• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.237-249
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• 1997

This study was conducted to investigate and to compare the health status of urban and rural elderly in Korea using the following factors: 1) the number of self-reported health problems 2) a self-rating score for health status 3) the number of diagnosed diseases 4) ADL, social health status by IADL and the psychological health status by Life Satisfaction scale developed by Wood and others. The study subjects were the elderly who lived in Pusan(N=150) as an urban area and Kyeungnam(N=300) province as a rural area. The study subjects were sampled at random and the data were collected by trained interviewers from Feb. 1 to Feb. 14, 1995. the data was analyzed in SPSS. The results can be summarized as follows : 1. According to the sociodemographic characteristics of the subjects, the urban elderly group was significantly higher in extended family groups and in practicing regular execise than the rural elderly: and the rural elderly group was higher in having spouses and occupations than the urban group. 2. Concerning health status, the numbers of self-reported health problems(eye problems, back pains, headaches, dental problems, arthritis) and number of diagnosed diseases(hypertension, heart problems, diabetes mellitus, neuralgia, arthritis) were significantly were higher higher in rural areas: the self - rating scores for health status and life satisfaction were higher urban areas. ADL and IADL were similar in both the rural and urban elderly. 3. The correlations were the following: Self-reported health problems and self-rating for health status were significantly correlated negatively(r=-.039, p=.000), but self-reported health problems and the number of diagnosed diseases were significantly positively correlated(r=0. 30, p=.000). IADL and health problems were negatively correlated(r=-0.16, p=.000), but IADL and ADL were significantly positively correlated (r=0.49, p=.000). Life satisfaction and self-rating scores for health status were significantly positively correlated(r=0.26, p=.000).

• Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.63-73
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• 2004

Purpose: This study was to identify the correlation between the health-promoting behavior and life satisfaction in elderly of the urban area. Method: The subjects of this study were 202 people aged over 65 who had been living in urban area. Data was collected through questionnaires from April 10th to September 30th, 2002. The collected data was analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA, Pearson correlation coefficient with SPSS statistical program. Result: The health-promoting behavior was given the informations that nutrition practices were most highly ranked, followed by interpersonal relationships, self-actualization, stress management, health responsibility, and exercise. The mean scores of health-promoting behaviors were significant differences in age and educational level. Life satisfaction was significantly related to only living situation. Health-promoting behavior of the subjects was found to be statistically significant and positively correlated with life satisfaction. Conclusion: These results suggested that elderly people in urban areas with high degree of quality of life is likely to be in practice with high degree of health-promoting behaviors. Therefore, it is necessary to develop health promotion programs in order to enhance the quality of life of elderly people in urban areas.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.97-104
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• 2017

Background: South Korea is one of fastest aging countries in the world. Poor balance and falls of the elderly are main health issues. Objects: The goal of this study was to understand the association between the socioeconomical factors and the standing balance of elderly living in the rural and urban area. Methods: One hundred sixty-six elderly participants who were older than 65 and were able to walk without an assistive device were recruited in the city of Gwangju and in the rural area of Jeonnam, South Korea. All participants performed the static and dynamic standing balance tests. Static standing balance was measured with chronometer in seconds while standing on one leg. Dynamic balance was tested with the timed up and go test (TUG), measured in seconds while getting up from a chair and walking 3 meters and back to sit. The static and dynamic standing balance was analyzed using analysis of variance and the Fisher's Least Significant Difference post hoc test. Results: Male participants from both areas had no difference in one leg standing and TUG. The female elderly living in rural area took shorter in TUG than females living in urban area. Age decreased the one leg standing time in both areas while did not affect the TUG significantly. As the monthly income increased, both of one leg standing and TUG increased in urban area, while the medium monthly income showed best performance (it was not statistically significant) in both of one leg standing and TUG in rural area. Conclusion: Socioeconomical factors affects differently the standing balance of the elderly living in rural and urban South Korea. Female living alone in urban area with low monthly income demonstrated worst standing balance in this study.

• Journal of the Korean Home Economics Association
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.171-185
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• 2003

The eight hundred fourteen male and female elderly living in urban and rural area of Incheon were compared in terms of anthropometric indices and health related factors. Mean height, weight, BMI, WHR, MAC, TSF, %body fat and systolic blood pressure of male elderly were 162.7cm and 162.0cm, 61.8kg and 58.3kg, 23.2 and 22.0, 0.91 and 0.89, 24.4cm and 24.0cm, 9.9mm and 11.5mm, 23.9% and 23.2%, 152.1mmHg and 150.0mmHg in the urban and rural respectively. In female elderly, mean height, weight, BMI, WHR, MAC, TSF, %body fat and systolic blood pressure were 150.3cm and 149.2cm, 55.9kg and 53.1kg, 24.4 and 23.4, 0.87 and 0.86, 25.4cm and 24.4cm, 20.2mm and 18.9mm, 37.2% & 35.4%, 142.2mmHg and 151.7 mmHg in the urban and rural respectively. As the age increasing, most of the anthropometric indices are decreased while systolic blood pressure are increased in both gender. The proportion of the subject with normal hearing were 73.1% in the urban, 61.4% in the rural and 61.8% in the male, 73.1% in the female. Hearing and tooth status became deteriorated as increasing the age and the more elderly felt themselves unhealthy as increasing the age. Aerobic(25.7%) and walking/jogging(18.4%) in the urban, walking/jogging (22.1%) and climbing(3.5％) in the rural were the preferred exercise in the elderly. Frequency of health promoting substance intake were very low and not significantly different between the urban & the rural, and the male and the female elderly. Neuralgia, diabetes, indigestion and cerebral stroke showed relatively higher morbidity in the elderly. Neuralgia was significantly higher in the female(23.3%) than in the male(13.1%). Diabetes was significantly higher in the female(22.4%) and the urban(21.9%) elderly than in the male(16.1%) and the rural(13.5%) elderly respectively. In conclusion, as the age increasing the height and weight of the elderly decreased significantly and BMI, WHR and body fat toned to decrease. Hearing and tooth status deteriorated significantly as the age increasing, especially in female elderly.

• Journal of the East Asian Society of Dietary Life
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.39-48
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• 2015

This study aimed to compare and evaluate nutritive conditions of the female elderly (2,893 people) based on a national health nutrition survey and health-related factors influencing nutritional intake. The results are as follows.- Average age of all subjects was $72.12{\pm}5.2$ old. BMI ($24.48{\pm}3.3kg/m^2$) and waist size ($83.9{\pm}9.5cm$) of urban elderly was larger ($23.74{\pm}3.3kg/m^2$, $82.28{\pm}9.9cm$) than that of rural elderly. MAR[4] and MAR[10] were also higher in urban elderly than rural elderly. The results of multiple regression analysis showed that factors influencing poor nutrition of elderly subjects were increasing age, smoking, and self-rated health. Old-old and current smokers were associated with a higher likelihood of poor nutrition (OR 1.82, 95%CI 1.43~2.30) and (OR 3.40, 95%CI 2.17~5.33) elderly female subjects in urban areas. Smoking (OR 2.29, 95%CI 1.33~3.95), poor self-rated health (OR 1.55, 95%CI 1.11~2.16), over nine hours of sleep per nighting (OR 1.72, 95%CI 1.17~2.53) and stress (OR 1.46, 95%CI 1.10~1.92) of elderly female subjects in rural areas were associated with higher likelihood of a poor nutrition. In conclusion, rural elderly are more influenced by poor health practice behaviors (self-rated health, sleeping stress) and psychological factors. Nutrition status of the rural elderly is worse than that of the urban elderly. To reduce nutritional risk of Korean elderly, especially rural elderly, active nutrition arbitration should include psychological environmental factors.

• The Korean Journal of Community Living Science
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.369-378
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• 2007

This study purposed to examine elderly welfare facilities by type, to analyze their local variations, and ultimately to contribute to the expansion of elderly welfare infrastructure. The results are expected to help inspect elderly welfare infrastructure for providing the aged with social services before the execution of 'the insurance for elderly long term care' and establish welfare facilities by area in the future. For these purposes, we used the national data "The Current State of Elderly Welfare Facilities in 2007" produced by the Ministry of Health and Welfare. We digitized elderly welfare facilities in 163 cities and counties by type and analyzed them by area. We also examined the differences in the local distribution of representative elderly welfare facilities such as elderly welfare centers, home based facilities (home helper centers), asylums for the aged and elderly care facilities in 16 cities and provinces. Furthermore, we analyzed differences and problems in their local distribution urban areas, mixed areas of urban and rural communities, and rural areas. In addition, we studied the current state of institutionalized care and home based care, which are two major directions of current elderly welfare policies, based on the local distribution of facilities and analyzed differences in the trends according to area. According to these results, the urban had more home based care facilities than the rural. However, the rural had more institutionalized care facilities than urban. Also, each local self-governing body showed unique characteristics. Therefore, these results suggest that we need to establish elderly welfare policies based on the distribution of facility types by area.

• Journal of the Korea Society of Computer and Information
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• v.27 no.11
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• pp.199-207
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• 2022

This study was conducted with the purpose of presenting data for preparing elderly work policies and mental health policies by comparing and analyzing the effects of working ability on depression of urban and rural elderly people. Data from the 16th year of the Korea Welfare Panel (2021) were used for the analysis data for this study, and data from 4,838 elderly people aged 65 and over were extracted and used for analysis. For the analysis method, descriptive statistics and regression analysis were performed using SPSS 22.0. As a result of the study, it was found that the depression decreased when the elderly were able to work. It was found that health status and household type had an effect on urban elderly, and health status and education level of rural elderly affected. Therefore, it is necessary to provide local social welfare services that are appropriate for the local characteristics, suitable for the resources and environment of urban and rural areas.

• Journal of the Korean Home Economics Association
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.65-86
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• 1990

Living conditions of the rural elderly were assessed in terms of clothing behavior, health and nutritional status, housing and envioronmental condition, and psychological adjustment. The subjects were eighty individuals over sixty residing in the rural community of Iksan-kun, Chollabukdo. The interview method using questionnaires, direct measurement, and observation was used for this study. Data were compared with those obtained from a previous study of the elderly residing in an urban area. Clothing behavior showed that the elderly residing in the rural community were more concerned about plain and conservative design of clothes than their urban counterparts. Special protective clothes for cropdusting with agricultural chemicals had not been prepared. The following urgent needs were pointed out: development and supply of agricultural chemical protective clothing and development and education of appropriate washing and clothing care methods. The health status of the elderly was generally good, but poor eating habits were found more frequently in the rural elderly than among the urban dwellers. Several dietary nutrient intakes were insufficient. Contrasting the urban elderly with the rural group, it was found that the urban group lacked sufficient vitamin A and vitamin C and the urban women had insufficient calorie whereas the rural group was deficient in protein, vitamin A, calorie, and fat. A significant relationship was found between dietary nutrient intake and health index, food habit points, self recognized health status, meal satisfaction, and economic status. Urgent needs of the development of a nutrition education program for the elderly were pointed out. Most of elderly residing in the surveyed rural communities were living alone or with their spouse only, therefore only one room was used among the three or four available rooms. Most of the rural elderly were living either in a traditional Korean house built with differing floor levels or in a modified Korean style house. Minimal modernization had been made for kitchen facilities such as sink and gas range or for heating facilities with the briquette boiler. However, sanitary space such as lavatory and bathroom had not been remodeled. A housing welfare program for rural communities should be implemented at the national level. The comparison of psychological characteristics of the rural elderly with their city counterparts revealed that the rural elderly have a more stable psychological status and optimistic attitude than those living in a city. However, it was found that most of the elderly did not have any future plan. Community programs for the elderly including hobbies or leisure activities or education programs to generate close interpersonal relationships with their children should be developed and provided.

• Journal of People, Plants, and Environment
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.565-574
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• 2018

Previous studies have shown that forest therapy program can help prevent dementia. However, few studies have focused on low-income elderly people living alone. The current study examined the meanings that the elderly living alone receiving medical care assigned to the urban forest therapy program, as a way to understand the pathways that nature-based intervention affect preventing dementia. Twenty-one participants were recruited and they participated in a five-week urban forest therapy program. Semi-structured interviews were carried out with 21 participants who experienced the urban forest therapy program, and analyzed qualitative data using thematic analysis. Results showed that all themes identified were related to connectedness with oneself, neighbors and nature. Awarenesses of change were consisted of positive and negative themes. The themes of positive awareness were improvements of mental and emotional condition, feelings of isolation and loneliness, and health-related lifestyle. The negative themes were terminations of short-term programs and inconvenient access to the urban forest. Based on these data, we suggest an urban green welfare framework for future research and interventions for preventing dementia of underprivileged elderly group.

• The Korean Journal of Community Living Science
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.341-349
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• 2011

As elder abuse has become a social problem, it has drawn a great deal of attention from researchers and policy-planers. While there have been a number of studies addressing various issues related to elder abuse, the present study aims to explain whether and how the perception of elder abuse would differ among the elderly themselves. In particular, the study focuses on the differences between urban and rural areas. Family-centered culture is believed to have a stronger influence in rural areas compared to urban areas. This cultural tradition highlights the importancy of the family compared to the individuals. Thus, the elderly who experience abuse would take it as personal matter rather than publicizing it. In addition, the information and campaigns on preventing elder abuse are less prevalent in rural areas than in urban areas due to limited communication networks. For these reasons, the study suggests a hypothesis that the elderly in rural areas are less perceptive to elder abuse. Using 6,709 persons aged 65 and over from a nationwide survey conducted by the Korean Institute for Health and Social Affairs in 2009, the study ran regression analysis on 4 types of elder abuse including psychological, financial, physical and neglect. The results show that regardless of types of abuse, the elderly in rural areas have lower levels of perception than the elderly in urban areas do. In addition, the frequency of social activities is positively related to the perception of elderly abuse. This is also true for the different types of elder abuse. The findings suggest that social effort to prevent elder abuse consider the urban-rural differences and their sources.