• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.122-132
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• 2014

Objectives: This study was conducted to investigate the vitamin D status and to determine the association between serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] concentrations and consumption frequencies of vitamin D rich foods in Korean adults and older adults. Methods: Subjects were 10,374 adults and 2,792 older adults participating in the 2008-2009 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES). Consumption frequencies of vitamin D rich foods were estimated by using a qualitative food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). Eleven food items such as beef, egg, mackerel, tuna, yellow corvina, pollack, anchovy, mushroom, milk, yogurt, and ice cream were selected as vitamin D rich foods based on previous research. Results: The proportions of deficiency (< 12 ng/mL), inadequacy (12-20 ng/mL) and sufficiency (${\geq}20ng/mL$) of serum 25(OH)D concentrations from June to November and December to May in adults were 8.8%, 42.3%, 48.8%, and 28.2%, 52.8%, 19.1%, respectively. The proportions of deficiency, inadequacy and sufficiency of serum 25(OH)D concentrations from June to November and December to May in older adults were 10.1%, 32.4%, 57.5%, and 24.1%, 45.4%, 30.5%, respectively. The mean serum 25(OH)D concentrations in adults were positively related to the consumption frequencies of mackerel, anchovy, all fish, milk and milk dairy products. The mean serum 25(OH)D concentrations in older adults were positively related to the consumption frequencies of yellow corvina and negatively related to the consumption frequencies of ice cream. Conclusions: Our results suggest that Korean adults were more deficient in serum 25(OH)D concentrations than older adults. The consumption of vitamin D rich foods may affect vitamin D status in Korean adults. Further studies are required to confirm these findings.

• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.139-145
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• 2018

Objective: Older persons with diabetes mellitus (DM) are particularly more likely to have fallen in the previous year than those without DM. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between the risk of falls and type 2 DM in older adults who are 65 years of age or above. Design: A systematic review. Methods: PubMed and other two databases were searched up to August 2, 2018. Observational and cohort studies evaluating fall risk in people who are 65 years of age or above with DM were included. This review extracted the following information from each study selected: first author's surname, year of publication, country, average follow-up period, sex, age at enrollment, study population, measurement variables, relative risk, 95% confidence intervals and controlled variables. Results: This review involved nine cohort studies with 3,765 older adults with DM and 12,989 older adults without DM. Six studies compared with or without DM and two studies compared fallers with non-fallers with DM. Risk factors for falls included impaired cognitive function, diabetes-related complications (peripheral nerve dysfunction, visual impairment), and physical function (balance, gait velocity, muscle strength, and severity of physical activities). Conclusions: People who are 65 years of age or above with DM have increased risk of falling caused by impaired cognitive function, peripheral nerve dysfunction, visual impairment, and physical function in community-dwellers. For adults who are 65 years of age or older with DM, research fields and clinical settings should consider therapeutic approaches to improve these risk factors for falls.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.41 no.6
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• pp.795-804
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• 2011

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of interactive pictorial education on community dwelling older Korean adults' self-efficacy and knowledge for safe medication. Methods: A quasi-experimental, three-group pre- and post-intervention design was used in this study. The interactive pictorial education was designed to suit the learning patterns and psychomotor skills of older adults. The education content, dealing with safe medication, was delivered over three sessions. A total of 136 older adults from local senior centers were assigned to one of the three groups: a) interactive pictorial education plus information booklet (experimental); b) education only with information booklet (conventional); or c) no intervention (control). Results: Participants receiving interactive pictorial education had significantly higher self-efficacy (F=24.32, p<.001) and knowledge (F=24.26, p<.001) scores than the information booklet or control group at post intervention. Post-hoc analyses indicated that both the interactive pictorial and the information booklet groups had significantly higher self-efficacy and knowledge scores than the control group at the post-test point (p<.05). Furthermore, the interactive pictorial group had higher self-efficacy and knowledge scores than the information booklet group at the post-test point (p<.05). Conclusion: These results suggest that the interactive pictorial education is an innovative approach that provides a means for older adults to learn appropriate medication use to improve their own health. It empowers older adults with different literacy levels to enhance their self-efficacy and knowledge for the safe use of medication.

• Journal of East-West Nursing Research
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.67-73
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• 2008

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of Kynesio-taping therapy (KTT) on chronic joint pain among community-dwelling older adults. Methods: A pre-experimental design was used. KTT was employed on 23 consenting community older adults visiting a community center. KTT was applied on the painful joint for 3-4 days. Pain was evaluated using the visual analogue scale. Results: Frequent locations of pain were waist (43.8%), knee (28.1%), shoulder (12.4%), and head (9.4%). Time of severe pain during the day was mid-day (47.8%), early morning (21.7%), and evening (13.0%). Pain relief management included hospital visitation (65.2%), medication (17.4%), and application of a poultice (13.0%). Pain scores were significantly decreased after KTT compared to pretest scores acquired prior to taping (p<.001). Conclusions: KTT is a cost-effective, easy-to-use, and effective form of pain relief in older adults with chronic joint pain. Clinical practitioners can consider KTT as a complementary method of chronic pain control in older adults.

• Journal of Korean Academic Society of Home Health Care Nursing
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.87-98
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• 2017

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the factors affecting medication errors and the medication management educational needs of community-dwelling older adults. Methods: From February 20 to February 23, 2017, 150 elderly people aged 65 or older were surveyed using a structured questionnaire. Results: A total of 85.7% of the older adults were taking medication, but their drug knowledge was found to be low. The medication error rate was 24.9%, and the score for medication management education requirement was 3.61 out of a possible 5points. Factors affecting medication errors were perceived health status and knowledge of medication, and their explanatory power was 43% in total. Conclusion: It was concluded that nursing intervention is needed to reduce older adults' medication errors and to increase their knowledge of medication. Additionally, groups of older adults with high medication errors should be intensively educated, and when developing a medication management education program, the contents of the sub-areas and items in which the participants' needs were high should be reinforced.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.47 no.3
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• pp.431-444
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• 2017

Purpose: This study was conducted to verify the effects of a memory and visual-motor integration program for older adults based on self-efficacy theory. Methods: A non-equivalent control group pretest-posttest design was implemented in this quasi-experimental study. The participants were 62 older adults from senior centers and older adult welfare facilities in D and G city (Experimental group=30, Control group=32). The experimental group took part in a 12-session memory and visual-motor integration program over 6 weeks. Data regarding memory self-efficacy, memory, visual-motor integration, and depression were collected from July to October of 2014 and analyzed with independent t-test and Mann-Whitney U test using PASW Statistics (SPSS) 18.0 to determine the effects of the interventions. Results: Memory self-efficacy (t=2.20, p=.031), memory (Z=-2.92, p=.004), and visual-motor integration (Z=-2.49, p=.013) increased significantly in the experimental group as compared to the control group. However, depression (Z=-0.90, p=.367) did not decrease significantly. Conclusion: This program is effective for increasing memory, visual-motor integration, and memory self-efficacy in older adults. Therefore, it can be used to improve cognition and prevent dementia in older adults.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
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• v.18 no.9
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• pp.297-305
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• 2020

The purpose of this study was to identify the factors associated with subjective age among community-dwelling older adults in South Korea. Cross-sectional analyses were performed on 8,040 older adults aged 65 years and over from the 2017 National Survey of Older Koreans. We used univariable analysis and multivariable analysis by the logistic regression test. The significant factors associated with subjective age in older adults were gender, education level, living arrangements, limitation of instrumental activities of daily living, number of chronic diseases, perceived health status, depression, and current economic activity. Based on the results of this study, nursing intervention will be needed to lower subjective age. This study may contribute to the older adults to have a healthy and successful old age.

• Journal of East-West Nursing Research
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.146-153
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• 2018

Purpose: This study aimed to identify characteristics and severity assessed by Korean Triage and Acuity Scale (KTAS) among 2,496 older adults aged 65 and over who visited an emergency department (ED) located in Chuncheon city. Methods: Data were collected via electronic medical records from two hospitals from January to December of 2016. Chi square test and logistic regression were applied using SPSS 22.0. Results: 53.5% of the participants were women and 17.6% of visits were done by aged 85 and older. ED visits by ambulance were 33.9%. More than two-third of older adults' ED visits were emergent status. Severity of the ED visits of older adults were rated by KTAS. Commonly reported chief complaints of the ED visits were dizziness, dyspnea, chest pain, abdominal pain, and hypoalbuminemia. Among them, dizziness, chest pain, dyspnea, and hypoalbuminemia were related factors for being-emergent condition. Conclusion: Strategies for older adults' chief complaints are needed in order to reduce unexpected ED visits.

• Journal of East-West Nursing Research
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.61-69
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• 2021

Purpose: This study aims to determine the association between fear of falling, falls efficacy, and fall prevention behaviors in older adults in outpatient and identify the factors affecting fall prevention behaviors. Methods: This was a descriptive study. A total of 137 older adults aged 60 or older with more than one disease in an outpatients setting were recruited from a university hospital in Seoul. Data were collected from March 11 through April 8, 2016. Results: The experience of a fall was significantly associated with age (t=-2.71, p=.008), gender (𝛘²=14.32, p<.001), education (𝛘²=6.05, p=.049), income (𝛘²=9.93, p=.019), physical activity status (𝛘²=16.84, p<.001), and the number of diseases (t=-2.89, p=.004). Fall experience was not significantly associated with marital status (𝛘²=3.79, p=.285). Multiple regression analysis revealed that the most influential factor of fall prevention behaviors was the fear of falls (β=-.37, p<.001), followed by the number of diseases (β=-.20, p=.013). Conclusion: It is necessary to provide preventive fall education with older adults in outpatients settings considering the fear level of falling and the numbers of accompanying diseases.

• Korean Journal of Adult Nursing
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.393-402
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• 2014

Purpose: The aim of this study was to describe the risk of dysphagia among older adults in senior centers and to find the relationships between the risk of dysphagia and dysphagia-specific quality of life. Methods: The participants were 260 community-dwelling older adults, aged 65 years in two senior centers. Data were collected by self-report questionnaires or face to face interviews. The instruments were the modified dysphagia risk assessment scale for elderly and dysphagia-specific quality of life questionnaire. The data were analyzed using t-test, $x^2$-test, logistic regression, and pearson's correlation. Results: 162 older adults (62.3%) were classified as having the risk of dysphagia. Severe dry mouth (OR=15.677, CI=2.986~82.297), neurologic disease (OR=10.125, CI=1.092~93.899), gastritis (OR=5.731, CI=1.482~22.173), denture discomfort (OR=2.969, CI=1.016~8.677), teeth discomfort (OR=2.61, CI=1.311~5.196) were the significant factors predicting the risk of dysphagia. There is a significant correlation between the risk of dysphagia and dysphagia-specific quality of life. Conclusion: Dysphagia could be a major health problem among community dwelling older adults. It can affect the dysphagia-specific quality of life. Older adults having severe dry mouth, neurologic disease, or gastritis should receive dysphagia risk assessment and proper management on a regular basis. An effective nursing intervention needs to be developed for the older adults with risk factors of dysphagia.