• 한국노년학
• /
• v.31 no.3
• /
• pp.673-689
• /
• 2011

It is a qualitative study based on a focus group with an aim to figure out elderly people's experiences in health inequality in vulnerable health zones in agriculture and fisheries areas. Of eups, myeons and dongs selected as 40 vulnerable areas where standardized death rates had continued to be high from 2004 to 2007 in 20 counties and cities in Gyeongsang-do, 15 agriculture and fisheries areas were randomly chosen to extract 8 to 10 elderly people. Explanations were given to study subjects, and 7 to 8 people who agreed to take part in the study joined a regional focus group. Contents of interviews were analyzed with a phenomenological method by Colaizzi (1978) in order to accurately describe pertinent phenomena. The study has found four categories including ecological environmental problems, insufficient services for local community & harmful environmental problems, worsening economic conditions and insufficient health care management in terms of health behavior.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Rural Architecture
• /
• v.13 no.2
• /
• pp.1-8
• /
• 2011

Due to rapid decrease in population of farming and fishing villages and drain of young rural manpower to the cities, aging is being intensified, and the conditions of housing and welfare of elderly households are inadequate. Currently, group home is being discussed as part of specialized housing and welfare support policy for the people in the vulnerable class with poor self-supporting abilities such as the aged living alone in farming and fishing villages, and aged farming and fishing households. So the purpose of this research is to present the basic data for proposing the policy of supplying group home through examining the realities of housing and welfare of the people in the vulnerable class in farming and fishing villages. Survey was conducted on the 4 regions -Cheonan-si, Gongju-si, Yesan-gun, and Seosan-si - whose apartments were all occupied by the residents among the group homes for the elderly living alone in Chungcheongnam-do and the following results were derived from the analysis on the data collected from the survey. First, great effects can be attained at small costs by reorganizing and utilizing the public facilities that are unused or little used and the existing houses that are exposed to risks due to improper maintenance. Second, it can be pointed out that the residential environment of the vulnerable members of society was improved without impairing the existing village landscape. Third, housing welfare was enhanced without investing a large sum of money and the system to promptly cope with negligent accidents and emergency can be built and operated. Fourth, the cases promoted to solve the problems of the poor, unhygienic, and unsafe housing of the elderly and the vulnerable members of society were very positive and well worthy of being presented as planning direction of future group homes in farming and fishing villages. Finally, if they are operated entirely for free, it will cause the lack of the sense of ownership and the problems in securing the budget, so the ways of paying minimum individual housing expenses should be examined. The alternatives of housing welfare for the vulnerable members of farming and fishing villages are needed and the ways of constructive planning and researches should be continuously made. Also, the government's support policy should be actively promoted.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
• /
• v.35 no.2
• /
• pp.37-42
• /
• 2023

Purpose: Compared to cities, rural areas are in a medical blind spot and face difficulties in accessing medical services due to inconvenient transportation facilities, lack of medical facilities, and the heavy burden of medical expenses. This study was carried out to identify the problems relating to the musculoskeletal system of the elderly in rural and fishing villages, which are medically vulnerable areas, and sought to present a regionally differentiated healthcare model. Methods: The study was conducted in 80 elderly people in two rural villages and two fishing villages after seeking inputs regarding medically vulnerable groups in the Gyeongnam Province. Postural balance and muscle flexibility were assessed and postural evaluation was conducted to identify musculoskeletal problems and gait stability. Strength and range of motion for each body segment were assessed for evaluating functional motion. Results: The elderly in both rural areas showed forward head posture characteristics. The strength level of the elderly in both rural areas was higher than the average, but their flexibility and balance ability were lower than the average. Conclusion: The musculoskeletal problems of the elderly in rural and fishing villages in this study did not show regional characteristics according to the area of residence. However, overall flexibility and balance ability appeared to be reduced. Therefore, a new management model connecting the region and the university is necessary in preparation for the coming era of community care.

• Journal of Korean Public Health Nursing
• /
• v.30 no.2
• /
• pp.206-220
• /
• 2016

Propose: This study was to identify the factors affecting the oral health status in vulnerable elders receiving home visiting health care service. Methods: A total of 444 elderly people over the age of 65 at 33 public health centers in Daegu and Gyungbuk areas were included in this survey. The data were collected by personal interview with nurses using oral health knowledge, behavior, and status questionnaires from the $10^{th}$ to $22^{nd}$ of July, 2012. The data were analyzed with t-test, one-way ANOVA, $Scheff{\acute{e}}$ test, and stepwise multiple regression, using SPSS program. Results: Factors affecting the oral health status were chewing satisfaction with denture 14.5% (${\beta}=.391$, p<.001), denture care (wash with water) 3.2% (${\beta}=-.187$, p<.01), and types of health insurance (medical aid type1, 2) 1% (${\beta}=-.111$, p<.05). The factors explained 18.7% of variance in the oral health status of vulnerable elderly subjects. Conclusion: The results of this study indicate that in order to improve the oral health status of vulnerable elders, it is necessary to provide oral health education that includes the proper usage of denture to elders who receive home-visiting care.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
• /
• v.27 no.5
• /
• pp.422-434
• /
• 2022

Objectives: With an increase in the population of the elderly in Korea, their nutritional status has become a cause for concern. This study was designed to compare the nutritional intake and health status of the Korean elderly according to their body mass index. Methods: The subjects were 3,274 elderly people aged 65 and above who had participated in the 2016-2018 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. The subjects were divided into four groups: underweight, normal, overweight, and obese, based on their BMI. The general characteristics, daily energy, and nutrient intakes, nutrient intakes compared to the recommended nutrient intake, percentage of participants whose nutrient intake was lower than the estimated average requirement (EAR), index of nutrient quality, the mean adequacy ratio (MAR), intakes by food group, and health status of the four groups were compared. Results: Underweight elderly people showed lower energy, lipids, dietary fiber, vitamin C, riboflavin, niacin, phosphorus, sodium, and potassium intake and MAR score (P < 0.001) compared to the normal or obese elderly. The mean protein, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin C, phosphorus, and iron intake of the underweight elderly was lower than the EAR (P < 0.05). Underweight elderly people also had a lower intake of vegetables and fats, oil and sweets food groups than the other groups (P < 0.001). The prevalence of diabetes and dyslipidemia was higher in the obese group, but the percentage of anemia was higher in the underweight group. Conclusions: Underweight elderly people were vulnerable to undernutrition and were at a higher risk of anemia.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
• /
• v.18 no.12
• /
• pp.443-451
• /
• 2017

The purpose of this research is to examine ways to improve the quality of life of elderly people living alone in urban areas by identifying their stress, social support, and quality of life as well as analyzing the relationships between these factors. In this research, a questionnaire survey was conducted for approximately two weeks including 232 elderly people aged 65 years and above who were using 10 senior welfare centers in the Seoul and Gyeonggi regions. The results of the analysis based on the collected data showed that of the stresses experienced by elderly people living alone in urban areas, the stresses of health, family, and psychological and social stresses had negative effects on social support and quality of life. Also, it was found that the social support of elderly people living alone had positive effects on the quality of life. Additionally, it was found that social support had a mediating effect in the relationship between stress and quality of life of elderly people living alone in urban areas. In other words, social support plays a buffer role in enhancing the quality of life regarding health, family, economy, and psychological and social stresses. This research has significant implications in that it was conducted on elderly people living alone, since elderly people living alone are not only under more stressful circumstances in a vulnerable environment than other seniors but also their quality of life is much lower. The implications of this research are that, from a social point of view, these elderly people living alone should no longer be neglected and that differentiated policy interventions for elderly people living alone is required.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Hazard Mitigation
• /
• v.8 no.1
• /
• pp.57-62
• /
• 2008

This study aimed at investigating elderly people's experiences and perception of flood disasters in Gangwon province, which is mainly devastated by flood disasters, and seeking to the coping strategy against vulnerability of disaster between elderly men and women. A total of 183 elderly people aged 60 and over who were directly or indirectly damaged by flood disasters of 2006 in Pyung-chang and In-je in Gangwon province were selected for this study. According to the study results, there were no statistical differences in disaster experiences between elderly men and women, however, a statistically significant difference was found in the perception of disaster among them. Although elderly women are more likely to perceive the possibility of secondary flood disasters than elderly men, elderly women are less knowledgeable than elderly men in disaster attacks and they have appeared to have low coping skills. This study showed that elderly women were more likely to live alone than elderly men and they have low income comparing to the elderly men. In conclusion, elderly women should be considered as a most vulnerable group to the disaster and gender-based approach is necessary to take measures in disaster prevention.

• The Korean Journal of Community Living Science
• /
• v.24 no.3
• /
• pp.343-354
• /
• 2013

Elderly people living in poverty are one of the most vulnerable population groups who are at risk of experiencing social exclusion. Social participation is an important contributing factor to active aging and social integration of the older adults living in poverty. This study aims to identify factors affecting social participation of the poor elderly. Data from the second wave of the Korean Longitudinal Study of Ageing was used for the analyses and 1,346 poor elderly aged over 65 were analyzed. The findings showed that age, education, health status, a level of depression, financial stress, and economic activity were associated with the social participation of the elderly living in poverty. These results indicated that psychological empowerment and specific needs of the older adults living in poverty should be considered in developing services and programs to promote social participation of the poor elderly.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
• /
• v.37 no.2
• /
• pp.201-207
• /
• 2007

Purpose. The purpose of this study was to determine the subjects' health status according to the needs of visiting health and the function of the family in home care nursing. Sample and Method. The data collection period was from 07/01/04 to 10/31/04 and the subjects were 488 of those above 60 years of age staying at home or living alone who registered at a visiting health service of public health center at an urban area in Korea. This survey was carried out by visiting health nurses and participation was agreed on by the elderly people. Results. The extent of the subjects' total health status to the general characteristics had differences according to the age, sex, monthly income, perceived health status, known functional disorder, and yes-or-no for disease. At all health status domains, visiting health need care in the group I was very lower than one in II, III, or IV groups. Also the severe dysfunctional family was lower than lightly dysfunctional family and normal functional family in all health status domains. Conclusion. Nurses must provide their characteristics considered nursing intervention for the elderly who have high visiting health needs and severe dysfunctional family with vulnerable health care.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Surveying, Geodesy, Photogrammetry and Cartography
• /
• v.37 no.5
• /
• pp.303-313
• /
• 2019

After a disaster happens in urban areas, many people need support for a quick evacuation. This work aims to develop a method for the calculation of the most feasible evacuation route inside buildings. In the methodology we simplify the geometry of the structural and non structural elements from the BIM (Building Information Modeling) to store them in a spatial database which follows standards to support vector data. Then, we apply the multicriteria analysis with the allocation of prioritization values and weight factors validated through the AHP (Analytic Hierarchy Process), in order to obtain the Importance Index S(n) of the elements. The criteria consider security conditions and distribution of the building's facilities. The S(n) is included as additional heuristic data for the calculation of the evacuation route through an algorithm developed as a variant of the $A^*$ pathfinding, The experimental results in the simulation of evacuation scenarios for vulnerable people in healthy physical conditions and for the elderly group, shown that the conditions about the wide of routes, restricted areas, vulnerable elements, floor roughness and location of facilities in the building applied in the multicriteria analysis has a high influence on the processing of the developed variant of $A^*$ algorithm. The criteria modify the evacuation route, because they considers as the most feasible route, the safest instead of the shortest, for the simulation of evacuation scenarios for people in healthy physical conditions. Likewise, they consider the route with the location of facilities for the movement of the elderly like the most feasible in the simulation of evacuation route for the transit of the elderly group. These results are important for the assessment of the decision makers to select between the shortest or safest route like the feasible for search and rescue activities.