• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.173-180
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• 2019

Objectives : Loneliness is associated with negative mental and physical health. However, little is known about the risk factors of loneliness in the Korean elderly living alone. The aim of this study was to examine sociodemographic and social network related risks for loneliness among the elderly living alone. Methods : This is a cross-sectional study that enrolled 1,091 subjects who are the community-residing elderly living alone. Sociodemographic status, medical condition, cognition, mood disorder and levels of loneliness were collected using a self-administered questionnaire and a specific semi-structured interview conducted by a trained nurse. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze data regarding sociodemographic variable and loneliness. Univariate and Multivariate regression analyses were applied to examine factors associated with loneliness. Results : The mean score of loneliness was 3.8 (SD=1.7). No family contact (standardized β=0.115, p<0.001), no religious attendance (standardized β=0.057, p=0.028), no gathering with friends (standardized β=0.088, p=0.001) and high score of Short for of Geriatric Depression Scale (standardized β=0.502, p<0.001) were significantly associated with high loneliness in the elderly living alone. Conclusions : Family function, social network and depressive mood could be significant risk factors for high loneliness in the elderly living alone. Public health promotion efforts to reduce loneliness should focus on improving family function, social network and decreasing depression.

• 한국노년학
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.693-709
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• 2016

This study was to investigate depressive symptoms of caregiving grandmothers in South Korea and related factors focusing on caregiving characteristics. The data were drawn from the fourth wave of Korean Longitudinal Study on Ageing (KLoSA). The study participants were 3,291 grandmothers who had at least one grandchild, and we limited our analysis to 127 grandmothers who had provided care for their grandchild(ren) during the past one year. As for the depressive symptoms, Center for Epidemiological Survey-Depression 10(CES-D 10) short version were applied. Caregiving characteristics including caregiving duration by weeks per year, caregiving hours per week and the number of grandchildren who received grandmother care were examined. A multiple logistic regression was performed to detect association between caregiving characteristics and depressive symptoms while adjusting for general socioeconomic characteristics and health status of caregiving grandmothers. The longer duration of caregiving lowered the depressive symptoms and in contrast, those who spent more hours for providing care to their grandchildren were more exposed to the depressive symptoms. Physical pain significantly increased their depressive symptoms and low income level were more likely to induce depressive symptoms. More detailed studies on grandchild caregiving patterns among grandmothers were needed. Also, tailored support policy and services should be considered to alleviate their burden and depression in the future.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.60-70
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• 2021

The purpose of this study was to promote an understanding of suicidal ideation and identify the factors that influence suicide ideation according to the life cycle of Korean adults. This study was a secondary analysis study using the Korea Health Panel 2016 data. Among adults over 19 years of age, 14,538 people with no missing values in suicidal ideation and influencing factors were classified into young adults (19-39 years old), middle-aged adults (40-64 years old), and the elderly (65 years or over). The data were analyzed by multiple logistic regression. The results showed that 2.9% (108 people) of young adults, 3.2% (181 people) of middle-aged adults, and 3.7% (80 people) of the elderly had suicide ideation over the past year. Factors influencing suicidal ideation by life cycle were anxiety, depression, drug use and quality of life for young adults, subjective health status, stress, anxiety, depression, drug use and quality of life for middle-aged adults. The factors affecting the elderly were body mass index, stress, anxiety, depression, and quality of life. Therefore, factors influencing suicidal ideation should be considered as a major factor for screening risk groups according to the life cycle, and differentiated intervention programs should be developed and provided to prevent and manage suicide in risk groups.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.121-132
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• 2006

Minerals are extremely important in human metabolism, growth, and tissue repair. The risks of disturbances in mineral nutrition and metabolism are high following menopause. The aim of the study was to investigate the mineal nutrition status in middle-aged women (Pre & Postmenopausal) and the relation to climacteric symptoms. In the present study, we conducted the anthropometric measurement, climacteric symptoms survey and the dietary intakes including macronutrients, vitamins and minerals to assess the nutrient intakes. Also plasma mineral levels (Ca, P, Mg, Na, K, Fe, Cu, Zn) was measured. The participants were 105 middle-aged women (pre=51, Postmenopausal=54). The anthropometric measurement showed that 74% of subjects was overweight and obesity. The energy intakes were 83% of Korean EER. The macromineral intake (Ca, P, Mg, Na, K), Ca, P and Mg were 65%, > 116% and > 107% of Korean RI. Na and K intakes were > 243% and 53% of Korean AI. For the trace mineral intake (Fe, Cu, Zn), Fe, Cu and Zn intakes were 82%, > 146%, and 94% of Korean RI. The serum mineral concentration measurement, in case of Ca, Fe and Zn, > 10% of subjects showed lower level than normal clinical range. The most frequently appeared climacteric symptoms were dry eye, forgetfulness, difficult concentration, shoulder pain, fatique, depression & lonesomeness, backache, snore, dry skin, ankle & knee pain. In relation to mineral nutrition with climacteric symptoms, significant correlations have been founded between Ca intake and difficult concentration, Mg intake and snore, Fe & Zn intake and forgetfulness & dry skin, serum Ca concentration and forgetfulness, serum Na concentration and dry eyes & snore, serum K concentration and shoulder pain. From these results, it has been indicated that some mineral nutrition status may effect the prevention and reduction of climacteric symptoms in pre and postmenopause women.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Industry Convergence
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• v.25 no.5
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• pp.725-739
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• 2022

This study conducted with 268 female elderly who visited welfare center and senior citizen center in Changwon city to identify the dietary status according to social frailty stage using nutrition quotient for elderly (NQ-E). As a result of the survey, 75.0% of the elderly had no nutrition education. The elderly in social frailty stage was 43.7%, pre-frail was 35.1%, and robust was 21.2%. The scores of NQ-E (61.65), balance (47.78), moderation (86.18), and dietary behavior (55.23) were within the medium-high grade, while diversity (48.37) was within the medium-low grade. Among the balance factor item, there was a significant difference only in the frequency of fruit intake according to social frailty stage (p<0.05). Among the diversity factor item, there were significant differences in vegetable intake (p<0.05) and the rate of eating alone (p<0.001) according to social frailty stage. Among the dietary behavior factor item, there were significant differences in whether to strive for a healthy diet (p<0.05), exercise time and depression (p<0.001), and subjective recognition rate of health (p<0.01) according to social frailty stage. Based on these results, education focusing on various food intake is needed, and continuous support from the government and local governments is needed to connect the social support network of the elderly and support programs to prevent them from going to social frailty stage.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.88-117
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• 1990

The purposes of this study are to delineate a profile of the state of a stroke patient's adaptation at 3 months after hospitalization and to explore the relationship between the level of adaptation and the variables which influence the adaptation of hemiplegic patients. To these ends, theoretical framework was derived basically from the stress adaptation model. The basic assumption underlying the level of adaptation is influenced by the presenting focal, contextual and residual stimuli. This group of stimuli is further operationalized and represented by a perception of stress. which is the perceived effect of the disability and by the mediating variables such as sociodemographic factors as an external conditioning variables and perceived social support and hardiness personality characteristics as an internal intervening variables. The dependent varibales in this study is the level of physical, psychological and social adaptation and is hypothesized to be a function of the interaction between 3 sets of variables namely, the perceived disability effect, external conditioning variables and internal intevening varibles. A total of fourty three subjects from 3 general hospitals in Seoul were observed and interviewed with the aid of 7 structured instruments. The data were collected twice on each subject : first at the pre-discharge period arid at 3 months post-discharge from hospital for the second time. The study was carried out for the period from February to August, 1988. The instruments used for the study include 4 existing scales and 3 scales developed by the researcher for this study. They are : 1) The ADL dependency scale and the scale of the clinical physical functions for the assessment of physical adaptation. 2) the SDS(self report of depression) to measure the level of psychological adaptation. 3) The scale for the amount of social activities for the measurement of the level of social adaptation. 4) The scale for the perceived effect of disability for the measurement of the focal stimuli. 5) The health related hardiness scale and the perceived interpersonal support self evaluation list(ISEL) for the measurement of the hardiness personality character and the perceived social support. The data obtained were analyzed using percentage, oneway ANOVA, Pearson coefficients correlation and stepwise multiple regression. The findings provide valuable information about the present level of physical adaptation at 3 months after discharge. The patient revealed a decreased ADL dependency and lowered limitation of physical function as compared with pre - discharge state. Psycholcgically, the average degree of depression at follow up was within normal range of depression. Socially, the amount of social activities was very low. The one way ANOVA and the correlational analysis revealed the relationship between the 3 sets of variables and the adaptation level as follows : 1) The perceived disability effect was related to the degree of the depression and the amount of social activities but was not related to the physical adaptation. 2) Among the sociodemographic variables, sex and education were related to the difference of ADL dependency and the change of physical function. These factors indicate that women more than men and educated more than the less educated were found more independent. The education was also related to the degree of depression suggesting that the higher the educational level, the more well adapted the patients were both physically and psychologically. Age, marital status and job state were not found to be related to the patient's adaptation level. 3) Among the internal intervening variables, the health related hardiness characteristic was related to the differences of ADL dependency, physical functions and the social activities, indicating that the higher the hardiness character the higher the level of physical and social adaptation. 4) The perceived social support, another internal intervening variable, was related to the degree of depression and the social activities. This data suggest that the higher the perception of social support, the better adapted the patients were psychogically and socially. In summarizing the results of the correlational analysis, the level of physical adaptation was influenced by sex, the years of education and the hardiness character. The level of psychological adaptation was influenced by the years of education, the perceived disability effect and the perceived social support. And the level of social adaptation was influenced by the perceived disability effect, the hardiness character and the perceived social support. The stepwise multiple regression analysis shows findings as follows : 1) The most important factor to explain the difference of ADL dependency was sex, indicating females were more independent than males. 2) The most important factor to explain the difference of physical function and the degree of depression was the patient's education level. 3) The strongest explaining factor for the amount of social activities was perceived self esteem(one of the subconcepts of perceived social support). Thus the most important factors influencing the level of adaptation were found to be sex, education, the hardiness character and self esteem. From the above findings, the significance of this study can be delineated as follows : 1) Corroboration of the assumed relationship between the various variables and the adaptation level as suggested in the conceptual model. 2) Support for the feasibility of the cognitive approach for nursing intervention such as hardness character training, counselling and teaching for self-care in the chronic patients.

• Korea Journal of Hospital Management
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.53-66
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• 2022

Aim : The purpose of this study is to investigate the influence of the awareness level of the mandatory employment system for the disabled and the help of the employment increase on the health status of the disabled. Based on this, the purpose of this study is to raise awareness of the compulsory employment system for the disabled and to suggest a way to improve the health of the disabled. Methods : In this study, the first data of the second wave of the 2016-2018 Employment Panel Survey for the Disabled was used to analyze the participation of the disabled in economic activities. a total of 1,648 subjects were analyzed using the chi-square test and generalized estimating equation (GEE). Results : Compared to the group knowing about the compulsory employment system for the disabled, in the group who did not know about the compulsory employment system, the cognitive level was significantly higher for subjective health status (Odds Ratio [OR]: 1.573, 95% Confidence Interval [CI]: 1.252-1.977) and chronic diseases (OR: 1.407, 95% CI: 1.091-1.816), Compared to the group that the compulsory employment system for the disabled is helpful in increasing employment, the group that said it was not helpful at all had depression feel (OR: 2.330, 95% CI: 1.219-4.452) and subjective health status (OR: 2.052, 95% CI: 1.232. -3.416) significantly affected. Conclusion : It was found that the lower the level of awareness and help of the compulsory employment system for the disabled, the negative impact on their health status. Therefore, it is necessary to promote employment growth by raising awareness of the employment system for the disabled. Furthermore, in order to improve the health of the disabled, public relations plans to increase the understanding of the disabled on the system and policies to protect the disabled people who lose their will to work due to difficulties in accessing employment were enacted, and Changes to a disability-friendly working environment should be activated so that participants can participate.

• Journal of dental hygiene science
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.145-152
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• 2015

In this study, PASW Statistics ver. 18.0 was used to analyze the correlation between chewing difficulty and osteoarthritis in the population of 8,498 persons aged 50 years and older who had completed the health related questionnaire in the fifth Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey in 2010~2012. The following conclusion was drawn: The distribution of the chewing difficulty status showed that 38.8% of the respondents had chewing difficulty and that there was no significant difference by gender. Older respondents tended to have significantly greater chewing difficulty 34.3% of the respondents aged from 50 to 64 years and 46.4% of those aged 65 years and older, those who had lower levels of education and income, who were smokers, and who had higher levels of depression and stress suffered from significantly greater chewing difficulty. Chewing difficulty and osteoarthritis were correlated with each other: the respondents having chewing difficulty had 1.44 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.23~1.70) higher prevalence of osteoarthritis than those with no such difficulty. In addition, such correlation was not found in males: the former had 1.36 (95% CI, 0.98~1.88) higher prevalence of osteoarthritis than the latter, which was not statistically significant. Such correlation was found in females: the former had 1.47 (95% CI, 1.22~1.76) higher prevalence of osteoarthritis than the latter, which was statistically significant. Therefore, the chewing difficulty status affected osteoarthritis for females aged 50 years and older. Therefore, the efforts to solve oral health problems through oral hygiene would help prevent osteoarthritis from worsening and manage the condition.

• Korean Security Journal
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• no.62
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• pp.113-134
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• 2020

This study was conducted to examine the influence of the psychological health of the released offenders on their adaptation to community. Researchers analyzed the survey data of 216 participants who received joint marriage support from the Korea Legal Protection and Welfare Corporation. The results showed that the education level, marriage status, and monthly income were having a positive influence on the community adaptation of the released offenders, and the higher the depression and inter-personality among the risk factors of psychological health, the more negative the community adaptation. A higher sense of self-esteem, a psychological health protection factor, has a positive effect on community adaptation while reducing the influence of risk factors, depression and inter-personality. In sum, high self-esteem can contribute to increasing social life satisfaction after release from prison, promote risk factors to positive life changes, suppress negative situations and increase the possibility of successful community adaptation. Although this study confirmed that self-esteem is the most important factor among psychological factors for successful community adaptation of inmates, it will require relevant follow-up research and multi-disciplinary support because psychological factors alone cannot solve the problem.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.98 no.1
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• pp.26-32
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• 2009

The use of natural environments to change lifestyle and health has been long recognized. In particular, forests, trees, and open space have been shown to promote mental health. In this study, we examined the effectiveness of the structured psychotherapeutic program using forest environment ("forest activity program") to improve the symptoms of nine patients with Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) who were taking variable doses of antidepressants. We assessed the depressive symptoms, quality of life, and autonomic nerve regulation among the MDD patients. Hamilton Rating Scales for Depression (HRSD) scores significantly decreased after the forest therapy (13.56 vs. 5.56, p=0.003), and some subscores of Short Form 36 health survey questionnaire (SF-36) and heart rhythm coherence are improved as well. Combined with antidepressant pharmacotherapy, the structured psychotherapeutic program using forest environment showed an improved health status for MDD patients and thus has potential as an adjuvant treatment for MDD, especially for rehabilitation and relapse prevention.