• Journal of Korean Biological Nursing Science
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.98-106
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• 2017

Purpose: This study aimed to analyze the relationships between the factors affecting health levels of the elderly in rural areas. Methods: Subjects were 257 elderly people residing in rural areas of six cities and Gangwon Province. Data was collected through questionnaires (demographic and socioeconomic status, social resources, health behaviors, physical environment, psychological tendency and general health levels) and was analyzed by using multiple regression and Sobel test. Results: The demographic and socioeconomic characteristics of the subjects exerted statistically significant influence on their social resources, health behaviors, physical environment, and psychological tendencies. The demographic and socioeconomic characteristics, social resources, health behaviors, physical environment, and psychological tendencies, in turn, exerted a statistically significant influence on the health level. The social resources had mediating effects on the relationship between income, one of the demographic and socioeconomic characteristics, and health level. The residential environments had mediating effects on the relationship between income and health level. The psychological tendency had mediating effects on the relationship between income and health level. Conclusion: This study suggests that income is an important factor affecting health level among rural elderly people. In addition, social resources, health behaviors, physical environment, and psychological tendencies among them also affect health level, so it is necessary to make strategies to improve these factors.

• Korean Journal of Social Welfare
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• v.64 no.4
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• pp.163-188
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• 2012

This study examines recent trends in income inequality among the elderly in Korea. Aggregate income inequality trends are explained by examining evidence from inequality index decomposition by population subgroup and by income source. Data come from Korean Labor and Income Panel Study(KLIPS). The results are as follows. First, elderly income inequality increased from 1999 to 2002, and then decreased until 2008. Second, household composition changes appear to have disequalizing influence. The proportion of elderly people who are economically dependent on non-elderly family member or living with adult children has declined. Equalizing influence of private transfers also decreased between 2002 and 2008. These results indicate that the redistributive role of family has weakened over time. Third, the improvement of education level and changing occupational structure among the elderly household head contributed to increase in elderly income inequality. Fourth, earning's factor share has declined steadily, and the diminishing role of earnings provides equalizing influence on elderly income inequality from 2002 to 2008. Fifth, the impact of recent expansion of social insurance has changed over time. Inequality contribution of social insurance income increased from 1999 to 2002, and then decreased from 2002 to 2008.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
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• v.16 no.10
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• pp.49-57
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• 2018

This study aims to identify the inequalities and characteristics of health care expenditure of the elderly and non-elderly households by income level. As a result, health care expenditure of elderly households was statistically significantly higher than that of non-elderly households. As a result of calculating the concentration index of health care expenditure by income level, inequality was higher in order of non-elderly households, elderly households, and total households. In order to confirm the effect of health expenditure on household income inequality, we calculated the concentration index of income excluding total health care expenditure from total income. As a result, inequality was higher in order of elderly households, whole households, and non-elderly households. There was not much difference in inequality of health care expenditure among elderly households and non-elderly households. And, the health care expenditure of elderly households was much higher than that of non-elderly households. Also, inequality of health care expenditure by income group was serious. There should be no cases where the medical care support policy for elderly households can not use necessary medical services.

• Journal of Korean Public Health Nursing
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.78-90
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• 2009

Purpose: This study investigated depression, ADL, ADL, QOL, and their relationships to examine the physical and, emotional health status of low income elderly in the local community. Methods: The subjects included 507 elderly 65 years of age in Jeonju, Korea. Data were collected through personal interviews with questionnaires. Results: The average depression score of the subjects was 8.7. There was significant difference in the level of depression as a function of the level of education and perceived health status. The items showing the highest level of functioning in ADL were consciousness and recognition, and the item combining the highest leveling of functioning in IADL was using phones. Regarding ADL and IADL, there were statistically significant differences in age. living condition and perceived health status. The levels of quality of life of the subjects were significantly different with respect to gender and, perceived health status. There were statistically significant correlations between the subjects' depression, ADL, IADL, and QOL. Conclusions: The findings indicate that the low income elderly in the local community were in poor physical and, psychological health. Based upon the outcome, health promotion programs to improve depression, ADL, and IADL of low income elderly in the community are needed.

• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.217-226
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• 2018

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to find out differences in oral health status, defined as their oral health and oral health quality of life among the elderly depending on their income and education levels. Methods: This study used 922 senior citizens over 65 from the data (2015) of the 6th National Health and Nutrition Survey (NHNS). The regression analysis was adopted to identify factors affecting their oral health status which has effect on their oral health quality of life. The statistical package SPSS 21.0 was employed. Frequency analysis, chi-squared analysis and regression analysis were used, and the significance level or Cronbach's alpha value was 0.05. Results: Depending on income levels, there were differences in their oral health status as to whether they use oral hygiene products, take dental examinations, join private health-insurances, and delay dental treatments or not. And educational levels also made significant differences in their oral health status as to whether they smoke, drink alcohol, how many times they brush teeth a day, whether they use oral hygiene products, take dental treatments, and join private health-insurances. Regression analysis on the relationship between their oral health status and the oral health quality of life showed that there were significant differences depending on whether they take dental treatments, delay dental medical treatments, smoke, take oral examinations, how many times they brush teeth a day, and whether they use oral hygiene products, or join private health-insurances. Conclusions: The study shows that a comprehensive plan is needed to raise attention on proper oral health-care and ultimately to improve the quality of life by considering the daily number of tooth brushing, oral hygiene product use, regular dental treatments, and other medical uses.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.472-481
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• 2017

Purpose: The purpose of this study were to compare working condition, socioeconomic status, and health status between elderly and non-elderly workers and to examine the influencing factors of health status according to age groups. Methods: This study is a secondary analysis of data extracted from the 2014 Korean Working Conditions Survey. For the present analysis, 15,980 elderly workers over the age of 55 and 32,037 non-elderly workers under the age of 55 were selected. Results: The prevalence of subjective unhealthy status and poor mental health were significantly higher among the elderly workers than the non-elderly workers. The elderly workers were more likely to have lower level of education and income than the non-elderly workers. They also reported less support from colleagues and managers, however, have more decision authority. Among the elderly workers, long working hours, awkward posture, physical environmental risks, quantitative demand, decision authority, social support, age discrimination, education level, and income level were significant predictors of subjective health status or mental health. Conclusion: For keeping elderly workers healthy and productive, work environment needs to become more age-friendly. An age-friendly workplace may include: accommodative support, workers' participation, minimization of environment risk, etc.

• Journal of Families and Better Life
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.103-116
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• 2003

The purpose of this study was to examine the economic status of retired elderly households. This study especially looked for the differences in the economic status among retired elderly households and the level of subjective financial strain. The data were drawn from the data of 2000 Korean Labor and Income Panel Study (KLIPS) conducted by the Korea Labor Institute. The major findings are as follows: 1) The levels of income in the retired households were found to be lower than those of the employed elderly households, and the transfer income took the biggest portion out of 5 income types reflecting high economic dependency. 2) The levels of expenditure were found to be similar to the minimum living cost, and the food cost at home was 41.9% of the expenditure. 3) About 40% and 27.3% of households reported that they felt financial strain due to food expenditures at home and health care respectively. 4) Ninety percent of all assets were found to be real estate, reflecting the lack of asset liquidity. Further, retired elderly households were classified as 'not at all strained financially', 'moderate', 'seriously strained', and 'extremely strained' groups according to their subjective assessment. The last two groups showed the lower level of income and expenditures than the first two groups. In particular, 26.5% of retired elderly households belonged to 'extremely strained' group and showed very serious economic problems.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.412-421
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• 2019

Background: The purpose of this study was to identify the status of Successful Aging among the elderly aged 65 and over in rural areas and to compare factors related with Successful Aging between "kyung-ro-dang" users and non-users. Methods: A total of 181 elderly aged 65 or older were selected from four districts (Heung-upri, Mejiri, Sajerri, and Daeanri) of Wonju city. A survey method using face to face interviews was applied to collect information. Successful aging was measured on a 5-point Likert-type scale using the successful aging scale developed for the Korean elderly, which indicates the higher the score, the higher the level of successful aging. Descriptive statistics, bivariate, and multivariate analyses were computed; the level of significance was set at 5%. Hierarchical polynomial regression was applied to find out the factors associated with successful aging. Results: Of the total, 112 elders used kyung-ro-dang and 69 elders who did not use kyung-ro-dang. The level of successful aging of the elderly was higher among kyung-ro-dang users than non-users. The factors related to successful aging among kyung-ro-dang users were walking and social participation. Users who walk more than 4 times per week and social participation activities have a higher level of satisfaction. In the case of non-users, a higher level of monthly income, having a spouse, social support, and social participation associated with a higher level of successful aging. Conclusion: Monthly income, social participation, and social factors were found to be related to successful aging along with physical and mental health conditions among the elderly in rural areas. Therefore, it can be concluded that income, social as well as mental and physical factors, are more critical for successful aging in the rural community care in Korea.

• 한국노년학
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.1559-1575
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• 2009

As the basic old-age pension system was enforced in 2008, the base for old-age income security was founded. However, due to the basic old-age pension played a minor role as assistant allowance, it did not reach to sufficient level to cover full income security system. It is estimated that the dependency on private transfer income among the elderly who are difficult to be economically independent is still high. Therefore the poverty rate of the elderly households, who are not economically active or who are not protected by old-age income security system, is more likely to be higher than that of non-elderly households. Based on the assumption that public transfer income system should become a central means of old-age life guarantee, this study examined the poverty mitigation effects among the elderly households by comparing the private transfer income and the public transfer income. For this purpose, we selected single-elderly-households who have been considered the most vulnerable to poverty. We used 2006- 2008 Household Income and Expenditure Survey dataset that contained single-elderly who were older than 65 years old. To understand the conditions of poverty among single-elderly-households and the degree of poverty-reducing effect originated from income transfer system, we compared the poverty rates of total households and the whole elderly households. Next, we analysed the poverty of the single-elderly-households by social demographic factors such as gender, age, and economic activity. Our major findings are as follows: First, the poverty rate of the whole elderly households were not reduced, even though the basic old-age pension and long-term care management system were enforced in 2008. Second, half of the elderly households including single-elderly-households belonged to the absolute poverty line. Relatively higher level of poverty among the single-elderly-households was found especially those who were female, unemployed, low-educated, older, and rural single-elderly-households. Third, the effect of the public transfer income on mitigating the single-elderly-households poverty showed a little progress. However, even greater poverty reducing effect was found by the private transfer income system. Fourth, in a group of the public transfer systems, the public assistance such as supporting living costs contributed more to reduce poverty of the elderly population than the public pension system did.

• Journal of the Korean Home Economics Association
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.165-180
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• 2003

The number of the functionally disabled elderly has been increasing in Korea and their families should have been in charge of supporting and taking care of them. This study was designed to grope for devices which were helpful to improve the psychological welfare of the functionally disabled elderly in the present situation. The results of this study were as follows: First, considering the level of psychological welfare of the functionally disabled elderly, the depression degree of the subjects was 52.9 which was higher than the middle point, 50. And the degree of family support the functionally disabled elderly were aware of, it also was high ; the score was 34.6 compared to the middle point, 33. On the other hand, the degree of public support that the functionally disabled elderly received was 2.01 which was lower than the middle point, 4.5. Second, the level of the depression of the functionally disabled elderly followed by background variables, the degree of agreement with family support, and public support represented significant differences among group according to religion, the type of previous occupation, the ownership of house, the type of residence, the presence of spouse, education level, and the source of income. Third, the relative influence toward the depression of the functionally disabled elderly was shown in the order of importance as follows: family support, the degree of functional disability, the ownership of house, public support, the presence of spouse, the source of income, the number of daughters, the degree of functional disablity.