• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.76-83
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• 2001

This study was designed to determine serum osmolality and to investigate the association among serum osmolality, health-related factors and biochemical indices. Two hundred thirty seven elderly(86 male, 151 female : mean age 73.8) residing in the chungbuk area participated. Sociodemographic data and self-perceived health status were obtained by interview, and biochemical parameters were measured. The mean serum osmolaity was 301.2$\pm$10.1 mOsm/kg(range 240.8~328.9 mOsm/kg) and serum osmolality of the females(302.4 mOsm/kg) was significantly(p＜0.05) higher than that of the males(299.0 mOsm/kg). Only 11.0% of the elderly were within the accepted normal range(280~295 mOsm/kg) and the majority of the subjects were in a hyperosmolar state(60.8% : 296~307 mOsm/kg). It was observed that serum osmolality was reduced with increasing age but not statistically significant. There was no significant difference in serum osmolality according to marital status. Serum osmolality was significantly lower(p＜0.05) in the elderly with higher self-perceived health scores than the elderly with lower self-perceived health scores, however no significant difference was observed between the presence or absence of disease. Serum osmolality tended to be higher(p=0.06) in the elderly with difficulty in mobility than the elderly who have no problem in mobility. Serum osmolality tended to be higher(p=0.06) among drug users compared to that of non-users. There was a significant association between serum osmolality and serum albumin in females but not in males. Significant associations were shown between serum osmolality and serum transferrin in both sexes. However, there was no significant correlation between serum osmolality and hemoglobin or hematocrit except with hematocrit in females only. The results of this study indicated that the elderly were dehydrated and hydration state seems to influence health status and, the elderly should be encouraged to drink an adequate amount of fluids. Also, the hydration state is required to be assessed and considered for the interpretation of biochemical parameters.

• Korea journal of population studies
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.59-77
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• 2003

This study conducts empirical research on gender differentials of economic resources in old age. The economic resources are assessed by the presence of independent income source and the amount of total income. The study, based on nation-wide survey of the elderly, examines the effects of individual level variables and household level ones. Also, it compares such effects between male and female elderly. The analysis shows that several variables have gender specific effects. Among them, particularly interesting and important are marital status and coresidence with children. The positive effect of having spouse is greater among female elderly than among male elderly. Also, while coresidence with children among male elderly has insignificant or slightly positive relation to their own economic resources, it has a negative relation among female elderly. These results indicate that female elderly are dependent on their husbands and children. The study suggests that future research on the elderly incorporate gender differentials into models attempting to capture diversity within the elderly population.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.1294-1303
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• 1999

The purpose of this study was to develop a tool to assess the powerlessness and to measure the powerlessness of elderly. From the result of pre-test, twenty seven items were finally selected to survey the elderly's powerlessness. The questionnaires on the elderly's powerlessness were drafted so that such tool may be evaluated in accordance with the four point Likert Scale. The number of subjects is 1,150 with ages of 60 years or more and who live in a large city, a small and middle-sized city and a rural area. The subjects of the test and retest were 85 elderlies. Collected data were analyzed by utilizing SAS program with Cronbach's $\alpha$ and Pearson's correlation, factor analysis method and known group techniques, descriptive statics, t-test and ANOVA. The results from this study were summarized below:1. When the factor analysis method was applied for validity, the tool for powerlessness of elderly was separated into 5 factors: loss of self-confidence to deal with physical, emotional, social aspects of life; expulsion by others from meaningful human relate; perception that life is meaningless and time passes quickly; falling behind young people; being rejected by other people, having no influence on others. An application of the known group technique showed a significant difference with the result of the degree of elderly's powerlessness tools developed by the two groups, with illness and without. 2. In testing reliability, it was found that coefficient of test-retest was .9435(P<.0001) when the test-retest method was used as a test of stability, and that the alpha coefficient of internal consistency was .9141 over all items within the tool of elderly's powerlessness 3. In powerlessness of elderly, total mean is 2.8493. And in factor of powerlessness, the highest factor is falling behind young people (M=3.1713), the lowest factor is loss of self- confidence to deal with physical, emotional, social aspects of life(M=2.6080). 4. The results from the test for the degree of powerlessness, according to the subject's demographic variables, showed that there were significant differences between age, sex, marital status, educational level, religion, possession of house, job, monthly pocket money, health status, illness and a place of residence.

• Journal of Families and Better Life
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• v.23 no.3 s.75
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• pp.197-215
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• 2005

The purpose of this study is to examine how the causal relationships between independent variables, marital communication decision making participation and family life satisfaction of elderly in couple household. The survey was conducted from May 26 to July 21, 2003. Total 394(male: 186, female: 208) samples were used for the analysis. Using SPSS/PC WIN program, data were analyzed by frequencies, percentages, mean, standard deviation, Cronbach'a, Pearson's correlation, t-test, and multiple regression. The major findings were as follows: 1) The findings showed that there were high level of the communication between the elderly males and females. In the decision making participation the finding showed that both elderly males and females generally made joint decisions with no gender differences. The elderly males and females reported overall family life satisfaction; and the elderly males were more likely satisfied with their family lives than the elderly females. 2) The path analysis on family life satisfaction presented that several variables had direct/indirect effects on family life satisfaction through communication and decision making participation. Among the moderate variables, communication agreement and communication openness had significant effects on family life satisfaction. Specifically, the elderly men were more likely satisfied when they participated in decision making on leisure: the elderly women were more likely satisfied when they participated in decision making on family life.

• 한국노년학
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.1229-1246
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• 2011

The objectives of this study were to analyze change in life satisfaction of Korean elderly, to find determinants of it in an aging society, and to suggest ways of improving their life satisfaction. Data used in this study were from 1994, 2004, 2008 national survey results on the elderly life conditions and welfare need conducted by the Korea Institute for Health Social Affairs and Keimyung University, which were collected from 1,371, 3,278, 3,009 elderly people aged 65 and over who answered regarding their life satisfaction each year. Data were analyzed by multiple regression method. The results of analysis showed that the general life satisfaction of Koreans elderly is higher than average and is decreasing year after year. Determinants of life satisfaction for Korean elderly can be divided in two factors: common factors(i.e. subjective economic and health conditions) and flexible factors(i.e. marital status, employment status, perceptions of aging). Implications for designing services and service systems for elderly families were discussed.

• Child Health Nursing Research
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.357-366
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• 2007

Purpose: This study was conducted to survey and examine the relationship of family strengths, family function, ego-identity and depression in adolescence in Busan, and to provide basic data for a health promoting intervention to improve their family health. Method: Data were collected from four colleges in Busan and, 680 students were enrolled in the study. Descriptive statistics, t-test or ANOVA with Scheffe's test and Pearson's correlation coefficients were used to analyze the data. Results: The mean score for family strengths was 3.58, family function 4.31, ego-identity 55.4 and depression 17.9. The scores for family strengths differed significantly according to subjective social economic state and father's job, parent's religion, parent's marital status and family composition. The scores for family function differed significantly according to parent's religion, parent's marital status and subjective social economic state. The scores for ego-identity differed according to mother's education level, parent's religion, parent's marital status and family composition. There were a positive correlations between family strengths and family function, between family strengths and ego-identity, between family function and ego-identity. There were negative correlations between family strengths and depression, between family function and depression, between ego-identity and depression. Conclusion: In order to promote ego-identity and to decrease depression in adolescence, it is necessary to develop supporting interventions to develop family strengths.

• Journal of the Korean Home Economics Association
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• v.49 no.7
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• pp.67-80
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• 2011

This study investigated a path model in which men's and women's communication behavior escalating marital conflict (CBEMC) may be influenced directly and indirectly, via negative interpretations of their spouse, by their spouse's problem behavior, the couple's turning toward bids, and dyadic perspective-taking. Self-report data were collected from 498 married men and women who were living in Busan, Korea. Multiple-group analysis revealed that the path model was not equivalent for men and women. Their couple's turning toward bids and dyadic perspective-taking for men, and their spouse's problem behavior and dyadic perspective-taking for women, had direct effects on CBEMC. Further, their spouse's problem behavior and the couple's turning toward bids had indirect effects on CBEMC through negative interpretations in both men and women. The indirect effect of dyadic perspective-taking on CBEMC was significant only for men. Finally, considering total effects, dyadic perspective-taking was the strongest predictor of CBEMC for both genders.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.30-38
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• 2002

The purpose of this study was to compare the Depression levels of the poor and elderly as well as the elderly who were residents in a community. The author studied the Depression levels of 117 poor and elderly individuals and 183 elderly individuals all 65 years or older living in Suwon City. This study has been done using a direct-interview structured Questionnaire and Korean Form of Geriatric Depression Scale (KGDS) from May to July in 1999. The results can be summarized as following: 1. With Case and Control group there was no significant difference with respect to gender, age, education level, or religion. But was significantly different regarding marriage state, if subjects were living together, type of residency, province, and place of toilet(P<0.05). 2. Smoking and Hwa-pyung was a large number of case group more than control group. and alcohol was more control group than case group(P<0.05). 3. There was a similiar taking medicine and kind of body symtom of case and control group. 4. The mean score of perceived KGDS of the poor elderlys was 17.87+/-5.97 out of 30. and that of the elderlys was 13.35+/-6.00 out of 30(P<0.001). 5. In a simple correlation analysis of elderlys. education, marital status. residency, son and daughter, position of toilet, elderly center, alcohol, Wha-byung, disease. 6. In a multiple regression analysis, Hwa-byung, elderly center, education, smoking, disease, son and daughter.

• The Journal of Korean Academic Society of Nursing Education
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.301-309
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• 2007

Purpose: This study focused on identifying health promoting behaviors of institutionalized elderly and the factors affecting these behaviors. Method: Data was collected from 107 elders in 6 institutions in Chungnam province from March to November, 2007. Data was collected by a structured questionnaire that included general characteristics, depression, social support, activities of daily living, self-efficacy, and health promoting behavior scales. The collected data was analyzed by the SPSS Windows 14.0 program including t-test, ANOVA, Pearson's correlation and multiple regression analysis. Result: There were significant differences in health promoting behaviors according to marital status, religion, perceived economic status and health status. Depression, social support, ADL and self-efficacy had significant correlations with health promoting behaviors. Powerful predictors of health promoting behaviors were depression, social support, ADL and self efficacy. Conclusion: According to these results, a nursing intervention to enhance health promoting behaviors is needed for elderly living in an institution in order to reduce depression and to increase social support, ADL and self efficacy.

• Journal of Korean Public Health Nursing
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.82-92
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• 2010

Purpose: This study aimed to identify the incidence and risk factors of suicidal ideation among the elderly in Korea. Methods: This cross-sectional study used secondary data of the 2005 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. The participants were 1,097 elderly Koreans who responded to the health survey. Sociodemographics, health related characteristics, and the prevalence of suicidal ideation were obtained through face-to-face interviews. Risk factors of the suicidal ideation were also examined. Descriptive statistics and multivariate logistic regression were used for data analysis. Results: Of the 1,097 respondents, 30.5% had suicidal ideation during the past year. Depression and stress were the important risk factors; others included mobility, pain/discomfort, chronic illness, smoking, sleep, and leisure time physical activity. Sociodemographic characteristics such as gender, education, and marital status affected suicidal ideation. Conclusion: The high frequency of suicidal ideation in the elderly suggests the necessity of community-based interventions directed at depression and stress.