• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.78-87
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• 2017

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to identify factors influencing the quality of life of the elderly living alone and living with their families with regard to their health statuses and health behavior experiences. Methods: We used source data from the 2014 Community Health Survey. The subjects of this study included some elderly people aged 65 and over, and analyzed the data of 13,373 elders living alone and 13,322 elders living with family. Results: Factors influencing the quality of life of the elderly living alone and living with their families include gender, age, education, household income, current occupation, subjective stress level, depression, number of diagnosed diseases, walking exercise, the experience of health screening, and the experience of not having necessary medical services (p<.001). Region was a significant variable influencing the quality of life of the elderly living with their families (p<.001). Conclusion: In order to improve the quality of life of the elderly, it is necessary to provide sound conditions for working, emotional support, walking exercise and promotion of health screening, and to supplement the environment and institution for them to receive necessary medical services.

• Journal of Family Resource Management and Policy Review
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.17-34
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• 2019

Older women who live alone are among society's most vulnerable people, since they experience increased risk of multiple chronic diseases and have limited financial protection. This can lead older women living alone to catastrophic health expenditure(CHE), which is defined as a healthcare expenditure that exceeds a certain portion of a household's ability to pay. Using the Korean Longitudinal Study of Ageing(KLoSA), this study investigated the incidence of CHE among older women living alone and identified the factors related to this incidence. Applying health expenditure thresholds of 10%, 20%, 30% and 40% of ability to pay, the proportions of those with CHE were 41.3%, 22.9%, 14.6%, and 9.4%, respectively. Logistic regression models were used to identify factors related to CHE incidence, which include demographics, income, the number of chronic diseases, perceived health status, and health insurance type. The results show that the health care safety net in South Korea is insufficient for older women living alone. The findings can guide policymakers in improving healthcare and welfare policies to protect people from catastrophic payments. Particularly, welfare policies should be established for poor non-recipients who are not included within the benefits scope of the National Basic Livelihood Security System due to the unrealistic criteria of income recognition and family support obligation.

• Journal of the Korea Convergence Society
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.267-274
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• 2021

This paper examines the impact of the Basic Pension scheme in terms of poverty reduction and income distribution among elderly households by focusing on the differences in the household type. It compares the data before (2013) and after (2016, 2019) the introduction of Basic Pension by using Household Income and Expenditure Survey data. Empirical analyses indicate that, first, the overall income and the public income transfer of the elderly households increased during the period compared. Second, the poverty rate was considerably higher for the elderly living alone than for other household types. The government policy led to poverty-reduction for all types of elderly households, wherein the effect was most profound in the case of elderly living with spouse. Third, income distribution improved for all types of elderly households, though maximum margin was observed in the case of the elderly living alone. Fourth, according to the multivariate logit regression, the Basic Pension had a positive impact on reducing the risk of poverty (defined as below 40% of median income) among the elderly households.

• Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.21-28
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• 2005

In order to investigate the differences in nutrient intakes and eating habits between people living alone and people living together with family or others by age group, dietary survey data of the subjects aged 20 years or older from 2001 Korean National Health and Nutrition Survey were analyzed. Living status of the subjects was defined as 'single' when the subjects' household member was one person. Age, gender, income, education were adjusted during the comparative analysis. The subjects living alone had diets with lower score of nutritional adequacy ratio and lower quality, and drank more alcoholic beverages when compared with the subjects living together. Females were more greatly affected in dietary intakes by living alone situation than males. Of the four age groups, a group with ages from 30 to 39 years showed less nutrient intake patterns in persons living alone than in persons living together, but the rest three groups with ages from 20 to 29, from 50 to 64, and 65 or older did not show any significant differences. Eating habits of the subjects living alone, such as skipping meals, kinds of snacks, dining-out, were worse as a whole than the other. In conclusion, single living particularly of females or of 30 to 39 years of age group had negative influences on dietary intakes and behavior. There may be statistical errors if socioeconomic and demographic factors such as age, gender, income, and education are not controlled in the population study investigating the effect of living alone on dietary intakes. Further studies will be needed to know the age-specific reasons for the worse nutrient intakes of single living persons.

• 한국노년학
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.169-185
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• 2021

This study investigated whether the increased Basic Pension amount in 2014 affect the level of depression of recipients and whether the effect differs according to three groups by household type(living-alone male, living-alone female, and couple households). Data from two waves of the Korean Longitudinal Study of Ageing(KLoSA) in 2012 (before the introduction of the Basic Pension) and 2016 (after the introduction of the Basic Pension), the elderly aged 65 years or older as of 2012 and the recipients of the basic pension in 2016 (N=2,277) were analyzed. Using the statistical package SPSS 25, mean comparison and multiple regression analyses were implemented. The results confirmed that the level of depression in female elderly living alone and married couples significantly decreased after the introduction of the Basic Pension, while there was no significant change in the level of depression in male elderly living alone. As results of regression analysis in the whole sample, the increased Basic Pension amount had an effect on the depression level of recipients in 2016, the higher the Basic Pension increase, the lower the depression level. Also, the regression analyses among the three groups by household type found that the significant effect of raising the basic pension on depression was reported only in elderly women living alone. Based on the main results of this study, implications were presented.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.302-316
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• 2023

Objectives: The study aim was to identify changes in the nutritional status of older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic according to household income and demographic characteristics. Methods: Study participants were 2,408 adults aged 65 and over who participated in the 2019-2020 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES). To examine changes in nutrient intake levels resulting from COVID-19, data of 2019 and of 2020 were compared. Study participants were divided into three groups based on household income level to compare these changes. The changes were compared according to household income level, age group, and household type. Results: Percentages of recommended intakes for energy, protein, and most micronutrients were the lowest for the low-income group of both males and females in 2020. The Mean Adequacy Ratio (MAR) score was the lowest for the low-income group in both years. When comparing nutrient density for 2019 and 2020 by income group, the male low-income group experienced a decrease in nutrient densities of vitamin A, thiamine, calcium, and iron. For the same group, a decreased percentage for energy intake from protein was noted. Fruit intake was lowest in the low-income group for both males and females. Low-income males had the lowest intake levels for meat, fish, eggs, and legumes in both 2019 and 2020 and the lowest milk and milk product intake levels in 2020. Older adults living alone or single older adults with children had lower MAR scores than those living with a spouse. Older adults living alone experienced decreases in energy and thiamine and iron intake levels in 2020 compared to their intake levels in 2019. Conclusions: Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, nutrition intake levels worsened for older adult males in the low-income group and older adults living alone. This finding shows the need for a more systematic nutritional support strategy for the vulnerable older adults population in national disaster situations.

• Journal of the Korean Home Economics Association
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.85-97
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• 2000

The goal of this study is mainly to improve the quality of life for the elderly by understanding the actual condition of the home management which includes their family relationship, family finance, and household work carried out in their domestic lives and diagnosing problems possibly restated from the condition. The result includes the following. The characteristics of rural elderly living alone: They have lived in rural area since their marriage which is over 40 years long in average, The tend to be satisfied with living apart themselves. The majority of the families are the first son in their family. In home management regard: First, in family relationship, the way the elderly in their nuclear family state communicate with their spouse is limited, and they hardly speaks together. So it is encouraged for couples to forge their own specific relationship and to plan for their odd age in their younger age. Also, they tend to be satisfied with living separated from their children, but at the same time, the closer they live in distance from their children, the more often they meet their children as well as they talk on the phone. They especially depend on their first son for offerings for ancestors and matters to occur after their death, while they get emotional support from daughters. Second, in family finance, their income varies in range from 200,000 to 3,000,000 won. In the majority f the famines, the wives are in charge of finance. The cost of living is mainly spent on flood, clothing, and housing, or the cost of offerings for ancestors if they are the head family. Third, Meanwhile, the housewives under 70 years old are positive about household work and tend to consider it pleasant for their children and their husband. Generally, the older they are, the more they dislike household labor. For example, food preparation is especially considered a major problem. Community dinning rooms, food delivery service, volunteers, and home helper and neighborhood could be help.

• The Korean Journal of Community Living Science
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.147-160
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• 2007

This research challenges the general notion of one-person households of the elderly during widowhood as impoverished, isolated, and vulnerable. Recognizing a high potential vulnerability, however, this research attempts to describe the diverse composition of one-person households of the elderly. For this purpose, relying on 2% sample data from the 2000 census, it examines regional distribution, socio-economic characteristics, and determinants of one-person households of the elderly during widowhood. Socio-economic characteristics of one-person households of the elderly differ by region. Jeju island is distinct in terms of sex and age distribution, and residence area of children. In general, rates of economic activity and self-subsistence are higher in provinces than in cities. Compared to the elderly living with family, the elderly living alone show high rates of economic activity, self-subsistence, and capability of physical activity. Results of logistic regression analysis of determinants of living arrangement are consistent with those of descriptive statistics. Those who are economically active and able to move around without assistance tend to live alone after the death of a spouse. Number of sons and living in an urban area are negatively associated with living alone, whereas females are more likely than males to live alone. According to the separate analysis by age, the positive effect of economic activity is greater in the oldest of the old than in other age groups. Those who possess high educational attainment tend to live alone when they are 80 and older, unlike other age groups. Based on these findings, this paper finds that one-person households of the elderly nay not always be the most vulnerable group, and are diverse in terms of socioeconomic characteristics.

• Journal of East-West Nursing Research
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.97-106
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• 2017

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to identify the factors influencing the happiness according to gender of the elderly living alone. Methods: This cross-sectional study used the raw data from the 2015 Community Health Survey. The subjects of this study were 14,705 elderly people aged 65 years or older, of which 2,198 were male elderly and 12,507 were female elderly. Results: The factors influencing the happiness of both male and female elderly were household income, depression, subjective stress level, subjective health level, quality of life, and lack of required medical service experience (p<.05). In addition, the male elderly were affected by the age, and the female elderly were affected by education, sleep time, walking and breakfast practice, and health screening (p<.05). Conclusions: It is necessary to develop and apply programs that can reduce the stress to increase the happiness of the elderly living alone, and efforts should be made not to cause a blind spot in terms of the health and welfare of the elderly living alone.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Culture
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• v.38 no.6
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• pp.392-401
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• 2023

This study aimed to investigate the dietary changes among adults living alone during the COVID-19 pandemic in the Republic of Korea. An online survey was conducted to examine dietary changes before (in 2019) and during (in 2021) the pandemic. The data from 337 adults living alone who responded to the survey were used for analysis. The proportion of the respondents reporting frequent food consumption at convenience stores (≥3 times/week) increased during the pandemic (p=0.024), and the proportion of those frequently eating ready-to-eat and ready-to-cook food (≥3 times/week) was more than doubled (p<0.001). Additionally, the proportion of those frequently consuming delivered food (≥3 times/week) increased by 2.5 times (p<0.001). In conclusion, the dietary habits of adults living alone changed significantly during the COVID-19 pandemic, which may have a negative impact on their health. Therefore, the development of customized nutrition management programs to improve the dietary habits of adults living alone during emergencies like a pandemic is deemed necessary. This study can serve as a foundation for understanding the dietary changes of adults living alone in prolonged crisis.