• Journal of Korean Biological Nursing Science
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.183-192
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• 2012

Purpose: Number of the old-old elderly is rapidly increasing in Korea, but it is unclear whether there are differences between old-old and young-old elderly in nutritional status, nutrient intakes and health status. The gender differences in Korean elderly in these conditions also remains unknown. This study, therefore, investigated gender-associated differences in nutritional, health status and nutrient intakes and how they are related among young-old and old-old homebound elderly. Methods: Two hundred and eighty elderly who were attending a local elderly welfare center were recruited. Evaluation included demographic, nutritional and health status related data, nutritional intakes, and life style related factors including physical activity. Results: Of the 280 subjects, old-old were 147 (52.5%) and young-old were 133 (47.5%). Male old-old elderly had more often abdominal obesity than female old-old, but male old-old more often had malnutrition than female old-old. There were few differences in nutrient intakes between old-old male elderly and female elderly after energy intakes were controlled. Male old-old more often had less intake of beta carotene and Vitamin A than female old-old. On the other hand, male old-old elderly more often had hypercholesterolemia and hypertension than male young-old. Conclusion: Male old-old may be at a greater health and nutritional risk than female old-old. Targeted nutritional intervention for male old-old emphasizing antioxidant nutritional intakes may be warranted.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.7 no.6
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• pp.749-761
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• 2002

This study investigated the anthropometric and biochemical indices, and the health and nutritional factors influencing the two indices among 194 middle-aged and elderly subjects (108 middle-aged and 86 elderly) residing in a medium sized city for more than 10 years. In the examination of their dietary habits, 8.3% of the middle-aged subjects and 14.0% of the elderly subjects had two meals a day, and more female subjects had two meals per day. Of the subjects who ate meals at regular times, 75.0% were middle-aged and 79.1% were elderly, and the degree of irregularity of meals was greater for female subjects. The study of the dietary behavior of the subjects indicated that 71.3% and 66.3% of the middle-aged and elderly, respectively responded that the amount of food in each meal was sufficient. The subjects ate alone comprised 19.7% of the middle-aged females and 31.5% of the elderly females. The prevalence of smoking among the subjects was 28.1% for the middle-aged, 18.8% for the elderly male and 7.4% for the elderly females. The percentage of the subjects who drank alcohol was 34.4% of the middle-aged males and 13.2% of the middle-aged females. Slightly less than half of the subjects exercised more than once a week, with the male subjects showing a higher rate than the female subjects. The average body mass indices (BMI) were 24.5 and 24.6 for the middle-aged male and female, respectively, and 22.6 and 24.0 for the elderly male and female, respectively. BMI assessment showed that underweight subjects (BMI ＜ 20) comprised 3.7% of the middle-aged, 14.0% of the elderly, and that 40.7% of the middle-aged and 24.4% of the elderly were overweight (25 ＜ BMI ＜ 30) , and 0.9% of the middle-aged and 1.2% of the elderly were classified as obese (BMI $\geq$ 30) . A waist/hip ratio (WHR) greater than 0.8 was found in 89.5% of the middle-aged females and 90.7% of the elderly females, showing high abdominal fat deposition in the majority of females. The average systolic blood pressure of females was 121.1 $\pm$ 17.1 mmHg for the middle-aged and 129.6 $\pm$ 21.3 mmHg for the elderly subjects. The systolic blood pressures showed a significantly difference between the two age groups. Those defined as anemic subjects based on hemoglobin values comprised 13.0% of the middled-aged group and 16.3% of the elderly group. There was a tendency for higher fasting glucose levels among the elderly subjects. An increase in total plasma cholesterol levels with age was shown. The female subjects had higher cholesterol levels than the males'The study of the correlation between the daily habits and health status showed that the amount of food eaten at each meal, the frequency of eating out, and the use of dietary supplements appeared to influence BMI, WHR, the plasma triglyceride and plasma cholesterol levels; omitting one meal had a positive correlation with the systolic blood pressure and plasma cholesterol. These results suggest that desirable dietary habits and concerns for health are contributing factors for maintaining good health, as indicated by normal blood lipid levels.

• Korean Journal of Adult Nursing
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.436-446
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• 2007

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate cognitive function, leisure activities and depression in female elderly, to examine the relationships among those variables and to investigate leisure activities and depression according to cognitive function. Methods: The subjects were 105 female elderly visiting two senior citizen centers in Seoul, Korea. Data were collected from November to December 2006. The participants were assured of anonymity and confidentiality. All information was collected through face-to-face interviews using questionnaires. Results: 26.0% of the participants were cognitive impaired but not demented and 17.3% were demented. The level of depression was severe and 77.9% of the subjects were depressed. The subjects were not actively engaging in leisure activities. There were significant correlations between cognitive function, leisure activities and depression in female elderly. Demented or CIND subjects were more actively engaging in extra family fulfillment type leisure activities than normal subjects, Conclusion: These findings showed the need for a program for female elderly regarding leisure activities. When counseling the elderly, nurses must consider their cognitive function, leisure activities and depression.

• Journal of the East Asian Society of Dietary Life
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.39-48
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• 2015

This study aimed to compare and evaluate nutritive conditions of the female elderly (2,893 people) based on a national health nutrition survey and health-related factors influencing nutritional intake. The results are as follows.- Average age of all subjects was $72.12{\pm}5.2$ old. BMI ($24.48{\pm}3.3kg/m^2$) and waist size ($83.9{\pm}9.5cm$) of urban elderly was larger ($23.74{\pm}3.3kg/m^2$, $82.28{\pm}9.9cm$) than that of rural elderly. MAR[4] and MAR[10] were also higher in urban elderly than rural elderly. The results of multiple regression analysis showed that factors influencing poor nutrition of elderly subjects were increasing age, smoking, and self-rated health. Old-old and current smokers were associated with a higher likelihood of poor nutrition (OR 1.82, 95%CI 1.43~2.30) and (OR 3.40, 95%CI 2.17~5.33) elderly female subjects in urban areas. Smoking (OR 2.29, 95%CI 1.33~3.95), poor self-rated health (OR 1.55, 95%CI 1.11~2.16), over nine hours of sleep per nighting (OR 1.72, 95%CI 1.17~2.53) and stress (OR 1.46, 95%CI 1.10~1.92) of elderly female subjects in rural areas were associated with higher likelihood of a poor nutrition. In conclusion, rural elderly are more influenced by poor health practice behaviors (self-rated health, sleeping stress) and psychological factors. Nutrition status of the rural elderly is worse than that of the urban elderly. To reduce nutritional risk of Korean elderly, especially rural elderly, active nutrition arbitration should include psychological environmental factors.

• 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.

• The Journal of Korean Academic Society of Nursing Education
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.30-38
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• 2005

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to testify effects of Balance Taping Therapy on the pain and range of motion of the knee joint in the female elderly with degenerative knee arthritis. Method: The research design was one group pretest-posttest design. The data were collected from November 15 to December 25, 2004. The subjects were 23 female elderly with degenerative knee arthritis who were registered at one public health center in Busan. Balance Taping Therapy was conducted twice a week for 5 weeks. The data were analyzed such as the number, percentage, paired t-test, Kolmogorov-Smirnov test using SPSS 10.0 WIN Program. Result: The pain in the female elderly with degenerative knee arthritis significantly decreased from 8.82 to 6.04 after Balance Taping Therapy(t=16.781, p=0.001). The knee flexion joint range of motion in the female elderly with degenerative knee arthritis significantly increased from 119.73 to 123.13 after Balance Taping Therapy (t=-6.003, p=0.001). The knee extention joint range of motion statistically significantly increased from 112.74 to 117.83 after Balance Taping Therapy(t=-8.940, p=0.001). Conclusion: Balance Taping Therapy proved an effective nursing intervention in decreasing pain and increasing the range of motion of the knee joint in the female elderly with degenerative knee arthritis.

• Journal of the Korean Home Economics Association
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.171-185
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• 2003

The eight hundred fourteen male and female elderly living in urban and rural area of Incheon were compared in terms of anthropometric indices and health related factors. Mean height, weight, BMI, WHR, MAC, TSF, %body fat and systolic blood pressure of male elderly were 162.7cm and 162.0cm, 61.8kg and 58.3kg, 23.2 and 22.0, 0.91 and 0.89, 24.4cm and 24.0cm, 9.9mm and 11.5mm, 23.9% and 23.2%, 152.1mmHg and 150.0mmHg in the urban and rural respectively. In female elderly, mean height, weight, BMI, WHR, MAC, TSF, %body fat and systolic blood pressure were 150.3cm and 149.2cm, 55.9kg and 53.1kg, 24.4 and 23.4, 0.87 and 0.86, 25.4cm and 24.4cm, 20.2mm and 18.9mm, 37.2% & 35.4%, 142.2mmHg and 151.7 mmHg in the urban and rural respectively. As the age increasing, most of the anthropometric indices are decreased while systolic blood pressure are increased in both gender. The proportion of the subject with normal hearing were 73.1% in the urban, 61.4% in the rural and 61.8% in the male, 73.1% in the female. Hearing and tooth status became deteriorated as increasing the age and the more elderly felt themselves unhealthy as increasing the age. Aerobic(25.7%) and walking/jogging(18.4%) in the urban, walking/jogging (22.1%) and climbing(3.5％) in the rural were the preferred exercise in the elderly. Frequency of health promoting substance intake were very low and not significantly different between the urban & the rural, and the male and the female elderly. Neuralgia, diabetes, indigestion and cerebral stroke showed relatively higher morbidity in the elderly. Neuralgia was significantly higher in the female(23.3%) than in the male(13.1%). Diabetes was significantly higher in the female(22.4%) and the urban(21.9%) elderly than in the male(16.1%) and the rural(13.5%) elderly respectively. In conclusion, as the age increasing the height and weight of the elderly decreased significantly and BMI, WHR and body fat toned to decrease. Hearing and tooth status deteriorated significantly as the age increasing, especially in female elderly.

• Korean Journal of Culture and Social Issue
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.595-615
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• 2015

This study aims to develop well-being enhancement program for the female elderly living alone, and examine its effects. The program was structured by exploring the meaning of life and happiness with focused on self-disclosure, dealing with regret and resentment, forgiveness, gratitude, and resilience. At first, pilot program was applied to 6 female elderly living alone for predicting the effects and modified the program. For verification of the program effect, 11 female elderly living alone were assigned to developed well-being enhancement program, also 11 female elderly living alone were assigned to comparison group who participate in activity-focused program, and 12 female elderly living alone were assigned to control group. Results indicated that regret for interpersonal relations and resentment of the female elderly living alone who participate in well-being enhancement program were reduced after participating the program, while their self-disclosure increased. The female elderly living alone who participate in well-being enhancement program showed lowered level of anxiety, loneliness, and awareness of aging, which were factors of well-bing in senescence. Moreover, their level of negative emotion was decreased, and life satisfaction, positive emotion, and happiness were increased after participating the program. But, all of those enhancement were not found in control group as well as comparison group. These results suggest that well-being enhancement program for the female elderly living alone developed in this study could be utilized in various settings.

• Nutritional Sciences
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.26-33
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• 2002

This study was conducted to provide insight into the management and care of the elderly in nursing homes. Eighty-six elderly subjects over 65 years old (38 male, 48 female) in 3 non-fee-paying nursing homes, located in Daejeon and Chungchong areas, were studied. Subjects'dietary intakes by estimated food intake records, and self-perceived health conditions, were studied using questionnaires from July 21 to August 1, 1997. Twenty-one % of the male subjects and 42% of the female subjects were over 80 years. Their predominant past occupation was farming. While 8.3% of the female and no male residents showed a BMI (Body Mass Index) of 27 and above, about 30% of the subjects were underweight and in poor health status in seeing, joint pains, lumbago and shoulder pains. Regarding overall health status, 72.1% of the subjects considered them to be in poor health, and female and male subjects suffered more difficulties from cloudy eyes, joint pains and lumbago and shoulder pains than any other. Neuralgia was the predominant chronic complaint and followed by hypertension in both sexes. Overall, female subjects felt worse off than the male subjects in terms of their health status, that can be attributed to higher average age of the female subjects compared to the male subjects. The elderly were eating a very low fat (about 15 g : 6% of total calorie) diet with low vitamin A and E. Intakes of calories, protein and iron slightly exceeded RDA. The phosphorus intake was more than double the RDA although calcium intake was close to the RDA. From these results, it seems important to doubling the fat intake of the elderly residents in the form of vegetable fat with the object of raising of vitamin E, antioxidant vitamin, and essential fatty acids for the elderly. It is also recommended that the elderly residents should be given adequate calcium and exercise for bone health.

• The Korean Journal of Community Living Science
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.123-139
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• 2006

The purpose of this study is to search how to promote health and improve nutrition and health care of the elderly people in rural area. Behaviors for health promotion and habits against health risk were surveyed. Dietary management was analyzed for surveyed nutrient intake by 24 hr -recall method. 242 subjects were collected in 12 cities or counties in Gyeonggi Province and 20 elderly people (10 male and 10 female) were selected out of 1 village in each district. Questionnaire for health behavior and dietary management was carried out by trained interviewers. Statistical analyses were made by SAS (version 8.1) and Chi-square tests and General Linear Models were used. Characteristics of the elderly people were 61-74 year-olds (68.2%), elementary school educated (78.4%), with spouse (51.7%), monthly living cost of 500-1,000 thousand won(43.4%), and monthly pocket money of 50-100 or 100-200 thousand won(33.5%, 26.5%). 41.4% of the subjects checked up medical examination regularly. The alcohol drinking status was significantly different according to gender: high no-drink rate of female (52.5%) and low no-drink rate of male (25.6%). Kinds of disease were different according to gender: higher proportion of cardiovascular disease(46.3%) and diabetes mellitus(8.1 %) in male and joint lumbago neuralgia(44.4%) and osteoporosis(8.6%) in female. Gastrointestinal complaints were nausea (69.0%) and chronic indigestion (17.8%). Constipation (12.0%) and vomiting (4.3%) were more frequent in female. Dietary management was good (3 meals per day: 93.4%., dining with family: 72.4%, regular mealtime: 72.4%, and 3-4 times of snacks per week: 44.9%) except side dish taking of 3-4 kinds only. However, almost one-third of the female elderly ate alone (30.6%) which was well compared with one-fifth of the male (19.7%). And food and nutrients intake were not significantly different according to gender except that male elderly's intake of energy and protein was lower than that of female's. The surveyed subjects had no difficulties in Activities of Daily Living (ADL), but some female elderly had some difficulties with Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL) like working at home, using transport, and going shopping. These results suggest that low quality of life linked with low economic status of the rural elderly and that congregate meal at village hall would be required for the female elderly eating alone. For the undernourished male elderly, it would be needed to provide snacks and to establish nutrition and health surveillance system.