• Survey Research
• /
• v.12 no.2
• /
• pp.1-26
• /
• 2011

Mortality for oldest-old age (aged 80 or over) in Korea has never been studied mainly due to lack of data leaving its quality aside. The rapid aging recently occurring in Korea, which no other country has never experienced, must introduce a drastic change in the structure of future population pyramid, requring a careful investigation on mortality level, pattern, and trend for the oldest-old age in Korea. For mortality trend, we need to extend the past mortality data, which has provided only an open-ended age interval 80 or 85 years and over, to age-specific mortality up to 115 years old. A prerequisite for such an extension is constructing a Korean standard mortality by which one can figure out the mortality level and pattern of the oldest-old age. A Korean standard mortality is proposed by applying one relational model and eleven functions from which we select best models for each sex in terms of three measures of fits and three consistencies of mortality. Then we extend the mortality of the open-ended age intervals by providing a method to avoid the longitudinal consistency of mortality.

• International Area Studies Review
• /
• v.15 no.1
• /
• pp.549-570
• /
• 2011

The purpose of this article is to review the current states and future trends in the more developed countries(MDC), the less developed countries(LDC), and Korea. In 2009, the percentage of persons ages 65 and older in the world's population is 8%. However, the ratio of elderly to the total population is higher in MDC than LDC (and Korea). In future, population ageing will be a serious social problem in the LDC (and Korea). Population ageing process will occur at a much faster rate in LDC (and Korea). The reason is that the demographic transition in LDC (and Korea) has occurred in much shorter and recent periods. Though the ageing indices such as the old-age dependency ratio, aging index, and the median ages are higher in MDC, they will change rapidly in LDC. In addition, the oldest old population will increase in LDC than MDC. Therefore, when establishing the government policy related to population ageing, we need to consider the different population ageing process between in MDC and in Korea(or LDC).

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
• /
• v.17 no.5
• /
• pp.603-622
• /
• 2012

The population aged 95 years and older in Seoul approximately increased to five-fold over the past 10 years, while nationwide rates increased to three-fold. In order to examine the dietary habit and nutritional status of oldest-old population living in Seoul, we recruited 87 subjects (25 males and 62 females) aged 95 years and older. The prevalence of underweight (BMI < 18.5 $kg/m^2$) and obesity (BMI ${\geq}25kg/m^2$) were 18.2% and 18.2% in males, and 20.8% and 9.4% in females, respectively. In self-assessment of health, only 25.3% answered to be unhealthy. More males exercised regularly and reported a wide range of activities than females. The average of %Kcal from carbohydrate, protein and fat (C : P : F) was 64.9 : 13.8 : 21.2 in males and 68.1 : 14.2 : 17.7 in females. The average daily energy intake was 1,307 kcal in males and 1,304 kcal in females. More than 75% of subjects were taking under estimated average requirements (EAR) for vitamin $B_1$, $B_2$ & C and Ca. The average of mean adequacy ratio (MAR) was 0.66 in males and 0.70 in females, and 28.8% of males and 12.9% of females were in MAR < 0.50. Based on MAR, 32.0% of males and 14.5% females were classified as normal and 16.0% of males and 25.8% of females were classified as malnourished. Our subjects were taking more animal food, especially milk and its products, compared to those living, in rural areas. However, a significant proportion did not meet the EAR for vitamin $B_1$, $B_2$ & C and Ca.

• The Korean Journal of Health Service Management
• /
• v.8 no.3
• /
• pp.49-61
• /
• 2014

Due to the rapid population's aging, the life span's expansion and social & cultural characteristics, the standards of age classes in senescence are changed. Thus, this study aimed to identify the influential factors on health care utilization in the elderly by age class, and targeted 2,937 adults in their ages over 55 years old from the Korea Health Panel's 2009 Yearly Integrated Data. This study investigated the target health care utilization in the elderly in relation with the gender, the education level, the health-care insurance type, the income, the current job state, the chronic disease. In order to analyze the influential factors on health care utilization in the elderly, the multiple linear regression analysis was conducted to the data. As the results from this study, Concerning the influential factors on the health care utilization, the income, the subjective health state, the chronic disease and the regularly meals for the young-old influenced. Concerning the influential factors on the health care utilization, the subjective health state for the old. Concerning the influential factors on the health care utilization, the subjective health state, the income for the older-old influenced. Concerning the influential factors on the health care utilization, the education level, the spouse, the economic activity and the drinking oldest-old influenced. Therefore, it will need to provide systemic health-care & medical services, to develop health-care & medical programs and the health-care & medical policies and to execute them according to the age classes in senescence.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.17 no.2
• /
• pp.767-770
• /
• 2016

Background: The proportion of aged Thais (${\geq}65$ years old) is expected to be 30% by 2030, leading to an increased number of elderly cancer cases. Older individuals have distinct patterns of cancer and treatment needs. We therefore conducted the present study of new cancer cases and trends to get a perspective on the elderly cancer situation in Northeast Thailand. Materials and Methods: All new elderly cancer cases (${\geq}65$ years) registered in the hospital-based cancer registry at the Faculty of Medicine, Srinagarind Hospital, Khon Kaen University during 1993-2012 were included in the study. Results: Elderly patients accounted for 31.6% of all cancer patients and new cancer cases in the older age group increased 46% from the first to second decades. The absolute number of oldest old (80+ years) doubled. The top three cancers in males were liver and bile duct, lung, and colorectal. In females, the three most common cancers were liver and bile duct, oral cavity, and cervix. Cancers with the highest percentages of increase were thyroid, prostate, and colorectal. Conclusions: Elderly cancer cases are increasing. Treatment modalities and palliative care for older populations are urgently needed.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
• /
• v.14 no.3
• /
• pp.255-265
• /
• 2009

This study was investigated nutrient intakes and dietary evaluation index of the healthy subjects over 85 of Sunchang County to explore the improved dietary pattern for healthy aging of the elderly. The survey was conducted by personal interview to 161 elderly subjects (59 males and 102 females over 85) in 2006, and their daily dietary intake was assessed by 24-hr recalls and weighing one meal. The daily energy intakes of males were 1,335 ${\pm}$ 67 kcal, and those of females were 1,095 ${\pm}$ 38 kcal comprised of 66.8% and 68.4% of the EER for the age group of 75. The proportions of energy from carbohydrate : protein : lipid were 70.7 : 14.6 : 14.6 for males and 68.6 : 14.0 : 17.4 for females. The average protein intakes were 95.4% for males and 85.0% for females of RI, and the average calcium intakes were 54.3% for males and 43.6% for females of RI. The daily vitamin intakes were below 70% except vitamin A, vitamin $B_6$, and vitamin E. The proportion of the relative risk groups of protein, phosphate, iron and vitamin A ranged 40-49% of RI over 75 year groups. The other nutrient intakes showed that there were over 50% risk groups. Especially for nutrients such as calcium, vitamin $B_1$, vitamin $B_2$, vitamin C, folate and niacin over 70% of the subjects were under risk. The median value of all nutrient intakes did not reach AI. The INQ of nutrients were over 0.8 except for folate and vitamin C. Calcium intakes were relatively low and needed attention. However, the ratio of calcium and phosphate showed 1 : 1.6, which appeared to be superior to the other districts. The DVS were higher as the dietary balance scores, KDDS were higher, and the groups with high KDDS had high intakes of nutrients compared to the groups with low KDDS. The high risk groups as judged by simple nutrition screening test had lower nutrient intakes than the groups of middle risk or low risk groups. The subjects in Sunchang area had relatively low intakes of several nutrients. However, judging from the desirable patterns of the energy proportion from three major nutrients, ratio of calcium and phosphate and INQ of nutrients there is a possibility that extended healthy aging might be related to the quality of nutrients and relative ratio between nutrients. To improve nutrient status of the elderly of the surveyed area further application involving KDDS and DVS appeared to be required.

• The Korean Journal of Community Living Science
• /
• v.18 no.1
• /
• pp.147-160
• /
• 2007

This research challenges the general notion of one-person households of the elderly during widowhood as impoverished, isolated, and vulnerable. Recognizing a high potential vulnerability, however, this research attempts to describe the diverse composition of one-person households of the elderly. For this purpose, relying on 2% sample data from the 2000 census, it examines regional distribution, socio-economic characteristics, and determinants of one-person households of the elderly during widowhood. Socio-economic characteristics of one-person households of the elderly differ by region. Jeju island is distinct in terms of sex and age distribution, and residence area of children. In general, rates of economic activity and self-subsistence are higher in provinces than in cities. Compared to the elderly living with family, the elderly living alone show high rates of economic activity, self-subsistence, and capability of physical activity. Results of logistic regression analysis of determinants of living arrangement are consistent with those of descriptive statistics. Those who are economically active and able to move around without assistance tend to live alone after the death of a spouse. Number of sons and living in an urban area are negatively associated with living alone, whereas females are more likely than males to live alone. According to the separate analysis by age, the positive effect of economic activity is greater in the oldest of the old than in other age groups. Those who possess high educational attainment tend to live alone when they are 80 and older, unlike other age groups. Based on these findings, this paper finds that one-person households of the elderly nay not always be the most vulnerable group, and are diverse in terms of socioeconomic characteristics.