• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
• /
• v.5 no.2
• /
• pp.263-278
• /
• 2005

This study investigated the current oral health conditions of the elderly at home and welfare facilities in their age over 65 years around some rural areas in Gangwon province, which would expect the fewer medical benefits even with lower interest than urban areas, despite of relatively high ratio of elder populations, so that it could prepare a basic document necessary to determine certain planned quantification for the benefit of elder's oral healthcare. As of the end of December 2004 both 50 elders at home and 50 elders at welfare facilities were randomly sampled in their age over 65 years in Samcheok city. As a result of this study, it was found that the elders at welfare facilities scored 15 pts. in DMFT index level typical of oral health conditions, which was higher than the elders at home. In addition, the elders at welfare facilities scored 26.0% in the coexistence of immobile bridge and partial denture higher than the elders at home with regard to the presence of intraoral prosthetic appliance. The results of analyzing the difference in the one-year dental visiting experience of respondents hereof showed that the elders at home were relatively more in ratio(62.0%) than those at welfare facilities, while many of the former group(38.0%) had relatively more handicap in masticatory movement than the latter one with regard to the conditions of dental prosthesis in use. Besides, many of the elders at facilities(30% or more) felt subjective symptoms of periodontal disease including bleeding or swelling, which indicates higher ratio than the elders at home. Finally, the elders at home used to brush their teeth at more frequency on a daily basis than those at facilities, while the latter group suffered general body disease more than the former group. Summing up, it is concluded that a formulated oral healthcare system will become more needed in near future than now for the benefit of the elderly living in welfare facilities, while nationwide policy-level supports would be urgent for them in the aspect of national welfare.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
• /
• v.25 no.1
• /
• pp.54-64
• /
• 2014

Purpose: This study is to measure oral health literacy levels and to identify oral health literacy related factors in elders. Methods: The research design for this study was a descriptive survey design using convenience samples. Data collection was done by using a self-report questionnaire with 321 elders from three welfare centers for the aged and two senior centers located in three cities. Data were analyzed by using percentage, mean, standard deviation, t-test, ANOVA, Scheff$\acute{e}$, Pearson's Correlation Analysis and hierarchical multiple regression with the SPSS Win 18.0 Program. Results: The oral health literacy scores of male elders were higher than those of female elders (t=9.73, p=.002). In hierarchical multiple regression analysis, education levels, smoking and oral health statuses were significant predictors and accounted for 29.8% of the male elders' oral health literacy. For female elders, education levels, health statuses and oral health statuses were significant predictors and accounted for 47.7%. Conclusion: These results suggest that interventions for improving oral health literacy are necessary to enhance elders' ability of self-care management. Also, these results could be used in developing oral health literacy programs.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Fundamentals of Nursing
• /
• v.11 no.1
• /
• pp.92-100
• /
• 2004

Purpose: This study was to provide basic data for comprehensive nursing care for elderly people and to compare the spiritual well-being and perceived health status between elderly people who have above average income and those who have low income. Method: The data were collected from 80 elders with above average income and 81 with low income through face-to-face interviews. An elder was defined as a person over 60 years of age. The data were analyzed using t-test, ANOVA, ANCOVA, Pearson correlation coefficients and Scheffe test. Result: The mean score for spiritual well being for elders with above average income was 2.90 of a total possible score of 4 and for elders with low income, 2.49 and the difference was significant. The mean score for perceived health status for elders with above average income was 8.93 of a total possible score of 14 and for elders with low income, 7.47 and the difference was also significant. There was a statistically positive correlation between existential well-being and perceived health status for the total sample of elderly people and for the elders with low income. Conclusion: Spiritual nursing care should be included in comprehensive health care programs for elderly people in Korea. Especially, it is important to develop nursing interventions for elders with low income that will increase their spiritual well-being and help them to develop positive thinking towards perceived health status.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
• /
• v.42 no.5
• /
• pp.680-688
• /
• 2012

Purpose: The purposes of this study were to explore the effects of family cohesion and subjective happiness on death anxiety of Korean elders and to identify other factors contributing to death anxiety. Methods: The participants were 280 elders who lived in P metropolitan city. Data were collected between November 5, 2011 and January 12, 2012 using the Short Portable Mental Status Questionnaire (SPMSQ), Family Cohesion Evaluation Scale, Subjective Happiness Scale, and Fear of Death Scale (FODS). Data were analyzed using the SPSS/WIN 19.0 program. Results: Family cohesion, marital status, religious activity, perceived health status, and subjective happiness were included in the factors affecting death anxiety of Korean elders. These variables explained 50.1% of death anxiety. Conclusion: The results of the study indicate that these variables should be considered in developing nursing intervention programs to decrease death anxiety and increase family cohesion and subjective happiness for life integration in Korean elders.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
• /
• v.38 no.2
• /
• pp.258-269
• /
• 2008

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to understand and analyze the experience of restoration among Korean elders with suicide ideation. Methods: A phenomenological research method guided data collection and analysis. A total of five elders having had suicide ideation participated. Data were collected through individual in-depth interviews. All interviews were audio taped and transcribed verbatim. Coding was used to establish different concepts and categories. Results: As the results of analysis, the following three constituents have been found as a retrospective focus based on the primary suicide ideation: expanding their view and facing reality, reconstructing their view about life and death as well as self. Conclusion: The results of this study may contribute to health professionals working at various crisis settings to understand Korean elders with suicide ideation.

• Korean Journal of Adult Nursing
• /
• v.23 no.1
• /
• pp.72-86
• /
• 2011

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore and understand the suicide ideation and survival experience of Korean elders in America. Methods: A phenomenological research method guided data collection and analysis. A total of five elders reported having had suicide ideation participated. Data were collected through individual in-depth interviews. All interviews were audio taped and transcribed verbatim. Coding was used to establish different concepts and categories. Results: The following three constituents have been identified: retrospective focus based on the suicide ideation through the immigrant life, facing reality through comparison between the life in America and in Korea, survival skills and constructing view of life. Conclusion: The result of this study may contribute for health professionals working at various crisis settings to understand Korean immigrant elders with suicide ideation.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
• /
• v.38 no.3
• /
• pp.372-382
• /
• 2008

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to develop a multidimensional suicide prevention program for Korean elders by utilizing a community network and to evaluate its effect. Methods: A non-equivalent control group pretest-posttest design was used. The subjects were recruited from two different elderly institutions located in D city and K province, Korea. Nineteen subjects in the control group received no intervention and 20 subjects in the experimental group received a multidimensional suicide prevention program. Results: There were more significant decreases in depression, suicide ideation, and increases in life satisfaction in the experimental group compared to the control group. Conclusion: According to the above results, the multidimensional suicide prevention program for Korean elders decreased stressful events like depression, and suicide ideation and increased life satisfaction through the community network. These findings suggest that this program can be used as an efficient intervention for elders in a critical situation.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
• /
• v.41 no.1
• /
• pp.72-79
• /
• 2011

Purpose: The study was done to identify factors influencing Yangsaeng in elders. Methods: Data were collected by questionnaires from 907 elders in D metropolitan city. Measures were Yangsaeng, perceived health status, self-efficacy, and self esteem. Data were analyzed using frequencies, means and standard deviation, t-test, one-way ANOVA, Pearson correlation coefficients, and stepwise multiple regression with SPSS/WIN 13.0 version. Results: The mean score for Yangsaeng the participants was 3.56, out of a possible 5. There were significant differences in Yangsaeng according to age, education level, monthly income, marital status, family structure, and periodic health examination. Yangsaeng correlated positively with perceived health status, self-efficacy and self-esteem. According to the research, factors influencing Yangseng in elders were self-esteem, perceived health status, self-efficacy, family structure, and marital status. Conclusion: The positive correlation between Yangsaeng and health promotion behavior and perceived health status, self-efficacy, and self-esteem identified in this study can have an impact on strategies to improve the health of Korean elders. Therefore, the results can be used as a reference for future studies.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
• /
• v.24 no.1
• /
• pp.1-10
• /
• 2013

Purpose: This study was conducted to examine the degree of senile macular degeneration in elders aged 65 or older and identify factors associated with senile macular degeneration in elders within communities. Methods: Participants in this cross-sectional descriptive study were 388 elders without cataract, glaucoma, and diabetic retinopathy. Data were collected through face to face interviews using a questionnaire in an urban area from June 2010 to December 2011. To detect senile macular degeneration, the participants' self-tests were carried out with Amsler grid testing. Stepwise multivariate logistic regression was performed to evaluate the effects of health behavior and knowledge about eye health on senile macular degeneration. Results: The proportion of participants with senile macular degeneration was 11.6%. Factors that significantly increased the risk of senile macular degeneration included eye discomfort and history of ophthalmic examination (p<.05). Factors that significantly decreased the risk of senile macular degeneration included regular change of magnifiers, non-use of magnifiers, and knowledge about preventive effects of non-smoking and antioxidant vitamin intake on senile macular degeneration (p<.05). Conclusion: This study showed that programs for preventing senile macular degeneration were necessary for elders within communities and the results of this study can be used for developing those programs.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Fundamentals of Nursing
• /
• v.17 no.3
• /
• pp.400-408
• /
• 2010

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify the predictors of quality of life for elders in Korea. Method: The participants were 348 older persons selected by convenience sampling in Y city. Data were collected from September 22 to October 23, 2008 when 348 elders completed a questionnaire which included the Leisure Attitude Scale by Raghep and Beard (1982), Leisure Competence Questionnaire by Witt and Ellis (1987) and the Quality of Life Questionnaire by Mckenna (2001). Cronbach alphas scores for Korean translation of the questionnaires were .85, .90 and .79 respectively. The collected data were analyzed using the SPSS Win 14.0 statistics program. Results: The scores for quality of life showed significant positive correlations with the scores for leisure attitude (r=.603, p<.001) and leisure competence (r=.703, p<.001). Leisure competence, leisure attitude, and education were significant predictors and accounted for 54.4% of the variance in quality of life in the elders. Conclusion: The findings suggest that high leisure competence and positive leisure attitude with learning opportunities will be helpful to promote a better quality of life for elders.