• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.391-399
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• 2007

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate stress, depression and health risk behaviors in elderly people. Methods: The subjects were 238 Korean elders who had visited the convalescent center. The level of stress was measured by the Korean version of BEPSI, which was developed by Bae, Jeung & Yoo (1992) and modified by Yim et al.(1996). CES-D was used to measure the level of depression. For health risk behaviors, we measured cigarette consumption and alcohol drinking during the last one month. Results: Of the subjects, 17.4% were excessive drinkers and 18.9% were currently smokers. The level of stress was between moderate and high, and 62.7% of the subjects were depressed. There were significant differences in stress and depression according to economic status and self-reported health. In addition, depression had positive correlations with stress and QF score. Conclusion: Stress and depression management programs for the elderly are needed. These findings indicate that nurses must consider stress and alcohol drinking when they take care of depressed elderly people.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.104-110
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• 2013

Objectives : The aim of this study was to examine the prospective impact of the apolipoprotein E (APOE) ${\varepsilon}4$ on cognitive performance in the community-dwelling elderly individuals with Alzheimer's disease (AD). Methods : The total number of subjects was 30 (12 men and 18 women) who were diagnosed with AD from a Korean project of "Early Detection of Dementia". People aged 65-85 years were included in the analysis. The eight neuropsychological domains from the Korean version of Consortium to Establish a Registry of Alzheimer's Disease (CERAD-K) were conducted to test subjects. They have been followed at 24-month intervals with the same assessments at each interval. Their cognitive performance at 2 year intervals was compared by the occurrence of the APOE ${\varepsilon}4$. Results : The impact of ${\varepsilon}4$ allele was significant in the Word List Memory Test (WLMT, F = 4.345, df = 1, p = 0.021) and Word List Recall Test (WLRT, F = 5.569, df = 1, p = 0.033). Conclusions : The APOE ${\varepsilon}4$ allele was significantly correlated especially with verbal episodic memory domain in community-dwelling elders diagnosed with AD.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.12-22
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• 2009

Purpose: This study was done to investigate factors associated with depression and quality of life (QoL) among the community-dwelling elderly. Methods: This study used a descriptive correlational research design. The subjects were 730 elders aged over 65 living in D district of Daegu. Data were collected using questionnaires for 30 days in April, 2007. The research instruments utilized in this study were a physical function scale of long-term care insurance system, Geriatric Depression Scale Short Form Korea Version (GDSSF-K), and Korean Quality of Life Scale (KoQoLs). The collected data were analyzed by descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA, Duncan, stepwise multiple regression, and Spearman correlation. Results: The mean age of the subjects was 72.6, and 68.8% and 57.9% of subjects were, respectively, female and living alone. 12.3% of variance in depression was explained by age, education, economic status, subjective health, alcohol consumption, condition of teeth, and fall experience. 18.2% of variance in QoL was explained by economic status, number of diseases, condition of teeth, incontinence, paralysis, and IADL. Economic status and condition of teeth were contributing factors to depression and QoL of the elderly. Conclusion: Findings of this study may be useful in understanding the health status of the community-dwelling elderly and developing more regionally specific health promotion strategies.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.175-181
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• 2014

Objectives It was the aim to examine the association of the thyroid-related hormones with cognitive function, depression, and subjective memory impairment in community-dwelling elders with questionable dementia. Methods The sample consisted of 399 community residents with 'questionable dementia' aged 60 or over in whom serum thyroid-related hormones [thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) and thyroxine] had been assayed. Cognitive impairment was defined using the Korean version of the Consortium Establish a Registry for Alzheimer's Disease. Depression was diagnosed using the Korean version of Geriatric Depression Scale and subjective memory complaint (SMC) was checked using the subjective memory complaints questionnaire (SMCQ). Age, gender, education, and the presence of apolipoprotein E {\varepsilon}4 were included as covariates. Results There was a significant positive association between verbal fluency test (VFT) score and serum TSH levels (p = 0.01). There was a significant negative association between SMCQ total score and word list memory test (WLMT)(p = 0.002) or word list recall test (WLRT) score (p = 0.013). Conclusions Lower serum TSH levels were associated with semantic memory (VFT), and we found that SMC was associated with episodic memory (WLMT and WLRT) in this sample.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.24-32
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• 2014

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to describe the prevalence of suicidal ideation and to investigate related factors contributing to suicidal ideation in elderly people with focus on comparison of gender differences. Methods: From the database of the Fourth Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES-IV), the researchers selected 3,164 old adults aged over 65. The original study was a population-based epidemiological survey of health and nutrition in a stratified multistage clustered probability design. Data were analyzed by using ${\chi}^2$-test and t-test and multiple logistic regression with the SPSS/WIN18.0 program. Results: Suicidal ideation in women (37.5%) occurred more frequently than men (17.5%). Depression, stress, restriction on activities and quality of life were significant variables of suicidal ideation in both the men and women aged 65 over. Low educational levels and economic states were significantly associated with suicidal ideation in men but not in women. Conclusion: The development of a suicide prevention program for elders requires different approaches to the genders respectively. It is also recommended that programs be developed that can help control the variables identified in this study along with a follow-up study for verifying the model.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.42 no.7
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• pp.965-973
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• 2012

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate a self-care program for elders with osteoarthritis managed by primary health care workers, Community Health Practitioners (CHPs), in rural Korea. Methods: The self-care program, consisting of 7 areas, was evaluated with a randomized experimental study for patients over age 60 with osteoarthritis in which 150 participants in the experimental group and 140 in the control group were compared. The self-care program was implemented for six weeks, 2 hours per week, at community health posts by CHPs. Data were collected using an interview questionnaire given by the CHPs and laboratory tests before and after the intervention for both groups. Propensity score matching analysis was done to test effectiveness after controlling for confounding variables. Results: The intervention group showed a significant decrease in the number of painful joints (p<.001) and a significant increase in self-care ability (p<.05) compared to the control group. Conclusion: Study results indicate that training and utilizing primary health care workers in rural areas is valuable in increasing the generalization and continuity of intervention programs. As arthritis should be managed life-long, CHP directed self-care programs are useful interventions for rural elders with arthritis to learn self-care management.

• Journal of Korean Public Health Nursing
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.551-563
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• 2013

Purpose: This study was conducted in order to investigate the incidence and associated factors of suicidal ideation among the elderly according to residence area. Methods: This cross-sectional study used secondary data from the 2011 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES V-2). A representative sample of 1,464 men and women aged 65 and over was selected. Rao-scott $X^2$-test, multiple logistic regression models based on sampling scheme of the data were used. Results: Of the 1,464 respondents, 22.4% had experienced suicidal ideation during the past year. Higher incidence of suicidal ideation was observed in rural seniors (23.7%) than in urban seniors (21.1%). The incidence of suicidal ideation showed correlation with age, education level, depression, stress, lying in a sick bed, and current smoking status among elderly living in urban areas. However, among elderly living in rural areas, the incidence of suicidal ideation showed correlation with household income, depression, stress, and daily activity. Conclusion: Based on the results, nurses should manage effective and individualized nursing interventions for elders in planning suicide prevention programs with consideration for residence areas, because there were differences in the factors affecting suicidal ideation among elders according to residence area.

• Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.97-107
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• 2015

Objectives: The current study aims to examine whether the influence of National Long-term Care Insurance(NLCI) on the quality of life(QoL) trajectory of older adults with disabilities is more positive than its influence on those without disabilities. Methods: Sample consisted of 5,362 elderly aged 65 and over who participated in the Korean Welfare Panel Study from Wave1 to Wave7. Data were analyzed using latent growth curve modeling. Results: Major findings are as follows. (1) Before the NLCI, the trajectories of QoL between older adults with disabilities and those without were same. (2) After the NLCI, elders with disabilities showed lower levels of QoL at the beginning, but the gaps gradually decreased with time. These results indicate that the implementation of NLCI more positively affected elders with disabilities than those without disabilities. Conclusions: These results suggest that the NLCI functions properly as one of social security nets to cope with the needs of older adults with disabilities. In conclusion, it is critical to develop a sustainable NLCI system to enhance the QoL of older adults with disabilities.

• Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.61-75
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• 2012

Objectives: A great number of the elderly are not aware of having metabolic syndrome, and this pattern differs among regions of the nation. This issue is particularly important for the elderly people with chronic diseases. This study was conducted in order to identify the prevalence, predicting factors of perception and exercise behaviors of among the elderly population. Methods: Using data from the 2009 Korean Community Health Survey, we employed two-level logistic regression models to determine whether individual and community factors are associated with perception and exercise behaviors among the elderly population. Results: Results from weighted two-level logistic regression analyses indicated the individual-level factors of smoking, education level, health center education, community exercise program participation and unmet needs in men, and marital status (being separated), health center education women predicted the elders' perception. As for the community-level predictors, higher smoking and living in regions with high suicide rates significantly predicted the elders' perception and exercise behaviors of metabolic syndrome. Conclusions: These findings demonstrate that education according to stage would increase the perception and motivation toward healthier behavior particularly for the elderly with lower perception levels of metabolic syndrome.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.410-419
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• 2007

Purpose: This study is a descriptive survey to find out musculoskeletal symptoms in care workers working at medical welfare facilities for elders and factors affecting such symptoms. Methods: Data were collected from 115 care workers selected through convenient sampling from 6 medical welfare facilities in Seoul and Gyeonggi-do during the period from May 15th to May 19th. 2006. The Korean version of Job Content Questionnaire (JCQ) were used. Result: Of the subjects, 81.7% complained of musculoskeletal symptoms in two or more parts of their body. The frequency of body parts with musculoskeletal symptoms was high in order of shoulder, leg/foot, waist, neck/hand/wrist/finger and arm/elbow. The average job insecurity instability in the age group of 50-59 was 9.19, the average degree of regular exercise was 59.68. and the average job demand in those diagnosed with musculoskeletal diseases was 47.06, and the average job demand in those wounded during exercise or by an accident was 47.78, and all these were statistically significant. The heavier physical load in their work was, the higher their complaint of musculoskeletal symptoms was. In the lower social support group, the degree of complaint on musculoskeletal symptoms was remarkably high. Conclusion: The physical load of their duty and social support worked as the factors affecting musculoskeletal symptoms in care workers.