• Journal of Sport and Applied Science
• /
• v.3 no.2
• /
• pp.17-27
• /
• 2019

Purpose: This study is to conduct usability evaluations from the perspective of developing comfort-shoes for the middle-aged and elderly to identify key factors and derive implications for optimal comfort-shoes production. Research design, data, and methodology: A total of 10 middle-aged and elderly women in their 50s and 60s were selected as eligible for the rescue. For data collection, the study was conducted in a Gang Survey, where pre-explanations, shoes test, and interviews were conducted. The collected data were analyzed in a total of four stages. In step 1, the contents obtained through interviews with the subjects were recorded in text, organized and analyzed systematically, and in step 2, unnecessary vocabulary, sentences, and overlapping opinions were eliminated. In step 3, we classified areas around key functions and carried out categorization tasks. Finally, in Step 4, the results and implications of the study were derived by classifying each usability evaluation shoe as positive and negative text around categorized data. Results: There are a total of seven factors for comfort-shoes usability evaluation, which are categorized as cushion, fitting, stability, flexibility, lightweight, comfort, and pressure. Positive/negative factors for the derived usability evaluation factors were shown in the form of a positive-centered, negative-centered, and positive-mixed mix for each of the four products. Positive-focused products are VA products, which are seven times more positive than negative factors. Negative-centered products are CL and SA products, which are five times more negative than positive factors. Positive mixing was a CA product with a ratio of 1:1. Text-based usability evaluations allow us to proceed with analysis based on more scientific data rather than simply listening to opinions and judging by comments. Conclusions: The study discussed implications of developing comfort-shoes for middle-aged consumers and future directions were discussed.

• International Journal of Human Ecology
• /
• v.13 no.2
• /
• pp.87-100
• /
• 2012

Smart wear integrates computing technology into fabric or a garment for additional functionality. This research explored the attitudes and opinions of the use of smart wear from the viewpoint of caregivers. Thirty two individuals including care providers of children and adult family members with health problems participated in focus group interviews. Participants reported being interested in smart wear because of the potential to detect the location (GPS) of a dependent (e.g., child, elderly) and to monitor vital signs. Participants indicated perceived advantages of smart wear such as identifying geographical location and effectiveness. Perceived concerns mentioned were privacy/security issues and accuracy of data. Participants taking care of dependents without a specific disease were hesitant to adopt and pay for smart wear. However, caregivers of elderly individuals expressed positive adoption intentions and willingness to reasonably pay for smart wear. They indicated expectations that potential insurance would provide coverage for cost savings. Caregivers expressed the need of specific requirements for future adoption such as customizability, and comfort/safety. Specific to smart wear clothing, most respondents preferred it be an undershirt or a jacket with a sensor located in the shoulder area. The findings from this study can be used in product development, promotion and marketing of smart wear.

• Journal of Dairy Science and Biotechnology
• /
• v.23 no.2
• /
• pp.107-114
• /
• 2005

The trend towards ageing populations has been observed over many years in Europe and the US but has accelerated significantly in developed countries in Asia including Japan and South Korea. In the latter country the elderly population (65+) has increased 5-fold between 1960 and 2000 and this group will comprise 40% of the population by 2050. This creates a new socio-economic group with specific demands and considerable spending power. As ageing occurs a range of changes occur in the body that can be moderated by adjustments in nutrition. A significant body of evidence points to changes in the balance of glutathione synthesis and utilisation as people age. Glutathione is tile most important natural anti-oxidant of the body and the amounts present can become limited by available cysteine in the diet. A cysteine-enriched peptide product, Cysteine Peption$^{TM}$ has been developed by DMV International for dietary supplement and food applications. A qualitative consumer trial has indicated benefits including improved sleep and more energy. Animal and clinical trial will be described that provide indications on bioavailability and possible mechanisms of action of Cysteine Peption$^{TM}$ with particular focus on the ageing population.

• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
• /
• v.31 no.3 s.52
• /
• pp.213-218
• /
• 2005

Recently, with the remarkable increase in elderly persons and improvement of skin care technique, the requirements of customer for anti-aging care have become very important. Also, after cosmeceutical-product law was done in 2001, the major interesting field in cosmetic industry has been focused to developing anti-aging materials having safety and efficacy by basic science. In this review, we ill introduce the trend of anti-aging research and materials to prevent wrinkle or improve elasticity of skin.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
• /
• v.14 no.6
• /
• pp.288-297
• /
• 2014

The purpose of this study was to investigate the quality of life related to swallowing through Swallowing-Quality Of Life(SWAL-QOL) and examine the impact of SWAL-QOL on overall quality of life measured by Short-Form Health Survey(SF-36) and Geriatric Quality of Life(GQOL). For this purpose, the SWAL-QOL, SF-36 and GQOL have been conducted on 140 old people who were all over 60 years of age and physically and mentally normal. The collected data have been analyzed using a Windows SPSS 21.0 program. The results show that the SWAL-QOL are significant differences according to age(F=7.76, p<.01) and aspiration(t=-4.44, p<.01) and aspiration is ouly factor affecting the SW AL-QOL in elderly people. There are significant correlations between SF-36, GQOL and SW AL-QOL and the pearson product moment correlation coefficient is .39(p<.01) and .33(p<.01) respectively. The SWAL-QOL can predict approximately 36% and 25% of quality of life measured by SF-36 and GQOL. Therefore, this result will be able to utilize as basic data to improvement of quality of life related swallowing and overall quality of life related to health in normal elderly people.

• Korean Journal of Organic Agriculture
• /
• v.30 no.1
• /
• pp.1-20
• /
• 2022

With the recent rapid increase in single-person households, food companies are releasing small packaging and small-capacity products regardless of product line such as beverages, fresh foods, and home snacks, and food consumption patterns are also changing. Meanwhile, as a series of accidents related to food safety occurred during cost-effective consumption pursuing price-performance, more consumers wanted to choose products that have been proven safe even with higher money due to food safety anxiety. Considering the concept of 'safety' of food, this study by using the 'ordered probit model' empirically investigated whether there is a difference in the degree of preference for safety in food consumption behavior between single-person and multi-person households. Summarizing the results, it was found that women rather than men, and elderly households among young and single-person households had a higher demand for food safety. The results of marginal effects considering food safety variables show that respondents with low frequency of delivery and take-out use are considering food safety more, and that single-person households are considering safety more than multi-person households. In the future, the population structure of Korea will continue to increase in single-person and elderly households, and women's economic activities will also continue to increase. Therefore, the growing home convenience food market needs marketing strategies to secure and emphasize food safety, such as sterilizing treatment technology for hygiene and safe container development from environmental hormones, and needs a lot of support and attention to meet changes in food culture trends and demographic structure.

• Journal of the Korea Society of Computer and Information
• /
• v.14 no.5
• /
• pp.195-200
• /
• 2009

This study aims to speculate the development of sponsors of social welfare facilities through marketing mix. This is the time when the logics of economy is applied for the area of social welfare. Since July 2008 when the long-term care insurance system for the elderly executed, a number of social welfare facilities which depend on governmental budget have competed for various resources, but most of them have still had serious financial difficulties. As a supplementary method to overcome the financial problem, we have to develop how to excavate and manage sponsors who fit for conditions of the facilities to secure financial resources. To develop sponsors of social welfare facilities through marketing mix in this aspect, this study is to present strategic methods for sponsor development in seven factors developed by Fine(1992): product, price, promotion, place, producer, purchaser, and probing.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
• /
• v.46 no.6
• /
• pp.300-308
• /
• 2013

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to classify determinants of cost increases into two categories, negotiable factors and non-negotiable factors, in order to identify the determinants of health care expenditure increases and to clarify the contribution of associated factors selected based on a literature review. Methods: The data in this analysis was from the statistical yearbooks of National Health Insurance Service, the Economic Index from Statistics Korea and regional statistical yearbooks. The unit of analysis was the annual growth rate of variables of 16 cities and provinces from 2003 to 2010. First, multiple regression was used to identify the determinants of health care expenditures. We then used hierarchical multiple regression to calculate the contribution of associated factors. The changes of coefficients ($R^2$) of predictors, which were entered into this analysis step by step based on the empirical evidence of the investigator could explain the contribution of predictors to increased medical cost. Results: Health spending was mainly associated with the proportion of the elderly population, but the Medicare Economic Index (MEI) showed an inverse association. The contribution of predictors was as follows: the proportion of elderly in the population (22.4%), gross domestic product (GDP) per capita (4.5%), MEI (-12%), and other predictors (less than 1%). Conclusions: As Baby Boomers enter retirement, an increasing proportion of the population aged 65 and over and the GDP will continue to increase, thus accelerating the inflation of health care expenditures and precipitating a crisis in the health insurance system. Policy makers should consider providing comprehensive health services by an accountable care organization to achieve cost savings while ensuring high-quality care.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
• /
• v.33 no.5
• /
• pp.313-321
• /
• 2014

Objective: The purpose of this study is to develop products that prevent muscular skeletal disease of farm workers, which would bring improvement for an efficient harvesting work. Background: A pretest for product development and a survey research was carried out to inspect the problems of current harvesting work procedure. The product was developed and assessed based on ideas to supplement and improve these weak points. Method: A total of twenty men were recruited to evaluate the effects of harvest baskets on the upper-limb muscle activity, working hours. For the usability evaluation, electromyogram and working hours of previous working method (disuse of harvest basket, one-hand carriage of the basket) and new working method with the usage of newly-developed harvest basket was examined. The whole anterior deltoid, biceps brachii and erector spinae on both sides, which make a total of six muscle parts, were used for this experiment. The results were analyzed using ANOVA with muscle activity (%MVC) of each three forms of work and required work time from SPSS 18.0. Results: According to the test result, all muscles did not demonstrate any statistically significant difference, with an exception of the backbone erector (right). The muscle activity of backbone erector (right) in the work method that uses the harvest basket developed in this study was detected to be approximately 23% less than that of the previous working method. Moreover, compared to the previous working method, the required work time decreased to a statistically significant degree. Conclusion: As such, the decrease in the amount of waist muscle usage at harvesting work would enable the prevention of muscular skeletal disease and stabilization of lumbar spine. Application: Which in turn would increase the effectiveness and reduce personnel expense (labor costs) while enhancing productivity with a decreased working hours.

• Journal of rehabilitation welfare engineering & assistive technology
• /
• v.11 no.4
• /
• pp.349-354
• /
• 2017

In this study, we proposed a design guideline of height-adjustable wash basin which is an assistive product for personal hygiene for persons with disability. We performed biomechanical assessments using both of conventional and prototype height adjustable wash basin. Total five elderly subjects (all male, age $68.6{\pm}4.3yrs.$, height $169.8{\pm}5.7cm$, weight $70{\pm}7.7kg$) participated for the assessment test. Each joint angles were measured by using a 3D motion capture system when subjects use wash basins, and the lumbar moment of each subjects was estimated based on a human body model. From the assessment results, a design guideline which has the range of the height from 652[mm] to 1162[mm] was proposed. Then additional assessment tests with five healthy subjects ($25.8{\pm}1.8yrs.$, $175.5{\pm}5.8cm$, $74{\pm}15.7kg$) were performed in order to verify effectiveness of the design guideline. The results showed a height-adjustable wash basin applied the proposed design guideline was effective to reduce the lumbar moment.