• Journal of muscle and joint health
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.81-93
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• 2020

Purpose: We developed and tested the effects of a care program for dementia patients among community- dwelling older adult men. Methods: This study used a non-equivalent control group pre-and post-test design. To verify the effectiveness of the care program for dementia patients, 26 community dwelling older adult men participated in this study. We used multiple intervention strategies including improving understanding of dementia through education, activities for dementia prevention, and promoting psychological change. In particular, based on the current understanding of the care of the men older adults, we used strategies to promote motivation and reinforce strengths. Results: After completing the 6-week intervention program, when compared with the control group, older adult men in the care program intervention group showed significant differences in scores for the following: cognitive functions (p=.035), attitude toward dementia (p=.026), preventive behavior (p=.007), geriatric depression (p=.013), caring confidence (p=.018), and self-esteem (p=.013). Conclusion: These results indicate that the care program for dementia patients has positive effects on increasing their cognitive function, attitude toward dementia, preventive behavior, caring confidence, self-efficacy, and on decreasing depression rates in this population. Based on this, we can recommend this program to men caregivers for the improved care of dementia in community centers.

• Korean Journal of Adult Nursing
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.183-193
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• 2013

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify the prevalence and risk factors of sleep disturbance among community dwelling adults in Korea. Methods: Data were collected from nine hundred fifty nine adults dwelling in a metropolitan city in Korea. Subjects were older than 45 years, did not take medication for sleep problems on a regular basis, and did not work at night. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index was used to collect data about sleep disturbance. Sociodemographic, life style, and health related factors were included as risk factors. Chi square test and logistic stepwise regression were used to identify the risk factors. Results: The prevalence of sleep disturbance was 13.1%. The significant risk factors were being female, age, number of toilet use at night, perceived health, and pain. Risk factors were somewhat different by gender. Emotional and job status were the risk factors only for men and menopausal status were for women. Conclusion: Prevalence of sleep disturbance in community dwelling adults in Korea was not greater than those dwelling in other countries. Females, older adults, the number of toilet use at night, perceived health, and pain were the most important risk factors for sleep disturbances. Gender was a factor in reported sleep disturbances. It might be useful to investigate the factors that contribute to the number of toilet use at night as this might have some underlying factors that could be corrected.

• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.243-251
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• 2024

Objectives: This study used secondary data from the 2021 Community Health Survey to identify the impact of dysphagia on mental health-related characteristics among older adults, selecting 73,970 individuals aged 65 years and older. Methods: Frequency analysis, χ²-test, and multiple logistic regression were conducted to identify risk factors affecting mental health-related characteristics among older adults. Results: Dysphagia was most common among individuals with the following demographic characteristics: female, aged 85 years and older, three-generation household and household income in the 1st quintile. Chewing discomfort according to mental health-related characteristics was higher in older adults with cognitive impairment and depression. Sex, age, education level, household income, and chewing discomfort were significant for cognitive impairment, whereas sex, age, household type, education level, household income, and chewing discomfort were significant for depression. Conclusions: The above results confirmed that chewing discomfort contributes to mental health issues such as cognitive impairment and depression. It is therefore necessary to recognize chewing discomfort as an important health problem affecting the mental health of older adults, and to develop a multifaceted dental hygiene approach to target community-dwelling older adults who suffer from chewing discomfort.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.48 no.1
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• pp.38-47
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• 2015

Objectives: Controlling blood pressure is a key step in reducing cardiovascular mortality in older adults. Gender differences in patients' attitudes after disease diagnosis and their management of the disease have been identified. However, it is unclear whether gender differences exist in hypertension management among older adults. We hypothesized that gender differences would exist among factors associated with hypertension diagnosis and control among community-dwelling, older adults. Methods: This cross-sectional study analyzed data from 653 Koreans aged ${\geq}60years$ who participated in the Korean Social Life, Health, and Aging Project. Multiple logistic regression was used to compare several variables between undiagnosed and diagnosed hypertension, and between uncontrolled and controlled hypertension. Results: Diabetes was more prevalent in men and women who had uncontrolled hypertension than those with controlled hypertension or undiagnosed hypertension. High body mass index was significantly associated with uncontrolled hypertension only in men. Multiple logistic regression analysis indicated that in women, awareness of one's blood pressure level (odds ratio [OR], 2.86; p=0.003) and the number of blood pressure checkups over the previous year (OR, 1.06; p=0.011) might influence the likelihood of being diagnosed with hypertension. More highly educated women were more likely to have controlled hypertension than non-educated women (OR, 5.23; p=0.013). Conclusions: This study suggests that gender differences exist among factors associated with hypertension diagnosis and control in the study population of community-dwelling, older adults. Education-based health promotion strategies for hypertension control might be more effective in elderly women than in elderly men. Gender-specific approaches may be required to effectively control hypertension among older adults.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.518-527
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• 2019

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify the factors influencing health-related quality of life among spouses of older adults with dementia based on an ecological model. Methods: This study used data from the 2015 Korean Community Health Survey with the subjects of 541 spouses of older adults with dementia. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, independent t-test, ANOVA, and hierarchical multiple regression. Results: In this study, 26.5% of quality of life was explained by employment status, physical activity, perception of stress, perception of depressive symptom, self-rated health status, self-rated oral health status, and contact with neighbors. Conclusion: To develop more effective nursing intervention for improvement of quality of life, it needs to consider not only the individual system related factors but also community system related factors including contact with neighbors.

• 한국노년학
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.727-749
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• 2016

This systematic review was performed to investigate relationship between sarcopenia and cognitive function among community-dwelling older adults. Studies which reported prevalence rates of sarcopenia in community-dwelling older adults, relationships between sarcopenia and cognitive dysfunction, or effective interventions in alleviated symptoms of sarcopenia were selected. Of 43 studies reviewed, prevalence rate of sarcopenia ranged from 2.5-42.4% in 25 studies, and 4 studies revealed a significantly positive correlation between sarcopenia and cognitive dysfunction. Among 12 randomized-control trials (RCTs), exercise intervention was used in 2 studies; nutrition intervention in 6; and 4 studies included both the exercise and nutrition interventions. All interventional studies reported positive effects on muscle mass, muscle strength, or physical function. However, only 6 studies met the high quality criteria of Risk of Bias, and there was no study which evaluated cognitive function as an outcome measure. Therefore, this study draws attention to the lack of high-quality RCTs and exclusion of cognitive function as an outcome measure in the research of sarcopenia. A comprehensive and sustained system including standardized sarcopenia screening, assessments of cognitive functioning, and evidence-based intervention programs is needed in order to prevent and manage sarcopenia amongst older adults in the community.

• Journal of dental hygiene science
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.320-329
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• 2023

Background: Oral frailty has garnered considerable interest following its identification as a risk factor for physical frailty. The Korean oral frailty diagnosis criteria have emphasized the need for extensive research on oral frailty diagnostic items and interventions. Our study performed an in-depth analysis of the tongue-palate pressure patterns in healthy community-dwelling older adults. Methods: Of the 217 older adults aged ≥60 years who visited a senior center in Wonju, 205 participants who completed tongue pressure measurement were included in the final analysis. Pressure changes over time were recorded by instructing the participants to press their tongue against the hard palate with for 7 seconds per cycle. The participants were divided into the normal and abnormal tongue pressure (NTP and ATP, respectively) groups based on whether they achieved the target tongue pressure at least once; tongue pressure patterns were compared between the groups. Furthermore, the average time taken to achieve the standard tongue pressure value was calculated for the participants in the NTP group and used to evaluate the decrease in tongue pressure in the ATP group. Results: Among the 205 participants, 40.5% had ATP. The tongue pressure graph revealed a gentle and consistent incline that was maintained even after achieving standard tongue pressure in the NTP group. The graph was more extreme in the ATP group, and the changes in the pressure type varied across individuals; the tongue pressure was only 48.4%, 40.7%, 31.9%, and 22.6% of the NTP in the participants in their 60s, 70s, 80s, and ≥90s, respectively (p<0.05). Conclusion: Tongue pressure weakness was observed in 40.5% of the healthy community-dwelling older adults. Furthermore, ATP graphs were observed in the patients with tongue pressure weakness. Thus, activities improving the oral function in community-dwelling older adults and systematic oral rehabilitation programs should be devised to promote normal swallowing.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.252-261
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• 2011

Purpose: This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of a dementia education program for Korean older adults who resided in community. Methods: The research adopted the non-equivalent control group pretestposttest design. A total of 66 older adults completed the study (31 older adults in the experimental group and 35 in the control group). The Experimental group participated in a six-session dementia education program for three weeks. The effects of the dementia education program were evaluated using the measures of knowledge of dementia and attitude toward dementia. Data were analyzed using independent sample t-test with SPSS/WIN 18.0. Results: There was a significant change in the knowledge of dementia in the experimental group (t=2.75, p=.008). Although there was an increase in attitude toward dementia in the experimental group, the change was not statistically significant (t=1.26, p=.212). Conclusion: The results indicated that the dementia education program is effective in improving the knowledge of dementia among community-dwelling older adults. There is a need to develop more effective dementia education programs designed to improve older adults' attitude toward dementia. Further research is needed using a highly rigorous research methodology.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.520-529
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• 2018

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to identify factors influencing activities-specific balance confidence in community-dwelling older adults. Methods: This is secondary analysis of data from an intervention study for improving cognitive function. The data were collected from March 2 to September 30, 2017 at a senior center. Data of 131 older adults were included for this secondary analysis, and were analyzed by using t-test, ANOVA, and multiple regression. Results: The mean score of activities-specific balance confidence is 65.08 out of a possible range of 0-100. The significant factors affecting activities-specific balance confidence among old adults include 'more than 85 years old', 'waist circumference', 'depressive symptoms', 'activity restriction due to fear of falling', and 'self-rated health' which explained 52.8% of the variance. Conclusion: The study results indicate that psychologic factors as well as physical condition should be considered for interventions to increase activities-specific balance confidence.

• 한국노년학
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.895-910
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• 2010

This study examined the mediating effect of social isolation on the life satisfaction among lowincome older adults. The purpose of this study was to find out isolated older adults' social isolation rate and mediating effect of sense of community by community dwelling older adults with loweconomic status. This study used the Gijang Welfare Network study(2009). The sample consisted 256 older adults 65 and older residing in Busan(Gijang). As statistical method, correlation analysis and structural equation model used in this paper. The results of this study suggested some practical implications in reducing social isolation for older adults with low economic status. We need to emphasize social relations and social participations as well as outreach program for high-risk elderly of social isolation. In addition, Findings suggested that community based interventions should be provided to protect older people, especially poor elderly from social isolation.