• Asian Journal for Public Opinion Research
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• v.3 no.3
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• pp.145-155
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• 2016

Background: Asia is on track to become the region with the most elderly people in the world. The elderly population will reach 922.7 million by the middle of this century. Therefore, they will be cared for by the today's youth. Negative attitudes toward older people can make adolescents more uncomfortable relating to them. Objectives: The objective of this study was to evaluate validity and reliability of Kogan's attitude toward old people among nursing students in Thailand, Myanmar, and Indonesia. Methods: Content validation of the 34-item Kogan's attitude toward old people was examined by three geriatric nursing experts. The reliability was evaluated on 600 nursing students, from nursing colleges in Thailand (200), Myanmar (200), and Indonesia (200). Findings: The attitude scores towards the elderly ranged from 34 to 238. All of the 34 items were found to have significant item-to-total correlations (p< .05). The reliability results were as follows: In Thailand, Cronbach's alpha was .70 for the total scale, .72 for the positive scale, and .68 for the negative scale. In Myanmar, Cronbach's alpha was .68 for the total scale, .65 for the positive scale, and .66 for the negative scale. In Indonesia, Cronbach's alpha was .66 for the total scale, .71 for the positive scale, and .72 for the negative scale. Conclusions: These findings suggest that Kogan's attitude toward old people is reliable and valid for nursing students from Thailand, Myanmar, and Indonesia. However, Kogan's attitude toward old people should be revised by these countries, including changing wording on all items for better reliability. The revised version must then be tested for reliability and validity.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.493-504
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• 2020

Background: There have been many studies on the associations between body mass index (BMI) and cognitive function. However, no study has ever compared the associations across the methods of categorizing BMI. In this study, we aimed to fill the gap in the previous studies and examine whether the obesity paradox is valid in the risk of cognitive function. Methods: Of the 10,254 people aged 45 and older from the Korean Longitudinal Study of Ageing from 2006 to 2016, 8,970 people were finalized as the study population. The dependent variable was whether a person has a normal cognitive function or not, and the independent variables of interest were BMI categorized by the World Health Organization Western Pacific Regional Office (WHO-WPRO) method, the WHO method, and a 10-group method. Covariates included sociodemographic factors, health behavior factors, and health status factors. A generalized linear mixed model analysis with a logit link was used. Results: In the adjusted model with all covariates, first, in the case of BMI categories of the WHO-WPRO method, underweight (odds ratio [OR], 1.16; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.15-1.17), overweight (OR, 1.36; 95% CI, 1.35-1.36), and obese (OR, 1.34; 95% CI, 1.33-1.34) groups were more likely to have a normal cognitive function than a normal-weight group. Next, in the case of BMI categories of the WHO method, compared to a normal-weight group, underweight (OR, 1.15; 95% CI, 1.14-1.16) and overweight (OR, 1.06; 95% CI, 1.06-1.07) groups were more likely to have a normal cognitive function; however, obese (OR, 0.62; 95% CI, 0.61-0.63) group was less likely to have it. Lastly, in the case of the 10-group method, as BMI increased, the likelihood to have a normal cognitive function changed like a wave, reaching a global top at group-7 (26.5 kg/㎡ ≤ BMI <28.0 kg/㎡). Conclusion: The associations between BMI and cognitive function differed according to how BMI was categorized among people aged 45 and older in Korea, which suggests that cognitive function may be positively associated with BMI in some categories of BMI but negatively in its other categories. Health policies to reduce cognitive impairment need to consider this association between BMI and cognitive function.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.277-287
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• 2019

Background: Diabetes is known as one of the most important ambulatory care sensitive conditions. This study purposed to assess the status of continuity of care (COC) and diabetes-related avoidable hospitalizations (DRAHs) of a group of middle- and old-aged patients and to observe the relationship of the two elements by the two age groups. Methods: This study utilized the National Health Insurance Service's National Sample Cohort data and the subjects are diabetes patients of 45 and over, classified into two groups of 'middle-aged'(45-64 years) and 'old-aged'(${\geq}65years$) patients. The dependent variable was DRAHs, which was defined in accordance with the definition of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development "Health Care Quality Indicators" project. COC, as an independent variable, is measured by the COC index in this study. Two-part model (multi-variate and multi-level analyses) was utilized. Results: Factors associated with the status and the number of DRAHs differed by each age group. Meanwhile, the two-part model showed that higher COC was associated with a lower risk of preventable hospitalizations in both middle- and old-aged groups. Conclusion: Study findings can provide health policy insights and implications in order to strengthen the primary care system for further improvement of diabetes management, especially for middle- and old-aged groups.

• 한국노년학
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.363-388
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• 2019

This study examined the influence of subjective age on subjective well-being and depression, and the mediating effect of meaning in life. A survey of 394 adults aged 40 or older completed a questionnaire concerning subjective age perception, meaning in life, subjective well-being, and depression. The main results are summarized as follows. First, the analysis of subjective age according to the sociodemographic variables showed that middle-aged and elderly people, who were highly educated and had good perceived health status, felt themselves younger than their counterparts did. Second, a young subjective age had a positive effect on meaning in life and subjective well-being while negatively influencing depression. Third, meaning in life significantly mediated the relationship among subjective age, subjective well-being, and depression. In other words, the younger the middle- and old-aged adults perceived themselves, the more meaning they found in life, which led to higher subjective well-being and lower depression. These findings suggest that, as people get older, perceiving themselves as younger than their chronological age can protect their mental health, and meaning in life plays an important role in the process.

• Korean Journal of Culture and Social Issue
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.85-127
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• 2006

This study examines the formation and change of relational trust among Korean adolescents using indigenous psychological perspective. Among adolescents, we examine the basis of trust of their parents, friends and teacher and also their trust in people and institutions. A total of 968 adolescents (227 elementary, 284 middle school, 213 high school, and 244 university students) completed a questionnaire that contains the Relational Trust Scale developed by Kim and Park (2004a), Generalized Trust Scale developed by Yamagishi (1998) and a scale measuring trust of people and institutions (Kim, Helgesen & Ahn, 2002). The results are as follows. First, adolescents trust their parents due to their sacrifice, followed by their counsel and advice, dependability, consanguinity and respects. They trust their teachers due to their counsel and advice, followed by respect, sacrifice, and mutual trust. They trust their friends due to their advice, followed by empathy, mutual trust, dependability, friendship and sacrifice. Second, trust of their parents are highest among the elementary school students and lowest for the middle school students and lower for older age groups. The trust in teachers are highest among the elementary school students and lowest among the middle school and university students. In contrast, trust in friends increase from elementary school students to older age groups. Third, among trust in people and institutions, they are highest for parents and family and lowest for politicians and political parties. Except for trust in friends, trust of significant others and institutions (family, teachers, neighbors, company executives and politicians) is highest among the youngest age group and it decreases with older age group. Fourth, Yamagishi's generalized trust was highest among the older age groups (high school and university students). The patterns of results for relational trust and generalized trust is different and it points to the importance of understanding trust from the indigenous psychological perspective.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.203-208
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• 1999

Purpose: This study was to investigate the age and sex differences of the fractal dimension of the normal parotid glands in the digitized CT images. Materials and methods: The six groups. which were composed of 42 men and women from 20 s. 40' sand 60' s and over were picked. Each group contained seven people of the same sex. The normal parotid CT images were digitized. and their fractal dimensions were calculated using Scion Image PC program. Results: The mean of fractal dimensions in males was 1.7292(±0.0588) and 1.6329(±0.0425) in females. The mean of fractal dimensions was 1.7617. in young males 1.7328 in middle males, and 1.6933 in old males. The mean of fractal dimensions was 1.6318. in young females 1.6365 in middle females. and 1.6303 in old females. There was no statistical difference in fractal dimension between left and right parotid gland of the same subject(P>0.05). Fractal dimensions in male were decreased in older group(P<0.05) and larger than female in same age group(P<0.05). But fractal dimensions in female had a tendency to decrease in older group but no statistical difference between ages(P>0.05). Conclusions: The fractal dimension of parotid glands in the digitized CT images will be useful to evaluate the age and sex differences.

• Journal of Families and Better Life
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• v.21 no.5
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• pp.13-24
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• 2003

Regarding leisure and work as very important in residential life of old ages, this study analyzed their preference by leisure and work for senior congregate housing, which can provide proper work and leisure activities for older people who are able to manage their social activities with healthy condition. It conducted a survey of middle aged of the 50's who would face problems of senior housing in 2010, with stratified sampling by region, sex and housing structure type. Totally 556 Questionnaires were used for the final analysis. The research results showed that, first, the group which was positive toward their works mostly had spouse of the age of early 50' s and work for professional, technological, managerial positions with good health. Second, the more positive group towards their work showed high willingness to move in senior congregate housing, than a negative group towards their work, and put a weight on the openness of shared space and facilities as well as various alarming equipments, common space, common programs and the ability of managers. Third, according to the attitudes toward leisure activities, there were differences in each group by housing structure type, education of their own or their spouses, monthly income, property, economic ability, health condition, living together with spouse, housing tenureship, and usable area of houses. The fourth was that those who enjoy active leisure activities presented high willingness to move in senior congregate housing than those of negative attitude and also there was a difference in managerial ways. Throughout the results of the study, it appeared that a group of positive attitude toward work and leisure, than that of negative attitude, recognized the importance of senior congregate housing which social and leisure programs could support. It implied necessary to develop housing for the older people who have enough ability to manage their leisure activity as well as their work. The study is likely to have a contribution to suggest practical data for helping the development of housing for self-reliant seniors by analyzing their preference on senior congregate housing by their attitudes toward work. The research for the factors of various designs and managements by leisure and work may become the following research theme of the study.

• 한국노년학
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.305-323
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• 2019

In recognition of the increasing social attention paid to the notion of how to die well, this study explored what it is that middle-aged and older Koreans think of as "dying well." Specifically, it was aimed at classifying the perceptions people middle-aged and older have regarding dying well. To this end, we used data from the National Survey on Well-Dying, which was conducted in 2018 by the Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs, and employed Latent Class Analysis. The demographic characteristics of each of the classified subgroups were identified through technical statistics. The types identified were multilayered depending on the imminence of death, perspectives of the last stages before dying, and the meaning of death in the context of social relationships. These types differed according to gender and subjective health conditions. Based on our findings in this study, we put forward policy suggestions about awareness improvement of personal and social levels, promoting on comprehensive death preparation, providing a system to reduce the cost of medical and nursing expense at the end of one's life, promoting of the right to self-determination regarding death, raising social attention to groups that are least prepared for dying well.

• Journal of vocational education research
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.119-138
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• 2018

The purpose of this study was to analyze the factors influencing of separation and the time of separation for middle and old aged self-employed workers. The cox proportional hazards model was used in the first survey of KLoSA, 684 persons who were over 40 years old in 2006, using data up to the 5th period of 2014. The main findings of this study are as follows. First, the average duration of job for middle and old aged self-employed workers in 2005 was 15.5years. Of the total 684 workers, 214(31.3%) person was found to have lost their job during survey period. Second, gender, age at start up, and education level have significant effects on job separation of them. When women, when they were older at start up, when they were graduate the university or higher, increased their risk of leaving their businesses. Third, in the characteristic of their work, the type of job and job satisfaction were found to affect to job desertion. When people are engaged in accommodation and food business rather than agriculture and forestry fishery, when the satisfaction of the work is lower, the risk was high. Based on these conlusions, the following implications are suggested. First, it is necessary to establish a support strategy for female middle-aged and old self-employed and older workers who start their own business after their 60s. Second, it is necessary to support them to enter into various fields by utilizing their own aptitude and experience rather than establishing them in industries with low entry barriers. Third, it is necessary to develop policies to help improve job satisfaction in the working environment. In particular, it is necessary to ensure that high educated self-employed workers are satisfied with various compensations by self-employed.

• International Journal of Advanced Culture Technology
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.19-27
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• 2022

The purpose of this study is to investigate the incidence rate, surgery tendency, and risk factors of cataracts among the elderly in Korea. The subjects were 40-95 years old men and women using the National Health Services' surgical statistics. Among the 33 major surgeries, which increased by 1.1% per year for the last 20years (1.6 million), the most operated surgery in 2020 was cataract surgery (454,000), the number of which was 858.8 per 100,000 people. Among the surgical patients, cataract patients (7.9% increased) was the third largest among the top (2016-2020) constantly with annually 2.2% increasing for 20 years (19.95 million). The medical expenses of major surgeries (excluding non-benefit) increased by an average rate of 9.3% per year over the 20 years (7,204 billion won) out of a total medical expenses of 7.2 trillion won, and the cataract surgery (813.2 billion won) was the second largest among the medical expenses in 2020 (top 3). This study showed that there was a high correlation between cataract and smoking, low income, and low-educated, whereas being no concentration of cataract patient in tertiary hospitals.