in 2006. Other than this variable, all independent variables were selected from wave 1. In analyses, x2 or t-test were conducted to examine whether independent variables significantly differ between falls and no falls. Then, since a dependent variable consisted of two categories-falls or no falls, multiple logistic regressions were run. Female, using hearing aid, having two diseases, having three or more diseases, depression, and exercise 5 times/a week or more elevated the odds ratios of fall experience. compared to their reference categories. Particularly, if Korean elderly had three or more diseases or depression, their likelihood of fall experience would have about 2 times higher than their reference categories. In conclusion, health practitioners should make the elderly be recognized how much these risk factors are important to falls. Also, Korean government should support Korean elderly having these risk factors to prevent them from falling.

• 한국노년학
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.347-362
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• 2019

This study aimed to investigate the association between social support and the change of depressive symptoms and its difference by gender among Korean Baby Boomer. We used the Korean Longitudinal Study of Aging (KLoSA) 5th (in 2014) and 6th waves (in 2016). Samples were Korean Baby Boomer (born 1955 to 1963) who have spouse and children(N = 1,210). Dependent variable was depressive symptoms and independent variables were four social support variables (spousal relationship satisfaction, parent-child relationship satisfaction, frequency of social contact, and number of participation groups). Interaction variables between social support and gender were also included in the model. Hierarchical regression analysis with the lagged dependent variable was performed. Results showed that the higher the satisfaction of spousal relationship and the satisfaction of parent-child relationship, the less the depressive symptoms increased. All interaction variables were not significant. These findings mean that the support from the spouse and the child is helpful in lowering depressive symptoms, and the associations between social support and depressive symptoms are not different by gender among Baby Boomer. It implies that interventions for enhancing family relationships, especially spousal relationship and parent-child relationship, may be useful to reduce depressive symptoms among Korean Baby Boomer.

• Sleep Medicine and Psychophysiology
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.78-85
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• 2021

Objectives: When elderly patients show depressive symptoms, discrimination between depressive disorder and prodromal phase of Alzheimer's disease is important. We tested whether a quantitative electroencephalogram (qEEG) marker was associated with cerebral amyloid-β (Aβ) deposition in older adults with depression. Methods: Non-demented older individuals (≥ 55years) diagnosed with depression were included in the analyses (n = 63; 76.2% female; mean age ± standard deviation 73.7 ± 6.87 years). The participants were divided into Aβ+ (n = 32) and Aβ- (n = 31) groups based on amyloid PET assessment. EEG was recorded during the 7min eye-closed (EC) phase and 3min eye-open (EO) phase, and all EEG data were analyzed using Fourier transform spectral analysis. We tested interaction effects among Aβ positivity, condition (EC vs. EO), laterality (left, midline, or right), and polarity (frontal, central, or posterior) for EEG alpha band power. Then, the EC-to-EO alpha reactivity index (ARI) was examined as a neurophysiological marker for predicting Aβ+ in depressed older adults. Results: The mean power spectral density of the alpha band in EO phase showed a significant difference between the Aβ+ and Aβ- groups (F = 6.258, p = 0.015). A significant 3-way interaction was observed among Aβ positivity, condition, and laterality on alpha-band power after adjusting for age, sex, educational years, global cognitive function, medication use, and white matter hyperintensities on MRI (F = 3.720, p = 0.030). However, post-hoc analyses showed no significant difference in ARI according to Aβ status in any regions of interest. Conclusion: Among older adults with depression, increased power in EO phase alpha band was associated with Aβ positivity. However, EC-to-EO ARI was not confirmed as a predictor for Aβ+ in depressed older individuals. Future studies with larger samples are needed to confirm our results.

• 한국노년학
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.761-779
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• 2009

The purpose of this study is to analyze the factors affecting the quality of life of elderly people from the ecological perspective. Specifically, this study attempts to compare the relative contributions of the variables from the individual system, microsystem, mesosystem, and macrosystem on the quality of life of the elderly people. The subjects for this study consisted of 443 elderly over 60 years old in Daegu city, Gyeongsang-do, and Chungchung-do areas. The data were collected randomly by interviews with a structured questionnaire, and analyzed by frequencies, means, ANOVA, and hierarchial regression method. The major-findings of this study were as follows: 1. The quality of life of the elderly consisted of four factors; physical, economic, psychological, and social factors. The highest satisfaction score for the quality of life was found in psychological factors, The global satisfaction score for the quality of life was found to be relatively high. 2. Out of the individual factors influencing the quality of life of the elderly, the economic status of the respondent was found to be the most important. Out of the microsystemic factors, the most important factors were found to be the intimacy with the spouse and with the children. Out of the mesosysystemic factors, the degree of the social participation of the elderly was found to be the most significant. However, none of the macrosystemic factors were found to be important in influencing the quality of life of the elderly people. 3. The relative significances of the variables contributing to the quality of life of the elderly were analyzed using a hierarchical regression technique. It was found that there was no significant factor in social background and mesosystemic variables. On the other hand, the degree of the self-efficacy and the level of the economic status from the individual factors, and the intimacy with the spouse and the children from microsystemic factors were found to be very significant in contributing the quality of life of the elderly.

• 한국노년학
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.831-842
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• 2010

BACKGROUND: Sarcopenic obesity(SO), a condition of the reduction in muscle mass paired with an increased fat mass has been paid attention because of its association with disability in later life. A few evidence, however, has reported the association with these factors. PURPOSE: To explore the association among SO, physical function and fitness in older women. METHOD: 257 older women(age of 74) were recruited from Y city and 7 physical functions and 4 fitness tests were measured. Participants were classified into one of four groups based on their body fat and muscle mass: Normal group (GR-A), high fat(GR-B), sarcopenia(GR-C), and sarcopenic obese(GR-D). GLMand LSD-test were conducted with SPSS 12.0. RESULTS: Chair stand, arm-curl, back-scratch, 2-min steps of GR-A was higher than GR-C and GR-D(p<.05). One-leg stand of GR-A was higher than GR-D(p<.01) and of GR-C was higher than GR-D(p<.01).8ft-TUG of GR-D was lower than GR-A(p<.01). Grip strength, knee extension of GR-A was higher than that of GR-C and GR-D(p<.01) and knee flexion of GR-A was also higher than that of GR-C and GR-D(p<.01). CONCLUSION: Based on our findings, we conclude that SO is significantly associated with lower physical function and fitness in older Korean women, which alarm the risk of frailty induced by SO.