• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.17 no.5
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• pp.883-898
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• 2023

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Probiotics have been suggested as potent modulators of age-related disorders in immunological functions, yet little is known about sex-dependent effects of probiotic supplements. Therefore, we aimed to investigate sex-dependent effects of probiotics on profiles of the gut microbiota and peripheral immune cells in healthy older adults. SUBJECTS/METHODS: In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter trial, healthy elderly individuals ≥ 65 yrs old were administered probiotic capsules (or placebo) for 12 wk. Gut microbiota was analyzed using 16S rRNA gene sequencing and bioinformatic analyses. Peripheral immune cells were profiled using flow cytometry for lymphocytes (natural killer, B, CD4⁺ T, and CD8⁺ T cells), dendritic cells, monocytes, and their subpopulations. RESULTS: Compared with placebo, phylum Firmicutes was significantly reduced in the probiotic group in women, but not in men. At the genus level, sex-specific responses included reductions in the relative abundances of pro-inflammatory gut microbes, including Catabacter and unclassified_Coriobacteriales, and Burkholderia and unclassified Enterobacteriaceae, in men and women, respectively. Peripheral immune cell profiling analysis revealed that in men, probiotics significantly reduced the proportions of dendritic cells and CD14⁺ CD16^- monocytes; however, these effects were not observed in women. In contrast, the proportion of total CD4⁺ T cells was significantly reduced in women in the probiotic group. Additionally, serum lipopolysaccharide-binding protein levels showed a decreasing tendency that were positively associated with changes in gut bacteria, including Catabacter (ρ = 0.678, P < 0.05) and Burkholderia (ρ = 0.673, P < 0.05) in men and women, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that probiotic supplementation may reduce the incidence of inflammation-related diseases by regulating the profiles of the gut microbiota and peripheral immune cells in healthy elders in a sex-specific manner.

• Therapeutic Science for Rehabilitation
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.111-122
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• 2023

Objective : To identify the effect of lifestyle risk factors on the daily activities and cognition of the older adults in the community using the National Health Insurance Corporation 2015 geriatric cohort database. Methods : Lifestyle risk factors were defined as body mass index (BMI), smoking, drinking, vigorous exercise, moderate exercise, and walking, and basic and instrumental activities of daily living (ADL) and cognitive function variables were included in the analysis. ADL and cognitive function according to sex and age were analyzed using a t-test and one-way ANOVA. The correlation between lifestyle risk factors, ADL, and cognitive function was analyzed using Pearson's correlation analysis, and multiple regression analysis was performed to analyze their influence. Results : The factors affecting basic ADL (BADL) were sex and walking exercises, with an explanatory power of 1.7%. Instrumental ADL (IADL) included age, drinking, and walking exercises, with an explanatory power of 2.6%. Cognitive function included sex, age, BMI, vigorous exercise, and walking, with an explanatory power of 5.3%. Conclusion : Lifestyle risk factors partially affected BADLs/IADLs and cognitive function in community-dwelling older adults. This suggests the need to systematically manage lifestyle risk factors to improve and maintain the healthy lives of older adults facing biological aging.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.11 no.7
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• pp.406-417
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• 2011

The purpose of this paper is to examine the effects of computer/internet game play on depression and life satisfaction via perceived self-control among older adults in Korea. Data were collected from a survey of 237 community-dwelling older adults (age${\geq}$65) who reported internet users. A path analysis was used to examine the causal relationship among the main constructs. Results showed that the computer/internet game play had positive effects on perceived self-control. Perceived self-control was found to decrease depression and improve life satisfaction among older adults. Additional analysis indicated that the computer/internet game play in older adults did not directly affect mental health (depression and life satisfaction) but indirectly affected it via perceived self-control. Furthermore, perceived self-control had greater effects on depression than on life satisfaction. These findings have crucial implications in that perceived sense of self-control needs to be seriously considered when we develop mental health games for older adults.

• 한국노년학
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.489-511
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• 2009

While late-life suicide has been increasing and become an important issue for public health in Korea, little is known about the phenomenon and its contributing risk factors based on which effective preventive measures can be made. Since suicidal ideation is a major precursor to attempted and completed suicide, the objective of the present study was to reveal primary contributors to suicidal ideation. Data were collected from a cross-sectional survey of 247 community-dwelling Korean older adults (age≥60) in the mid-size city in Korea. The statistical methodology employed a robust hierarchical regression procedure that iteratively downweights outliers. Based on the stress-diathesis model, the study examined major diathesis and stressors directly explaining suicidal ideation. The study also explored the significant interaction among these factors. The findings revealed that living alone and depression were significant main antecedents of suicidal ideation. In addition, neuroticism X life events and neuroticism X depression were significant interaction terms with the strongest explanatory power, which provides an empirical evidence to support the stress-diathesis model in explaining suicidal phenomenon of the Korean elderly. The result demonstrates the theoretical implication as well as the practical implication for developing and implementing late-life suicide prevention strategies. Limitations and directions for future research are discussed.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.263-277
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• 2005

Objectives: This study aimed to reveal the oral health conditions based on the dental health behaviors of a community-dwelling elderly. Methods: The subjects included 206 rural dwellers(100 men & 106 women) aged over 65 years old, who received dental health check-ups in the local public health center and its branches attached to 6 respective Myons of Chunchongnamdo Province, during the 2-month period from Jan. 1st to Feb. 28th, 2005. They were examined by dentists and given self-administered questionnaires asking about their dental heaith behaviors and subjective symptoms of gingival bleeding. Results: The oral health conditions based on dental health behavior showed that those who have not taken dental health service a year were found to have significantly greater number of missing teeth(p=0.002), DMFT(p=0.002) and CPITN(p=0.018), and those who have not observed intra-oral conditions a week to have significantly less number of filled teeth(p=0.002) and significantly greater number of missing teeth(p=0.000) and CPITN (p=0.000) than their respective counterparts. In terms of brushing, those who brushed their teeth below "3 times/day" were found to have significantly greater number of decayed teeth(p=0.000), missing teeth(p=0.000), DMFT(p=0.000) and CPITN(p=0.000) than their counterparts. In terms of time spent in brushing, those who spends "below 3 minutes" had significantly greater number of missing teeth(p=0.002) and DMFT(p=0.041), and significantly less number of filled teeth(p=0.036). According to the use of aid tools for cleaning teeth, the group who don't use them had significantly greater number of DMFT(p=0.041) and CPITN(p=0.018) than its counterpart. Classified by smoking habits, smoking groups had significantly greater number of decayed teeth(p=0.035) and CPITN(p=0.001) than non-smoking groups. Multiple regression analysis of the study data revealed that the significant factors influencing number of decayed teeth were number of brushing, sex and intra-oral observation (explanatory power of 14.2%). The significant factors for number of filled teeth were sex, intra-oral observation, use of aid tools, frequency of brushing, subjective health conditions and drinking of sweet beverages(explanatory power of 18.2%), those for number of missing teeth, number of brushing and age(explanatory power of 13.9%) those for DMFT, number of brushing, sex, use of dental service, age(explanatory power: 13.5%), and those for CPITN included smoking habits, use of dental service, use of aid tools (explanatory power: 10.8%). Conclusions: The study results revealed that the dental health behavior of the elderly population is in poor conditions and their consequent intra-oral health conditions are not good. To improve their oral conditions, public campaign and education will be needed to modify unhealthy dental health behaviors.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.19 no.8
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• pp.513-523
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• 2018

This study was to examine the effects of depression, avoidance coping and quality of life on suicidal ideation of elders living at home. A descriptive survey study was conducted with a survey of 509 older people in person 50 senior center at G city from November 30, 2017 to 1. The data were analyzed with t-test, ANOVA, Pearson's correlation coefficients and stepwise multiple regression using IBM SPSS WIN 24.0 program. The mean score of the was depression $8.50{\pm}3.51$, avoidance coping style $12.36{\pm}3.41$, quality of life $7.26{\pm}1.97$ and suicidal ideation $6.16{\pm}1.78$. Suicidal ideation was had a negative correlation with Depression(r=-.219, p<.001) and a positive correlation with avoidance coping style(r=.277, p<.001). The result of the regression indicated that depression, avoidance coping style and gender explained 12.1% of variance in suicidal ideation. The results suggest that depression, avoidance coping style and gender were associated with suicidal ideation. Therefore it is necessary to develop strategies to reduce the depression, avoidance coping style and improve quality of life for community dwelling elders to reduce suicidal ideation.

• Journal of Korean Public Health Nursing
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.13-29
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• 2002

The purpose of this study was to describe about elders with dementia, their families, and their living environment by visiting the households where demented elders resided. The findings will be used as a basis to develop future individualized adjustment programs for demented elders and their families living in communities. The study participants were 64 demented elders and their families who were registered to a dementia counseling center at Nam-Gu community health center located in Inchon, Korea. Data were collected for two months, from May to June 2001. The length of data collection for each home visit ranged from 1.5 to 2.5 hours. Conclusion are as follows based on these study findings: Those demented elders had more than one chronic health problem in addition to their pre-existing dementia condition. Two thirds of the demented elders were not receiving any specific treatment for dementia. They showed a moderate level of independence in basic ADL, but were mostly residing at home because of lack of ability to perform more delicate and complicate routine daily activities by themselves. In addition, the primary caregivers were not well adjusted to the care-giving activities for their demented family members due to the lack of knowledge and information about dementia. The caregivers were mostly women including daughters-in-law, woman spouses and daughters, over a half of whom perceived their physical and mental health status as poor. Their image toward the demented elders was considerably negative. while their level of knowledge on dementia was moderate. The burden for the care-giving was high, whereas their coping method was passive. As the difference in image toward elderly before and after the onset of dementia in their family member increases, the caregiver burden also increased. The main resource of social support for the caregivers was their children. The caregivers showed high level of needs for knowledge and information on dementia, and day care service was the most preferred type of service by the caregivers. There was lack of safety in the living environments for the demented elders and their families, and in the surrounding environments to prevent dementia-related symptoms. Considering that home-based family care-giving is the most culturally appropriate model of providing care for the demented elders in Korea, we need to develop and apply an individualized adjustment program for the demented elders and their families.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.561-571
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• 2016

Purpose: This study reviewed the innovative educational strategies that have been implemented successfully in US baccalaureate nursing education programs to facilitate appropriate attitudes about caring for older adults. Methods: The data were collected through a search of PubMed and CINAHL using the key words, gerontological or geriatric, attitudes about aging or older people, baccalaureate or undergraduate nursing education or curriculum. Results: The successful strategies are categorized as follows: 1) a multidisciplinary approach integrating aging issues and gerontological contents into diverse nursing courses, 2) active participation of community-dwelling healthy older individuals as an educational mentor, 3) use of audiovisual materials to investigate the misconceptions and attitudes about aging, and 4) discussion through critical thinking and self-reflection toward aging. Implications: For the interdisciplinary approach within nursing courses, it is essential to derive the key contents for gerontological nursing applicable to integration into diverse nursing courses. In addition, it is necessary to provide administrative support for implementing innovative strategies and constructing consistent partnerships with the community for active participation of the elderly as a mentor. Lastly, recognizing the significance of educational strategies for enhancing desirable attitudes toward gerontological nursing and supporting the development of educational capability of a faculty are key issues.

• Therapeutic Science for Rehabilitation
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.77-92
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• 2019

Objective : This study aims to obtain the validation of Korean version of HOME FAST using the translation-back translation process and to evaluate the reliability. Methods : Total three stages were conducted which includes forward translation to Korean, test for degree of understanding of translated version, back translation to English, and then review and proof reading process. 21 occupational therapists were participated in the evaluation of understanding of Korean-translated HOME FAST, then some of expressions were modified for better understanding. Korean version was went through back-translation to English. Similarity between the original version and re-translated version were evaluated. Total 75 data from community dwelling elderly group were collected to assess internal consistency. Two occupational therapists simultaneously evaluated for the inter-rater reliability. Results : 11 items of Korean-translated scale were responded as having confused meaning by occupational therapists. There was some modification on expression. In the evaluation of similarity between original version and re-translated version, 3 items were selected as dissimilar items in terms of syntax and 6 items were selected in terms of semantic similarity. After the repetitive modification process, items were obtained conceptual equivalence between two different languages. Internal consistency was .62(KR20) (p<.01) and inter-rater reliability was .97(ICC) (p<.01). Conclusion : Korean version of HOME FAST was finalized through translation-retranslation process. The conceptual equivalence was established and Korean version showed highly reliable. In further study, The modification of items reflecting Korean house and life style should be conducted.

• Journal of the Korea Convergence Society
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.625-634
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• 2022

The objective of this study was to examine the relationship between physical activity (PA) level and functional fitness (FF) parameters in community-dwelling older adults aged 65 or above in Korea. Subjects' (M: 1,645; F: 2,394) PA level were assessed using a questionnaire. The subjects were divided into two groups: one below the recommended level of PA(LPA) and one above the recommended level (PA). PA was further classified by intensity level into medium- and high-intensity PA (MIPA and HIPA respectively) groups. FF was assessed based on six test items representing the following fitness areas: lower and upper body strength, agility and dynamic balance, flexibility, aerobic capacity, coordination, and body composition. Of the subjects, 36% met the recommended level of PA. Both MIPA and HIPA were superior to LPA in all FF items(p<.05). The HIPA group was significantly better in terms of agility and dynamic balance, coordination, and lower body strength (only in women) than was the MIPA group(p<.05). In conclusion, PA above the recommended level is needed to maintain functional fitness. In addition, HIPA seems to promote fall-related functional fitness and should be encouraged when safe and feasible.