• Journal of Society of Preventive Korean Medicine
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.115-127
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• 2004

The purpose of this study was to investigate the food habits and nutrient intake, among the elder according to their Sasang constitutions. The investigation group was composed of 79 elder men and 117 elder women in Sungjugun Kyungsangbukdo. Data were collected from 1 July, 2002 to 31 July, 2002. In conclusion, diet habits and nutritional intakes were poor in the elderly older than 65 years of age so that they need regular food intake habit and balanced nutrition to obtain enough nutrients to maintain healthy lives. And the following suggestions are made. Firstly, multi-directional studies are needed to improve nutritional intakes, prevent diseases, and improve quality of life in the elderly. Secondly, in-depth studies are needed with various and more people related with Sasang constitutions. Thirdly, we need to screen for risk factors of poor nutrition in each constitution for systemic maintenance of nutritional status and health management in the ever increasing elderly population. For this purpose, an objective investigative tool befitting the situation in Korea should be developed. Fourthly, comparative studies on diet habit and nutritional status are needed by investigating the relationship between Sasang constitutions and diseases. Fifthly, food menu should be proposed according to Sasang constitutions to be utilized as basic data of longevity study.

• Journal of Distribution Science
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• v.12 no.8
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• pp.91-102
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• 2014

Purpose - Today, the importance of the service industry has increased. Social welfare businesses that follow the non-profit principle have neglected the distribution of the service. However, an intangible service, when produced and consumed, has a similar service delivery system to common service distribution and social welfare. Therefore, the author has assumed the efficiency of the service delivery system of social welfare to be equivalent to the service distribution industry. Hence, various kinds of social welfare services for the prevention of elderly suicide, from the perspective of distribution, are discussed. Studies on generational relations have thus far investigated depression from parent-children conflict, and satisfaction with their lives. Studies on the relationship between family solidarity and elderly suicide by analyzing existing social problems are rare. This study investigated the effects of family solidarity between old parents and adult children upon elderly suicide by analyzing serious psychological and social problems. This study revealed basic measures for elderly suicide prevention through services that could elevate family solidarity from the perspective of social welfare service distribution. Research design, data, and methodology - The subjects were 468 elderly, 65 years or older, at 18 senior welfare centers and halls for the elderly at Seoul and Gyeonggi-do. Questionnaire surveys, excluding invalid answers, were analyzed. Convenience sampling was used from February 5, 2014 to March 5, 2014. The findings were: First, women and those having spouses with advanced educational backgrounds and social activities had primary solidarity such as contact solidarity, affectionate solidarity, functional solidarity (giving help), and functional solidarity (receiving help). In addition, those who had good health, from a subjective point of view, had more solidarity. Second, the elderly who were men and single, and who had poorer educational backgrounds thought of suicide, lacked social activities, and had poor health, from a subjective point of view. Third, family solidarity between old parents and adult children had significantly negative influence on the suicidal ideation of the elderly. Results - The study revealed the following implications. First, the preparation for old age should consider not only economic welfare but also the psychological welfare due to the relationship with children. Second, the phenomenon of elderly suicide because of a lack of family solidarity could increase national loss and have great influence upon welfare in old age. Therefore, planning of welfare services for the elderly should consider the value of relationships with children to improve the psychological welfare of the elderly. Third, the social expenses of government-oriented support for parents should be discussed from the people's point of view. Conclusions - The subjects of the study comprised the elderly at Seoul and Gyenggi-do; therefore, it would be difficult to extrapolate the findings to all the elderly in the nation. The subject visited senior welfare centers as well as halls for the elderly; therefore, it would be difficult to assume that the trends were representative of the elderly in the nation.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.104-126
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• 1995

This study was carried out to assess the utilization of urban health center and its related factors among the urban residents. The survey was carried out for 2,394 households in Taegu and Kyongju by the structured questionnaire from 28 March to 4 April and from 2 July to 9 July, 1994. Well trained interviewers visited 2,630 households in Taegu and Kyongju, and interviewed with housewives. Of the target households, 91.0%(2,394 households) were responded through three-time visiting. The major results were summarized as follows : The fourth and fifth decad utilized the health center more frequently than any other age groups.. The lower income group showed higher rate of health center utilization than those in higher income group in Taegu City. The mean length of residence among residents of Kyongju City is longer than those of Taegu City, and the longer length of residence, the higher rate of the health center utilization. Those who are living together with neonate and infant or elderly people showed higher rate of health center utilization than those who are living without neonate and infant or elderly people in both Taegu and Kyongju. The most common reason for visiting the health center was 'low cost'. The major reasons for not visiting the health center were 'not regular customer', 'poor health center facility', and 'low quality of care'. Vaccination, communicable disease control, outpatient care, public hygiene, maternal and child health program were well recognized as health center activities. In logistic regression for the utilization of health center, the significant independent variables were length of residence and recognize the site of health center in both Taegu and Kyongju. The improvement of quality of health service, physical environment of health center and public relations on health center's activities shoulod be considered for reactivation and reingorcement of health center functions.

• Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.67-87
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• 2006

Objective: In order to provide basic data required to evaluate the knowledge and behavior of old people towards health promotion and primary factors that influence them, to develop a health educational program. Method: A survey was conducted from March 6th 2004 to June 10th 2004. A total of 949 senior citizens over 60 participated in the survey. Results: The old people was the lower the educational level they had, the lower the level of health education experience they had and the lower the frequency of regular health check-ups they had. In regards to health education and health promotion, seniors citizens were neglected because of a lack of health awareness and knowledge, wrong habits related to healthy living, low access to medical examination, poor economic state, and low educational level. In addition to social atmosphere and systematic efforts by the government, senior citizens tried to find their own ways to have healthy living by improving their educational level, health awareness, and level of health knowledge, and lifestyle. Conclusion: Therefore, not only their family members, but local communities, public organizations, and the whole nation should make every effort to provide a effective health education system by using health educators for senior citizens. There is also a need to prepare a practical and systematic health education program for senior citizens so that they can enjoy comfortable and healthy living in their old age.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Fundamentals of Nursing
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.62-71
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• 2007

Purpose: This study was done to compare sleep patterns, factors of sleep disturbance and sleep enhancement behaviors between sleep disturbance and non-sleep disturbance elderly patients. Method: The participants were 117 patients over 65 years old who were hospitalized at 5 general hospitals in Seoul. There were 83 patients in the good sleeper group and 34 in the poor sleeper group. The survey questionnaires included questions on general characteristics, sleep patterns, sleep disturbing factors, and sleep enhancement behaviors of the patients. Results: For sleep patterns and environmental factors of sleep disturbance, the poor sleepers was significantly higher than that of the good sleepers. Significant differences between good sleepers and poor sleepers were also found on the following variables: Environmental factors of sleep disturbance -'Sound of other patient's or care-giver's', 'Discomfort of bed, linen, pillow and patient's gown', 'Light in the room', 'Emergency situations', 'Temperature of patients rooms too hot or too cold'. The significant physical factor of sleep disturbance was 'Hard to breath even without moving' and for sleep enhancement behaviors: 'Use of ear plugs or eye covers' Conclusion: Consequently it is necessary to develop positive and differentiated programs for sleep enhancement for the inactive and poor sleeper among the elderly patients.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
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• v.17 no.11
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• pp.29-37
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• 2019

Elderly people want to live in the community even if they are in poor health. However, there is no integrated care support system suitable for the health and functional status of the elderly. So the elderly are choosing living facilities. The purpose of this study is to explore exploring whether the elderly are applying for a long-term care certification. First, mild geriatric patients were mainly using home care services such as visitation care. However, some of the milder elderly were enrolled in nursing homes. And the service that does not fit the functional status of the elderly is used. Second, it is concentrated on the use of visiting care services. Third, elderly people outside the class did not receive sufficient help for daily life, and the use of community welfare services such as the elderly welfare center was low. As a result, long-term care admitters are not able to continue to live in the community even though their health and functioning status is mild, and elderly people out of grade are unable to properly use the necessary community care services. The condition is likely to deteriorate.

• Journal of Korean Public Health Nursing
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.26-40
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• 2000

This study was conducted to find out residential environment, mood states, ADL(Activity Daily Living) and nursing need of the elderly who live alone. The questionnaire survey was conducted on 154 single household elderly over 65years who live n D-city, Kangwon Province. The data were collected between September 1. 1999 and October 17, 1999 and analyzed by means of SPSS package. The results were as follows; 1. The percentage of the subjects who owned their house was no were than $13\%$., which showed that they still belonged to the economically vulnerable class. As for their residential environment, the average indoor temperature and humidity level were $16.45^{\circ}C\;and\;44.62\%$ respectively during the daytime between September and October, which proved to range within the standard scope. The average indoor illumination level was, however, 43.61 Lux, which showed that their illumination environment was very poor. 2. The average score of their mood states was 3.31. which turned out to be rather low. 3. The mean score of ADL was 1.69, which showed that they didn't have any serious inconveniences in their ordinary lives. 4. The mean score of their nursing need was 275, which proved to be close to the normal level. 5. The higher the room humidity was, the higher their nursing need increased. The higher the degree of illumination level was, the lower the degree of their nursing need was and the higher the level of ADL was. 6. The major factors influencing their moon status were the frequency of their contact with children and room humidity. These two factors could account for $22\%$ of the total mood status. These results suggest that the residential environment should be necessarily considered in the psychological nursing intervention for the elderly who live alone and they should be urgently supported in terms of health policy so that they can maintain the optimum level of illumination during the daytime.

• Journal of the East Asian Society of Dietary Life
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.311-324
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• 2011

This study was performed to assess the nutritional status of low income elderly women aged ${\geq}$65 years residing in Gyeongnam Masan (n=124). Nutrition intakes, food intake frequency, and health-related behaviors including smoking, drinking, and exercise were investigated. Nutrition intake was calculated by the 24-hour recall method using CAN-pro (ver. 3.0). Average daily intakes of energy were $1,142.3{\pm}39$ kcal (71.4% of EER) in subjects aged 65~74 years and $1,071.0{\pm}41.7$ kcal (66.9% of EER) in subjects aged ${\geq}$75 years and the subjects consumed energy less than both 75% of estimated energy requirement (EER). The proportions of energy derived from protein, fat, and carbohydrate were 15.4:15.5:70.6 (aged 65~74 years), and 15.3:13.4:70.8 (aged ${\geq}$75). Nutrients consumed at less than estimated average requirements (EARs) were Ca (60.4%), P (98.4%), Zn (91%), vitamin E (48% of adequate intake, AI), vitamin $B_1$ (63.3%), vitamin $B_2$ (54%), niacin (87.7%), vitamin C (62.5%), and folate (50.5%). Especially, the intakes of Ca (58%), vitamin E (41% of AI), vitamin $B_1$ (60%), vitamin $B_2$ (50%), folate (46.5%), and vitamin C (54%) were 75% less than the EAR for people aged ${\geq}$75 years. According to the food intake frequency survey, the intakes of calcium, milk, fruits, and vegetables were very poor. In conclusion, this study suggests that a nutritional support program for elderly women of low socioeconomic class must be provided by the government to improve the quality of remaining life.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.42 no.6
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• pp.403-407
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• 2009

Objectives : The amount of medical utilization by Medical Aid recipients was 3.7 times that of patients with Korean Medical Insurance. This study aims to describe the surplus medicine and the medication-related utilization, and to determine factors contributing to surplus medicine. Methods : Among those who used copayment-free Class I Medical Aid in 2005, 146,880 subjects who were $\geq19$ year-old and received >365 days medical treatment per year were studied with their case managers by conducting face-to-face interviews. The analytic methods were description, chi-square, t-tests, ANCOVA and multiple logistic regressions. Results : Most subjects were female (68.6%), the elderly (62.5%), and the separated (61.6%), had an elementary graduation or less (74.8%), and had disabilities (33.2%). The percentage of subjects with surplus medicine was 18.5%. However, the percentage of females, the elderly, those with non-disabilities, the separated, the uneducated, those with a very poor perceived health status and those with an economical burden for medical treatment was 19.3%, 18.9%, 19.0%, 19.3%, 19.0%, 20.2% and 24.3%, respectively. For subjects with surplus medicine, averages for the number of used pharmacies, the pharmacy-visit days and the medication costs were 4.6 drugstores, 34.9 days and approximately 1,124 thousand Won(￦). These values were higher than those without surplus medicine (4.4 drugstores, 33.8 days, and ￦1,110 thousand, respectively). The odds ratios of the contributing factors to surplus medicine were female 1.11 (95% CI=1.07-1.14), the elderly 1.06 (95% CI=1.02-1.10), those with non-disabilities 1.08 (95% CI=1.05-1.12), the separated 1.14 (95% CI=1.10-1.18), the unmarried 1.12 (95% CI=1.07-1.18), the uneducated 1.03 (95% CI=1.01-1.08), those with a very poor perceived health status 1.04 (95% CI=1.01-1.08) and experiencing an economical burden for medical treatment 2.33 (95% CI=2.26-2.40). Conclusions : 18.5% of subjects had surplus medicine with a higher mean of medication cost. Therefore, health education and health promotion programs to prevent surplus medicine and to improve the appropriate usage of medication are necessary.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.58-67
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• 2007

For the rapidly growing elderly population, the achievement and maintenance of good nutritional status is critical to health, functioning and quality of life. Elderly women living alone have been identified as a group associated with poor nutrition. The purpose of this study was to assess dietary intakes of elderly women living alone as compared to those of elderly women living with family in a rural area and to examine seasonal variation. The subjects are 49 elderly women living alone and 41 elderly women living with family who reside in Goryeong-gun, Gyeongbuk, and their food intakes were assessed once each time in summer 2005, winter 2005-2006, and spring 2006. The average ages were 74.7 years for living alone and 72.8 years for living with family. Education level was not different between the two groups. Height, weight, body mass index, systolic and diastolic blood pressures, and fasting blood glucose were not significantly different between the two groups. Average intakes of major nutrients, nutrient adequacy ratio, mean adequacy ratio and index of nutritional quality were lower in the elderly women living alone compared with the elderly women living with family in summer, but the differences in intakes of most nutrients became insignificant both in winter and in spring. High carbohydrate and low fat diet was prevalent and intakes of carbohydrate and fat in summer deviated from macronutrient acceptable distribution ranges. Percentages of the subjects who consumed energy less than 75% of the estimated energy requirement and nutrients less than the estimated average requirement were higher than those reported by the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. In summer, the percentage of the subjects who consumed energy less than both 75% of the estimated energy requirement and 4 nutrients less than estimated average requirements was 58.5% of the elderly women living alone, which was higher than 26.5% of the elderly women living with family and that of National Nutrition Survey. Therefore, nutrition policies including nutrition education and support are necessary to improve nutritional status of elderly, especially elderly women living alone and should reflect regional and seasonal characteristics.