• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
• /
• v.27 no.2
• /
• pp.42-57
• /
• 2020

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is indicated for various mental disorders (e.g., major depressive disorder, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder) and the behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia in elderly patients. Furthermore, ECT is a useful first-line treatment in emergency and crisis situations such as suicide risk, violent behavior, catatonia, and food refusal, which are more frequent in elderly patients. ECT is also effective in the treatment of the motor symptoms of neurological disorders, such as Parkinson's disease and Huntington's disease. Due to the high risk of various physical diseases, the comorbid physical conditions of elderly patients should be individually controlled to optimize ECT treatment. Compared to young adults, in elderly patients the seizure threshold is higher, the seizure duration is shorter, and the anesthetic dose is lower. On the contrary, the response rate in the elderly is both faster and higher. Considering potential cognitive decline and the prevention of further deterioration of cognitive function in elderly patients, in the absence of significant comorbidities, twice weekly sessions and right unilateral electrode placement with a lower seizure threshold and less cognitive effect are preferred to bilateral electrode placement, which has a high risk of adverse cognitive effects. After an acute course of ECT, continuation and maintenance of ECT, combined with prescription of therapeutic drugs, may prevent possible relapse or recurrence of mental disorders. In conclusion, ECT can be used to treat mental disorders in elderly adults, with safety and effectiveness comparable to that in young adults.

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

• Journal of Korean Public Health Nursing
• /
• v.27 no.1
• /
• pp.5-15
• /
• 2013

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine factors related to regular walking exercise in the elderly using KNHNES data. Method: The study subjects, a total of 1437 adults over age 65, were classified into two groups based on their type of walking exercise: regular walking exercise group or irregular walking exercise group. The study variables were measured using scale physiological function, mental health status, chronic disease and quality of life. Results: The data was analyzed by $x^2$-test, t-test, and logistic regression using the SPSS 18.0 program. The factors related to regular walking exercise were male (OR=0.628, 95%CI=0.503-0.783), subjective health state (OR=0.832, 95%CI=0.751-0.921), thoughts of suicide (OR=0.753, 95%CI=0.586-0.967), hypoHDL-cholesterolemia (OR=0.742, 95%CI=0.591-0.930), and stroke (OR=0.604, 95%CI=0.366-0.997). Conclusion: The findings indicate that regular walking exercise in the elderly is related to physiological function, mental health status, and chronic disease. Therefore, providing for the education and awareness of health promotion for the elderly will may improve the quality of life in old age.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
• /
• v.19 no.1
• /
• pp.5-12
• /
• 2008

Objectives: The study was to examine major factors that affect suicidal ideation of elderly in urban areas. Methods: The subjects were 302 elders who voluntarily participated in the study. The instruments for this study were scale for suicidal ideation(19 items), family concord (20 items), CED-depression(20 items) and family inventor of life events and changes(FILE, 22 items). Frequency, percentage, t-test, ANOVA, Duncan test, Pearson' correlation coefficient, stepwise multiple regression with SPSS program were used to analyze the data. Results: The average score of suicidal ideation was 14.88. Suicidal ideation was positively related to depression and stress, but negatively related to family concord, depression, family concord, stress and health status accounted for 86.1% of the variance in suicidal ideation. These results suggest that family concord, depression and stress can be potential risk factors for suicide of elderly. Conclusions: These findings may give useful information for developing suicidal prevention program on old age.

• The Korean Journal of Emergency Medical Services
• /
• v.8 no.1
• /
• pp.105-115
• /
• 2004

The nation is turning into aging society, and safety accidents among elderly people are on the rise. When death roll caused by safety accidents was investigated, senior citizens who died from safety accidents outnumbered the other age groups who died for the same reason. The most common cause of death was traffic accidents, followed by suicide and a hurt from a fall, and Korea rated first among OECD member nations in death roll by traffic accidents. Aging brings a lot of physical changes to elderly people, and they are often likely to be involved in accidents such as a hurt from a fall due to degenerated sensory organs like hearing and eyesight and deteriorated motor skills. Unsafe social facilities also have them face a lot of accidents, including fracture and death, and such accidents take place even at home that is usually considered safe, or are triggered by things of daily use. As a result of comparing every age group's death roll by safety accidents, the number of senior citizens who died from safety accidents was far higher than that of the other age groups who died for the same reason in every accident field. In aging society, a sharp increase in the elderly population and ensuing safety accidents are expected to pose a serious threat to national economy, and diverse efforts should be put into tacking this problem. For instance, safety education should be provided to people in general including senior citizens on a regular basis, and more safety facilities should be prepared. Besides, safety equipment should be developed.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
• /
• v.3 no.4
• /
• pp.79-90
• /
• 2015

Purpose : The purpose of this study was to investigate related factors contributing to subjective health state in elderly people with focus on comparison of gender differences. Method : From the database of the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey(KNHNES) the year 2012 and 2013, the researchers selected 2,924 old adults aged over 65. Data were analyzed with SPSS 18.0 program. Result : Results indicated that education, occupation, restriction of activity, stress, drinking status were significant variables of subjective health state both men and women. But, age, DM, MI, arthritis, smoking status were significant variables of subjective health state of men. And insurance, suicide, HTN, walking exercise were significant variables of subjective health state of women. Conclusion : The development of health and quality of life for elderly people considers different approaches to the genders.

• 한국노년학
• /
• v.38 no.2
• /
• pp.271-290
• /
• 2018

The study aims to analyze the effects of socio-economic deprivation on suicidal ideation. The analysis data were used as a guide for Korea Welfare Panel Study 9. the frequency analysis, mean difference analysis, correlation analysis, and logistic regression were performed by SPSS programs. The results of analysis are as follows. First, The results of frequency analysis by deprivation type showed a high frequency of deprivation in the following order. Experience of not receiving a public pension, experience of being able to work but unemployed, experience of not being able to eat a balanced diet due to financial difficulties, and experience where you had nothing to eat but no more money to buy. Second, the average difference analysis shows that when a person does not have a spouse, the lower the academic background and the income level, the higher the likelihood of suicide. Third, regression analysis shows that the following deprivation patterns have a statistically significant effect on older adults' thoughts of suicide. Experience in which the respondents or their family could not go to hospital because they had no money, experience that move house because is back rent more than 2 months or can not pay rent, experience that they could not afford to buy food and eat well-balanced meals, experience of failing to pay your bills on time, experience of being able to work but not having a job, and experience in which financial difficulties left them short of food and no money to live. Based on such research results, some policy measures, such as the expanding management of medical care benefits cases, the improvement of elderly housing, residential conditions and the diet survey for the elderly, and the expansion of measures to support elderly people's tax rates, were proposed.

• The Korean Journal of Health Service Management
• /
• v.8 no.4
• /
• pp.175-185
• /
• 2014

This study conducted a secondary analysis using original data of performed by Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs to determine factors affecting oral health-related quality of life and mental health in the elderly. The research subjects were 1,217 people who were over 65 years old and completed an oral examination and oral questionnaire survey. The results were as follows. First, mental health problems arise in people with an oral health status designated as 'bad' or when they feel 'very uncomfortable' chewing or speaking. Second, the quality of life decreases as problems with chewing and speaking increase. The results reveal that to reduce problems of mental health(stress, depression, suicide) and to enhance the quality of life, there is a need to develope diverse programs for preventive treatment and oral health education. What is the most important is consistent policy support.

• Journal of Korean Academic Society of Home Health Care Nursing
• /
• v.21 no.2
• /
• pp.139-146
• /
• 2014

Purpose: This study was conducted to investigate the correlation between health status, health-promoting behavior, self-esteem and suicidal ideation among the elderly. Method: Subjects consisted of 115 elderly persons. Data were collected from January to March 2013, and were analyzed using descriptive statistics, a t-test, ANOVA, Pearson's correlation analysis. Results: The mean scores for health status ($2.41{\pm}.68$), health-promoting behavior ($2.38{\pm}.43$), and self-esteem ($2.87{\pm}.69$) among the elderly fell in the average range, whereas scores for suicidal ideation ($.48{\pm}.36$) among the elderly fell in the below average range. Health status differed significantly according to age, educational level and economic status. Health-promoting behavior did not differ significantly based on these general characteristics. Self-esteem differed significantly according to age, job, and number of people living in the household. Suicidal ideation differed significantly based on age, educational level, and economic status. Significant correlations were found between health status, health-promoting behavior, self-esteem, and suicidal ideation. Conclusion: These findings indicate that perceived health status, health-promoting behavior, and self-esteem may be factors that need to be considered in order to decrease the prevalence of suicidal ideation among the elderly. These results can be used to develop a suicide prevention program for the elderly.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Clinical Toxicology
• /
• v.8 no.2
• /
• pp.61-68
• /
• 2010

Purpose: Poisoning is a major health problem for the elderly, and poisoning can cause fatal side effects. However, the characteristics and clinical features of elderly patients with acute poisoning have not been well studied in the previous domestic research. So, we tried to analyze the clinical characteristics and toxic substances of the patients who were 65 years old or older and who were admitted to the regional emergency medical center due to acute poisoning. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records and poisoning protocols of the patients who were 65 years of age or older and who had with acute poisoning and who visited the ED in our emergency center from January 2005 to December 2009. We collected the demographic information, the gender, the underlying diseases, the causes and toxic substances, the initial presentation, the treatment and the outcomes. Results: A total of 2179 poisoned patients visited the hospital during 5 years, and among them 244 were 65 years of age or older (11.2%). The mean age was $75.6{\pm}6.9$ years and the male:female ratio was 1:1.7. The most common cause of poisoning was suicide (73.4%) and the most common source of poisonous substances was their own drugs. Of the substances used for poisoning, benzodiazepine was the most common drug (25.8%), followed by sedatives other than benzodiazepine (25.4%), insecticide (12.7%), chemical agents (12.3%) and herbicides (8.2%). The most common initial presentation was mental change (64.8%). When comparing the factors between the three elderly groups, there was no difference in gender, the cause, the substances and the underlying disease. The outcomes of treatment included ICU admission (56.1%), a good condition at discharge (12.7%) and admission to a general ward (12.7%). The overall mortality rate was 10.2% for the elderly patients. Conclusion: In this Korean study, unlike the foreign studies, the most common cause of poisoning in elderly patients was intentional poisoning. The admission rate was 68.8% and mortality rate was 10.2%.