• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.216-223
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• 2005

This purpose of this study was to investigate the nutrient intake, the health status as determined self-assessment checklist, biochemical indicators of elderly Korean women. We interviewed and 55 female subjects living alone in the Urban aged over 65 years. Information on their dietary intake was collected by 24-hour Recall method. Their health status was determined by a NSI checklist. Biochemical indicators were performed in whole blood and plasma of subjects. Except for protein, Fe, all of the elderly subjects belonged to over moderate nutritional risk. The average daily nutrient intake of the elderly was below the level of the recommended dietary allowances (RDA) for Koreans. A relationship between their health risk score and nutrient intake was observed negatively (not significantly). They had a risk of anemia as hemoglobin and hematocrit of subjects were under the normal value. Therefore, the reason that health risk score and health status badly was thought for lower nutrient intake.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.1849-1856
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• 2013

The purpose of this study is to understand differences in cognitive function and the instrumental activities of daily living depending on whether elderly women living alone in Korea have depression and to determine the correlation between variables. The data were collected from April 2011 to April 2012 with a total of 1,426 women interviewed using a structured questionnaire. Based on examining the correlation between variables, a weak inverse correlation was shown between depression and cognitive function(r=-.208, p<.001), between cognitive function and the instrumental activities of daily living(r=-.256, p<.001), and a weak positive correlation was shown between depression and instrumental activities of daily living(r=.222, p<.001). According to these results, We should pay attention to come up with ways to promote and maintain the mental health of elderly women so that depression level can be reduced through the improvement of cognitive function and social activity level.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.38 no.5
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• pp.739-747
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• 2008

Purpose: This study aimed to uncover the fundamental nature of living alone in female elderly. Methods: The phenomenological research approach developed by van Manen was adopted. Results: The theme was 'taking a firm stand alone on the edges of life'. The composition elements of living alone experienced by elderly women were as follows: 1) Corporeality: participants perceived their bodies by their health status. Unhealthy participants were suffering with diseases and dependant on other persons, while healthy participants were free from family responsibility and kept on moving. 2) Spatiality: participants felt both freedom and loneliness while they stayed home. 3) Relationality: participants felt pity and yearning for their bereaved husband and sometimes talked to his picture. According to their children's filial piety, participants were pleased or displeased. However, they incessantly devoted themselves to their children. 4) Temporality: participants considered the rest of their life as extra-time which was proceeding to death, and tried to keep themselves busy before they died. Conclusion: A nurse should understand the multifarious aspects of elderly women's life, and then intervene to consolidate their strengths for self-supporting the final years of life.

• Journal of Korean Public Health Nursing
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.419-431
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• 2014

Purpose: The aim of this study was to understand the determinants of health-related quality of life (HRQOL) according to age groups in vulnerable elderly women. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study with 1,533 elderly women beneficiaries of the visiting health care program in Seoul. The participants were divided into three age groups: the young-old (n=753, 65-74 years), old-old (n=602, 75-84 years), and oldest-old (n=178, 85 years or older) groups. HRQOL was measured using the SF-8 questionnaire. Results: HRQOL was found to be worse in the oldest-old group (p=.007). Factors associated with HRQOL differ by age groups. In the young-old and old-old groups, higher HRQOL showed significant correlation with a higher level of self-rated health (SRH) and a lower level of depression, instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) dependence, and the number of chronic diseases. In addition, higher HRQOL was observed for elderly living alone than for those living with family. In the oldest group, higher HRQOL showed significant correlation with a lower level of depression, activities of daily living (ADL) dependence, and a higher level of SRH. Conclusions: In age specific groups, lower levels of HRQOL were observed for the oldest-old group than for the other age groups. Age group-specific nursing strategies may be required for improving HRQOL levels of vulnerable elderly women.

• 한국노년학
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.33-47
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• 2011

The purpose of this study was to examine the moderating and mediating effects of social support and social activity on the relationship between depression and quality of life in elderly women living alone. Subjects were 129 elderly living alone at K city in C province, from June to July, 2010. The data was analyzed using the SPSS program for descriptive statistics, Pearson's correlation coefficient and stepwise multiple regression. The degree of depression of elderly living alone was above the average(2.65), and that of quality of life was average(2.80). The correlated factors of quality of life among elderly women living alone included depression(r=-.745, p=.004), social support(r=.544, p=.000), leisure activity(r=.480, p=.024), and economic activity(r=.711, p=.001). Social support was an important mediator between the depression and quality of life in elderly women living alone. The moderating effects of social support and social activity between depression and quality of life in elderly women living alone were not significant. This study suggests that social support considered in enhancing the quality of life programs designed for elderly living alone. Further research needs to be done to refine moderating and mediating effects of social support, social activity including leisure activity, economic activity and volunteer activity.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.54 no.6
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• pp.395-403
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• 2021

Objectives: Previous studies have shown that participation in social activities (SA) can prevent cognitive decline (CD) and that living arrangements (LA) can affect cognitive function. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of SA and LA on CD, as well as their interactions, using longitudinal data. Methods: Data were used from the 2006-2018 Korean Longitudinal Study for Aging, which followed 10 254 adults older than 45 years over a 12-year period. CD was defined as a ≥4-point score decrease in the Mini-Mental Status Exam over 2 years. We developed an extended Cox proportional hazards model for time-dependent covariates to estimate the hazard ratio (HR) of CD in 4 groups: (1) socially active and living with others, (2) socially active and living alone, (3) socially inactive and living with others (SILO), and (4) socially inactive and living alone (SILA). The model was stratified by gender and adjusted for important confounders. Results: The HR of CD was significantly higher in the SILO group in men (HR,1.36; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.08 to 1.78) and in the SILA group in women (HR, 1.72; 95% CI, 1.08 to 2.75). However, the interaction term for gender was not significant. Conclusions: Among socially inactive elderly adults, the HR of CD was elevated in men who lived with others and in women who lived alone, although the interaction term for gender was not significant. Socially inactive men who live with others and socially inactive women who live alone are particularly encouraged to participate in SA to prevent CD.

• Journal of the Korea Convergence Society
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• v.8 no.7
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• pp.207-218
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• 2017

This is the Study of descriptive research to look into influence factors about how pain, nutritional risk, loneliness and perceived health status have an effect on the health-related quality of life. The subjects were 110 elderly women living alone over the age of 65 living in D gu, Y gu, D metropolitan city and collected data by giving questionnaire, and used the SPSS/WIN 18.0 version to analyze. The correlated factors of health-related quality of life included pain(r=-.565, P<.001), nutritional risk(r=-.485, P<.001), loneliness(r=-.546, P<.001) and perceived health status(r=.706, P<.001). Factors influencing health-related quality of life are perceived health status, loneliness, pain, type of residence, number of diseases. Therefore, in order to improve health-related quality of life for elderly women living alone, it is necessary to induce the practice of education and health behavior for improvement of health status, to establish social network to increase emotional support and to apply various protection systems.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.319-333
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• 2024

Background: This study aims to identify the factors that influence the incidence of catastrophic health expenditure (CHE) for the elderly living alone and to discuss how to manage CHE for the elderly living alone. Methods: This study utilizes 6th (2016), 7th (2018), and 8th (2020) data from the Korean Longitudinal Study of Aging to identify the incidence rate of CHE among the elderly living alone and conducts a panel logit analysis. The dependent variable is the incidence of CHE (thresholds: 10%, 20%, 30%), and the independent variables include demographic factors (gender, age group, region), socioeconomic factors (education level, economic activity status, income quintile, financial support rate from children), health-related factors (subjective health status, regular exercise, smoking, drinking, number of chronic diseases), and healthcare coverage factors (type of health insurance, private health insurance). Results: Descriptive statistics classified by gender show that female elderly living alone are more vulnerable than male elderly living alone in terms of disease prevalence and socioeconomic status. In addition, the incidence of CHE is higher for elderly women living alone than for elderly men living alone across all thresholds. The main results of the panel logit analysis show that higher education, income quintile, and financial support rate from children are associated with lower odds of CHE, while poorer subjective health and a higher number of chronic diseases are associated with higher odds of CHE. Medical aid recipients are less likely to incur CHE than those covered by national health insurance. Conclusion: The implications of this study are as follows. First, vulnerable elderly living alone with multiple chronic diseases and low income and education levels are more likely to incur CHE. Second, it is necessary to review policies such as a CHE support program and chronic disease management programs focused on vulnerable elderly individuals living alone. Third, the CHE support program should be operated in a patient-centered manner, with consideration given to a customized system for selecting and supporting elderly individuals living alone who are in need.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Rural Architecture
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.1-8
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• 2023

This study aims to analyze the trend of changes in the elderly living arrangement over the past 20 years and the reasons why the elderly choose these changes. The subjects of the survey were households aged 65 years or older in Korea. Data from the survey of Ministry of Health and Welfare conducted in 2004, 2014, 2020 were used for the analysis. The result of analysis was as follows; First, since 2000, the number of elderly households living with their children has been rapidly decreasing, while the number of elderly couple households and single elderly households is gradually increasing. Second, elderly living alone appeared more in rural areas, women, older people, and elderly with low education. They are in a vulnerable position that needs help. Therefore, welfare policies for the elderly should be focused on elderly single households. Finally the reason for choosing elderly single household in 2020 was that the voluntary choice by the individual accounted for a much higher rate than the unintentional choice by the children. In addition, the life satisfaction of the elderly who arbitrarily selected the living arrangement was higher than that of the elderly who deliberately chose the living arrangement.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.256-264
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• 2016

Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the diet and health status of elderly women according to the family type. Methods: A total of 307 elderly women participated in this study were divided into one of three groups according to their family type: residing with spouse (RSP; n=88), residing with son or daughter (RSD; n=119), and residing alone (RAL; n=100). Chisquare test was used to assess dietary habits and health status of the subjects by the family types. Results: Results demonstrated significant associations between eating regular meals, person preparing meals, coffee intake, and bone fracture experience and family type. Among the three groups, the RSP and RAL groups had a higher percentage for preparing meals by themselves (p<0.001) than the RSD group. The RAL group had a lower percentage for eating regular meals (p<0.01) but a higher percentage for bone fracture experience (p<0.05) than the other groups. There were no significant differences in monthly allowance, self-estimated health status, physical activity, exercise, drinking, and dietary habits such as frequency of consumption of dairy, beans, eggs, fish, meat, fruits, and vegetables among the three groups. Conclusions: The results showed that elderly women residing alone without a son, daughter, or spouse had more diet-related and health problems such as irregular meals and high bone fracture experience. These findings suggested that elderly women residing alone need more attention and support.