• The Korean Journal of Health Service Management
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.67-78
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• 2019

Objectives: To identify the factors affecting the cognitive function according to the education level of people aged 65 or older. Methods: This study used the data from the 2014 survey of living conditions and welfare needs of Korean older adults. A total of 10,248 people were analyzed in the final analysis, not including those who responded by proxy and those who did not participate in cognitive function tests. Cognitive function was measured by Mini Mental State Examination -Dementia Screening(MMSE-DS), and logistic regression was performed using the SPSS/WIN 24.0 program. Results: There were differences in factors affecting cognitive function depending on the education level. Overall, regular exercise had a positive effect on maintaining cognitive function, and the higher the education level, the more important it was to maintain the Instrumental Activities of Daily Living(IADL). In addition, for lower education levels, improving the life satisfaction was important to prevent the decline of cognitive function. Conclusions: Based on the results of this research, it is suggested that customized approaches shoud be taken according to education level when developing and implementing programs to prevent the decline of cognitive function.

• Journal of Korean Gerontological Nursing
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.167-176
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• 2018

Purpose: Post Stroke Depression (PSD) is one of the most common complications for stroke survivors and is associated with negative health outcomes such as disability, death. The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence and predictors of PSD among older Korean adults living in the community. Methods: Data collection was done using the 2014 Survey of Living Conditions and Welfare Needs of Korean Older Adults. Participants were 706 older adults who had a stroke. Logistic regression analysis was used to determine the predictors of PSD. Results: The prevalence of PSD which was assessed by the short form of the geriatric depression scale was 49.4%. In a logistic regression model, the predictors of PSD were self-rated health (OR=5.90, CI=3.70~9.40), economic state (OR=2.97, CI=2.07~4.24), independent activities of daily living (IADL) (OR=2.17, CI=1.30~3.63), Activities of Daily Living (ADL) (OR=2.02, CI=1.07~3.80), and education (OR=1.53, CI=1.05~2.24). Conclusion: PSD was common among older Korean adults living in the community. Poor self-rated health status, lower economic state, lower levels of Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL) and ADL, lower levels of education should be considered when conducting activities related to prevention and management of PSD in older adults.

• 한국노년학
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.581-594
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• 2016

This study aims to observe the effect of age friendliness of cities on life satisfaction and to suggest ways to improve quality of life of older people. The secondary data sets were used in this study, which were '2014 Survey of Living Conditions and Welfare Needs of Korean Older People.' It's a nationwide data collected by the Korean Institute of Health and Social Affairs. A multilevel analysis model was used to analyze the data because the level of age friendliness has a hierarchical data structure. Results showed as follows: First, life satisfaction of older adults is affected by the level of age-friendliness of cities in which they live. Second, on the personal level, older people showed low life satisfaction when they are more older and have more chronic diseases and more depressed. On the contrary, life satisfaction of older adults increased when they have higher education and income. Third, on the city level, older people showed higher life satisfaction when they live in high employment rate area and participation rate of lifelong education. Cautions should be placed when interpret the result because the variables that represent the characteristics of age friendless of cities were constituted arbitrary. Based on the results, suggestions for improving the city environment age-friendly and implications for social welfare practice were provided.

• 한국노년학
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.481-499
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• 2018

The purpose of this study is to examine the impacts of smartphone use on structured social network types in the Korean elderly population. Data was derived from the 2014 survey of living conditions and welfare needs of Korean older persons collected by Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs. A total of 4,180 participants were selected for the Propensity Score Matching (PSM) analysis. Based on propensity score estimates, the 491 smartphone users (treatment group) and 491 featurephone users (control group) were matched. Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) regression analysis was conducted to examine the relationship between smartphone use and structural social network types. The results showed that among retired older adults, people using smartphone had significantly better structured social networks than those using featurephone even after controlling for covariates. Smartphone users had the higher levels of social contact and social activity. These findings suggested empirical evidence that using smartphone positively affects structured social networks, which might be used as the basis for designing intervention programs to promote social networks and social engagement of retired older adults.