• Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.62-69
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• 2023

Objective: Adherence is an important component in the treatment of various diseases, and poor adherence to antidepressants in patients with major depressive disorder is common. Non-adherence can be more prevalent in elderly patients with multiple morbidity and polypharmacy, resulting in negative treatment outcomes. The purpose of this study was to analyze adherence to antidepressants in Korean elderly patients with major depressive disorder. Method: A retrospective study was conducted using the Korean National Health Insurance claims database, and the subjects of this study were patients aged 65 or older who received at least one prescription of antidepressant monotherapy for the treatment of major depressive disorder between January 1, 2020 and June 30, 2020. Adherence was measured using the proportion of days covered at 6 months after the initial antidepressant prescription date. Logistic regression analysis was used to identify factors associated with adherence. Results: A total of 416,766 patients were finally included in the study. Over half of patients were non-adherent (52.67%) to antidepressants. According to the multivariate logistic regression analysis, national health insurance or medical aid, taking selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors or selective norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors, and having comorbidities were significantly associated with greater rates of adherence in the study subjects. The highest adherence rate was observed in patients taking vortioxetine. Conclusion: There was a considerable rate of non-adherence in Korean elderly patients with major depressive disorder. Health care professionals should try to improve adherence in elderly patients with major depressive disorder.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.32 no.5
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• pp.665-672
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• 2002

It was identified that how many homebound bedridden elderlies and their primary caregivers were depressed, and which factors affected the bedridden elderly's depression. Method: The subjects were 191 homebound bedridden elderlies and their primary caregivers. The affecting factors were classified into two categories : bedridden elderly and their primary caregiver related factors. Then bedridden elderly's factors were classified demographic and disease-related factors again. The stepwise regression was used to identify significant factors. Result: The prevalence of bedridden elderly's and caregiver's depression was 77.8% and 67.0%, respectively. And the model explained 33.3% of variance of bedridden elderly's depression. Cognitively-impaired female elderlies who had depressed caregivers were found to be more depressed. And caregivers who perceived burden were identified to be more depressed. Conclusion: It is recommended that the health professionals need to identify bedridden elderlies and caregivers at risk of depression. Especially elderlies who is in poor cognition, those who are female, and those whose caregivers were depressed might be considered carefully in all counseling or follow-up. Also the primary caregivers must be helped to access already available formal and informal support.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.54 no.2
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• pp.96-102
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• 2021

Objectives: Sarcopenia is a common disease in the elderly population that causes disability, poor quality of life, and a high risk of death. In the current study, we conducted a meta-analysis to report basic knowledge about the prevalence of sarcopenia in the elderly in Korea. Methods: We searched for articles in the MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, Embase, and Scopus databases published until December 28, 2020. Studies investigating the prevalence of sarcopenia in elderly Koreans aged ≥65 years were included. The methodological quality of the studies was evaluated using the Newcastle-Ottawa scale. Publication bias was evaluated using the Egger test and funnel plots. Results: In total, 3 studies and 2922 patients were included in the meta-analysis. All 3 studies used the European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People criteria for the diagnosis of sarcopenia. The total prevalence of sarcopenia was 13.1-14.9% in elderly men and 11.4% in elderly women. Conclusions: This meta-analysis is the first to estimate the pooled prevalence of sarcopenia in elderly Koreans, and its findings suggest that sarcopenia is common in this population. Therefore, attention should be paid to the prevention and control of sarcopenia.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.1-13
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• 2014

Objective: The objectives were to estimate the rate of the injury in the elderly over the past year and to identify factors related to injury in the elderly in South Korea. Method: Using data from the 2008 Community Health Survey, 43,049 elderly persons, aged 65 years and older, were selected as study subjects. Their experience of injury during the past year and other variables, including socio-demographic factors, health-related factors, and diagnosed chronic diseases, were used. The chi-squared test and multiple logistic regression analysis with weighted analysis were conducted and statistical significance was set at p<0.05. Result: The rate of injury in the elderly during the past year was 5.1%. The most common types of the injury were falling/slipping down and traffic accidents. Factors related to injury in the elderly were living alone, current drinking, depression, poor self-rated health, stroke, and osteoporosis. Living alone (odds ratio 1.23, 95% CI: 1.05-1.45), current drinkers (OR 1.19, 95% CI: 1.05-1.35), poor self-rated health (OR 1.72, 95% CI: 1.43-2.08), depression (OR 1.23, 95% CI: 1.17-1.68), and history of stroke (OR 1.40, 95% CI: 1.17-1.68), and history of osteoporosis (OR 1.45, 95% CI: 1.26-1.66) were related to an increased risk of injury. Conclusions: Intervention programs that consider the risk factors related to injury should be developed and implemented to decrease and prevent injuries in the elderly.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.440-449
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• 2017

Purpose: This study was conducted to identify the moderate effect of social support on the relationship between death anxiety and depressive symptoms among poor older women in rural areas. Methods: This was a secondary analysis of the data from 209 women who were participated in the intervention study to evaluate the effectiveness of depression prevention program. Data were collected between April and September 2012. The data were analyzed using moderate multiple regressions. Results: Among these poor older women, depressive symptoms were associated with death anxiety and social support. Self-esteem support had a moderating effect on the relationship between death anxiety and depressive symptoms. Conclusion: The results indicate that the self-esteem support was effective in decreasing depressive symptoms and death anxiety in poor older women. In order to reduce their depression and make positive changes in their lives, self-esteem improvement programs are needed.

• 한국노년학
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.789-803
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• 2009

We investigated the influences of positive thought about social capital on social participation of the elderly Koreans. The study design was cross-sectional analysis of the National Statistic Office Study of Korean Society Statistics Survey 2003. Participants were total of 8,586 representative samples. Two types of social participation were investigated: meeting attendance and volunteer obligations. The base model included five thoughts about social capital that must be settled as a priority in Korea, i.e., reducing the differences between the rich and the poor, reducing the crime rate, reducing regulations and corruption, improving the moral level, eliminating environmental pollution. Social participation was influenced by positive thoughts about social capital, and different kinds of thoughts had different influences on different types of social participation. The elderly who responded positively to 'reducing the differences between the rich and the poor' attended all two types of social participation more. Along with education and health status, positive thought about social capital is another important factor that influences increased social participation. It may also compensate for deteriorating health with increasing age by promoting social participation. Encouraging social participation is a good way to improve the health of the elderly, as are efforts to change thought about social capital positively.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.36 no.10
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• pp.1052-1060
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• 2003

Poor dietary habits and inadequate nutrient intakes are of concern in the elderly, even it is worse in rural areas. In the present study, we conducted the anthropometric measurement and the dietary intakes including macronutrients, minerals and vitamins to assess the nutrient intakes and nutritional risk in elderly people in rural kyungpook province in South Korea. Subjects (n = 168, mean age, 67.3 yrs) were interviewed using d general questionnaire and 3 days of 24-hours recall for dietary intake. Nutrient intakes were analyzed using CAN-pro soft program and compared to Korean RDA and nutrition reference values (NRV). The anthropometric measurement showed that the weight and the height of the subjects in the rural area were below the average of the same age of Korean elderly people. The energy and protein intakes were 85％ and 90％ of Korean RDA, respectively. The intakes of lipid, cholesterol and dietary fiber were 62％, 40％ and 22％ of NRV for Korean adults. Main sources for protein and lipid intakes came from the vegetable sources and this pattern was more prominent in female elderly people. Ca intake was half of Korean RDA (56％), while P intake was 132％ of Korean RDA. For the antioxidant trace mineral (Fe, Cu, Mn, Zn, and Se) intakes, Fe and Zn intakes were 78％ and > 103％ of Korean RDA. Cu, Mn and Se intakes were > 113％, > 275％, and > 185％ of Korean NRV. Thiamin, niacin and vitamin C intakes were above Korean RDA, but the intakes of vitamin A and riboflavin were 88％ and 63％ of Korean RDA, respectively. On summarizing the results of the present study, the elderly people in rural area consume less lipid, cholesterol, Ca, and dietary fiber. Ca intake is lower, while P intake is higher, and this would be the potential risk for bone health. Also, Na intake was high, which can be the potential risk for the cardiovascular disease prevailance. Vitamin intakes were fairly good status, excepting riboflavin. Antioxidant mineral intakes were much higher than Korean NRV, unexpectedly. The results suggest that the elderly people in rural area have inadequate intakes of protein, lipid, dietary fiber and Ca, which mainly should be supplied from animal products. Recommendations to increase diet variety would be emphasized for this nutritionally poor-conditioned subjects, specially including animal food products and high dietary fiber food.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.454-463
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• 2000

The purpose of this study was to assess the biochemical nutritional status of the long-lived elderly. The subjects of the study were 148 elderly people of age over 85 years living in Kyungpook Sung-Ju area who have no problem in daily living. The anthropometric measurement and biochemical assessment of the blood sample were carried out. The subject group for this study was composed of 25.9% males and 74.1% females, the average age being 87 years old. The mean Body Mass Index(BMI) of the male and female subjects were 20.7 and 21.2 respectively. The average body fat amounts of the male and female were 21.4% and 29.8% respectively, and the average waist/hip ratios were 0.9 and 0.7 respectively. The mean levels of the total blood protein and albumin of the subjects were in the normal ranges. The mean levels of serum cholesterol and triglyceride were 167.9mg /dL and 123.9mg/dL respectively. The mean levels of the subjects below normal range of hemoglobin were 63.5%. Serum levels of antioxidant nutrients were very poor. The mean levels of serum lipid peroxidation products were 3.3nmol/mL. BMI and WHR were positively correlated with the serum cholesterol levels. The resuts showed that the long-lived elderly had good nutritional status except for antioxidant nutrients status. In addition antioxidant supplement for long-lived elderly may be effective to maintain healthy life in later years.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.21 no.12
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• pp.826-835
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• 2020

The purpose of this study was to examine the mediating effect of stress on the relationship between oral health behaviors and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in the elderly. We analyzed 8148 subjects aged 65 or older who participated in the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2010-2015). All individuals were asked about their socioeconomic history, general health, and oral health behaviors (the frequency of tooth brushing, regular dental check-ups, and use of interdental cleaners). In the results, HRQOL was low in the elderly from a low socioeconomic class, or with diabetes mellitus, hypertension, or poor oral health behaviors. A partial mediating effect from stress was confirmed on the relationship between oral health behaviors and HRQOL. In conclusion, HRQOL was associated with oral health behaviors, with a mediating effect from stress. Therefore, it is necessary that a convergence health promotion program should be planned with an oral health education program and a stress management program for the elderly.

• Korean Journal of Social Welfare Studies
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• v.47 no.1
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• pp.179-204
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• 2016

The purpose of this study is to establish the concept of the blind zone of social services and analyzing the conditions by children, the elderly, the disabled, and the poor. This study used the raw data of demand/supply of social service and sample size is 4,038. Results of the study were as follows. First, in terms of the coverage, the biggest blind zones of social service are the employment support and cultural service. These results were similar for all households. But, it is noteworthy that the size and proportion of blind zones of housing support services for children, counseling services for elderly are relatively big. Second, in terms of adequacy, the most serious blind zones of social service are health and the employment support service. Especially, the elderly, the disabled, and the poor are not the most adequate adult care services and children are community service. Based on such findings, this study suggests expansion of employment support services and health care, monitoring for the services analyzed to be over-supply, and intensive involvement of private sectors about the services provided by the government of a large blind zone.