• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.32 no.7
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• pp.812-820
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• 1999

The aim of this investigation was to assess the difference of health behaviors, dietary patterns and nutrient intakes between smokers and nonsmoker from 435 free living elderly in Kyunggi province. The study subjects were interviewed to collect general characteristics and health behaviors such as smoking, exercise, alcohol consumption, and food habits by questionnaires and nutrient intakes by a 24-hour recall, and weight, height, waist, hip, and blood pressure were measured. The percentages of smoker were 52.3% in males and 12.1% in females. Current smokers were fond of alcohol, salty or hot food, tended to have meals irregularly and insufficient sleep, and were inactive lifestyle compared to nonsmokers. Smokers consumed fewer servings of vegetables, fruits, and beans and their products. Women who smoked consumed less energy, carbohydrates, and vitamin E than nonsmokers, and their nutrient adequacy ratio of protein, iron, phosphate, niacin, vitamin B1, and vitamin C were significantly lower than nonsmokers. There were no differences of nutrient intakes and nutrient adequacy ratio between smokers and nonsmokers in male subjects. In conclusion, elderly smokers tended to have less healthy life style, food habit, and dietary nutrient intakes which may influence the deleterious effects of smoke components on cancer and coronary heart disease risk, thus health education program should include nutrition education as well as smoking cessation.

• Journal of Korean Biological Nursing Science
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.282-290
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• 2012

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify the prevalence of hypertension and its risk factors among community dwelling aged 65 and over in South Korea. Methods: A total of 1,367 subjects from the 2010 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) were selected. The data analysis was conducted by SPSS WIN 19.0 using descriptive statistics, ${\chi}^2$-test, and logistic regression analysis. Results: The prevalence of hypertension was found to be 47.70%. Logistic regression analysis shows that hypertension was more prevalent as people became older; in females; in elderly who were not employed as compared to those employed; elderly with diabetes, and obesity as compared to those without these health conditions; as elderly who performed more moderate intensity exercise. While, education, household income, high risk alcoholic drinking, smoking, stress perception, usual activity, and eating out behavior were not associated with prevalence of hypertension in this study. Conclusion: The finding of prevalence of hypertension and its risk factors is expected to promote the screening or prevention strategy for community dwelling aged 65 and over at risk of hypertension in Korea.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.15 no.5
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• pp.670-678
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• 2010

Recognition thresholds for NaCl, sucrose, citric acid, and caffeine, as well as the pleasant concentration of NaCl were assessed in 176 males and 312 females aged 50-88 years. Furthermore, relationships among taste sensitivities, taste preferences, and lifestyles were examined. The taste solutions were presented one after the other in ascending order using the sip-and-spit method. For the recognition thresholds of the 4 basic tastes, women perceived significantly lower concentrations than the men. However, the pleasant concentration of NaCl did not show a gender difference. Sensitivities for the 4 basic tastes did not decrease with age in the men, but they did significantly decrease with age for the women, especially for those above 70 years. For men, regular exercise was positively correlated with sensitivities for sour taste and bitter taste, and physical activity was negatively correlated with the pleasant concentrations of NaCl. For women, who had more physical activity, sensitivities for sweet taste and sour taste were lower compared to the others. This study indicates that the sensitivities for 4 basic tastes in water diminished with age, but pleasant salt concentration did not change with age. Further research on pleasant NaCl concentration is required to determine factors affecting salt preference, in order to decrease salt intake in the elderly.

• The Journal of Korean Academy of Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapy
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.15-23
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• 2008

Purpose : To evaluate the effects of elastic resistance exercise of lumbo-pelvic region and upper limbs muscle on equilibrium ability and shoulder pain of the elderly. Methods : The subject consisted of sixteen healthy elderly people(14 females. 2 males). They were from 61 to 83 years old and the mean age was 68.06. All subjects were assigned only the elastic resistance exercise group. The subject group received elastic resistance exercise for about 60 minutes per day, two times per weeks, during 8 weeks period. A Stop watch was used to measure static equilibrium ability and dynamic equilibrium ability and then pressure algometer was used to measure shoulder press pain threshold. All measurements of each subjects were measured at pre-experiment and post-experiment stage. SPSS 12.0 program was used to compile results. A Paired samples t-test was conducted to examine changes of static equilibrium, dynamic equilibrium and shoulder press pain threshold between pre-experiment and post-experiment. Results : The static equilibrium ability, dynamic equilibrium ability and shoulder press pain threshold were significantly differences between pre-experiment and post-experiment(p<.05). Conclusion : This data suggests that an eight week elastic resistance exercise improved static equilibrium ability and dynamic equilibrium ability and then reduced shoulder pain.

• Journal of Family Resource Management and Policy Review
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.89-108
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• 2020

The purpose of this study was to analyze the factors influencing life satisfaction in widowhood among older females. Using the sixth Korean Retirement and Income Study (KReIS) supplementary survey data, a total sample of 1,471 women aged 65 or older whose spouse had died were selected, divided into 508 young-old (65-74), 745 middle-old (75-84), and 218 oldest-old (85+). Then, factors influencing the life satisfaction of these three groups were analyzed, based on a combination of perceived health and interpersonal satisfaction levels. It was found that among the young-old group, a higher level of subjective health perception indicated by monthly income and material support and interpersonal satisfaction linked to more frequent participation in community gathering combined for an overall higher level of life satisfaction. For the middle-old group, higher life satisfaction was provided by monthly income, informational support, and material support for subjective health perception and no diseases for interpersonal satisfaction. The oldest-old group with higher life satisfaction referred to monthly income for subjective health perception and no experience in donation activities for interpersonal satisfaction. Based on these findings, this study provides implications for policy and practice to improve the life satisfaction of elderly women who have experienced their spouse's death.

• Journal of Korean Academic Society of Home Health Care Nursing
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.264-274
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• 2017

Purpose: This study examined the current state of death preparedness and factors related to the death preparedness among community-dwelling older adults in Korea. Methods: A total of 6,879 older adults' data, selected from the Korean National Survey on the Elderly 2014 data, were analyzed. The criteria for selection were responding to the questionnaires directly and normal cognitive function. Stratified sampling logistic regression analysis was conducted on the compiled data. Results: It was seen that 37.3% of older adults were prepared for death; specifically, 28.6% had arranged for resting places, 10.7% had purchased burial clothes, 6.8% had subscribed to mutual aid societies, 0.7% participated in death education, and 0.6% had signed a will. The results of logistic regression indicated that the older adults who were females, older age, religious, highly educated, more satisfied with their economic status, living in rural areas, and participating in more social activities were more likely to prepare for their deaths compared to their counterparts. Conclusion: Education programs that prepare for death need to target marginalized groups in the community, such as male older adults and whose participation in social activities or satisfaction with their economic status are relatively low.

• The Korean journal of internal medicine
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• v.33 no.6
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• pp.1150-1159
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• 2018

Background/Aims: The aim of this study was to assess the association between the number of existing permanent teeth and chronic kidney disease (CKD) in a representative sample of the elderly Korean population. Methods: A total of 2,519 subjects who participated in the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey were cross-sectionally examined. The number of existing permanent teeth was evaluated by clinical oral examination. CKD was defined based on definition and classification by Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) 2012 guidelines. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed controlling for age, gender, income, education, tooth-brushing frequency, periodontitis, state of dentition, smoking, alcohol consumption, hypertension, obesity, diabetes mellitus, and hypercholesterolemia. Subgroup analyses by age and gender were also performed. Results: The number of teeth was significantly associated with CKD after controlling for all potential confounders (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 1.67; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.04 to 2.70 for lower number of teeth; AOR, 1.59; 95% CI, 1.14 to 2.23 for moderate number of teeth). In the subgroup analyses, the association was highlighted in females aged 75 years over (AOR, 2.55; 95% CI, 1.05 to 6.20 for lower number of teeth; AOR, 1.95; 95% CI, 1.01 to 3.80 for moderate number of teeth). Conclusions: Our findings suggest that the number of existing permanent teeth may be associated with CKD among Korean elderly.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.31 no.spc
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• pp.577-590
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• 2020

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to find out the suicidal ideation rate of the elderly including individual and regional factors by sex. Methods: This is secondary analysis study that combines the data of the 2017 Community Health Survey with the e-indicator data set of the National Statistical Office, and a descriptive correlation study. Statistical analysis used hierarchical logistic regression by SAS 9.4. Results: The 11.5% of the elderly had suicidal ideation within the last year, and 18.4% in Chungnam is the highest. Individual characteristics include females, older people, lower education levels, no job or housewife, no spouse, less than seven hours of sleep per day on the average, low subjective health, high subjective stress, and the worse their economic conditions, the more they had suicide ideation. Considering regional characteristics, suicidal ideation tended to increase significantly as the number of hospital beds per 1,000 people and the rate of obesity was lower, the rate of stress perception was higher, and the odds value was small. When both individual and regional factors were considered, the model conformity of the suicidal ideation improved (ICC=0.0814). Conclusion: In order to lower the suicidal rate of the elderly, it seems that both individual and community factors need to be comprehensively approached from the stage of suicidal ideation in the community.

• Journal of Forest and Environmental Science
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.290-301
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• 2022

Increasing life expectancy leads to a rise in the prevalence of aging-related mental diseases and a concomitant increase in the financial and societal pressures related to their prevention and management. This issue is attracting increasing attention from researchers. Therefore, this study aimed to determine whether a healing program in a forest environment is effective for improving cognitive function, depression, anxiety, and stress in elderly people. A nonequivalent control group pretest-posttest design was used. The experimental group consisted of 18 males and females aged 60 to 80 years who participated in a forest healing program for seven days, while the comparison group comprised 10 people with similar demographics. For the process of data analysis, this study performed a cross-analysis to determine the homogeneity of the data and carried out the Wilcoxon signed-rank test, a nonparametric statistical test, to verify the significance of each group. Participation in the forest healing program led to a significant improve-ment in cognitive function (p=0.030). The levels of depression decreased, but this result was not statistically significant. The levels of anxiety decreased significantly (p=0.004). The mean cortisol score, a measurement of stress, decreased, but it was not statistically significant. These findings confirmed the effectiveness of this program for improving certain mental conditions of elderly people, and affirmed that the use of long-term forest healing programs can be expected to alleviate national pressures created by aging societies.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.93-114
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• 2011

This study was conducted to identify college students' supportive attitude toward the elderly and their awareness of the socialization of care for the elderly, since they will have the responsibility for and the support of the aged society in the near future. This study was also conducted to analyze the factors which affect the socialization of elderly care, and to contribute to building a care system which promotes ahealthy and happy lifestyle for the elderly. After conducting a survey of 1,100 students from13 universities around the entire country, I have analyzed 1,089 data forms, and omitted 11 data entries which had errors or were not answered. 1. Those surveyed are 1,089 students from 13 universities around the entire country. Regional distributions are as follows : 263 students from 4 universities in Daegu and Kyongsangbuk Do(24.2%), 291 students from 3 universities in Busan and Kyongsangnam Do(26.7%), 272 students from 2 universities in Jeolla Do(25.0%), 263 students from 4 universities in Seoul and Gyeonggi Do. Males are 51.7% and females are 48.3% of these students. 2. Instrumental supportive sense level is high in men and emotional supportive sense level is higher in women. Also emotional supportive sense is higher in groups of those having more family members and coming from agricultural regions. 3. The sense of living with aged parents is higher in those living with grandparents than those living separate. The sense of living with sons and daughters after aging is stronger in the students from the Science and Engineering Departments than in the Social and Human Sciences Departments; also higher for men than women. 4. Recognition of elderly care socialization is higher in those from Social and Human Sciences Departments than from Science and Engineering Departments; higher in the case of upper classmenand aged groups, groups having fewer family members than more family members, and in the case of living separated from grandparents. 5. The factors affecting the sense of living with grandparents were family cohesion and instrumental supportive sense. The factors affecting the sense of elderly care socialization were family cohesion, instrumental supportive sense, and emotional supportive sense. From the results it is concluded that to insure a healthy and happy lifestyle for aged people, elderly care socialization offered by society and the country must provide desirable, appropriate care services based on the centralized support system of the family. In order to do this, we propose that elderly care needs inter-family and inter-generational fusion programs to improve family cohesion and care recognition. Also, elderly care is in urgent need to build a strong Family and Health Welfare System for care socialization.