• 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.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
• /
• v.16 no.5
• /
• pp.628-645
• /
• 2022

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: The purposes of this study were to evaluate the nutritional status and dietary habits of the elderly using the nutrition quotient for the elderly (NQ-E) and to analyze the differences in the NQ-E according to their levels of oral health. SUBJECTS/METHODS: The survey was administered to 123 elderly people receiving congregate meal services in Seoul. The questionnaire comprised 3 domains: oral health status, general characteristics, and the NQ-E for the elderly. RESULTS: The respondents were divided into 2 groups based on the average score of their levels of oral health (the group with high oral health scores: 4.42 points and the group with low oral health scores: 2.89 points). As a result of evaluating nutritional status using the NQ-E, it was found that the average NQ-E score was 58.7 points, with 46.0 points in the balance domain, 47.0 points in the diversity domain, 72.9 points in the moderation domain, and 61.8 points in the dietary behavior domain. The NQ-E score (62.3 points) of the group with high oral health scores is significantly higher than the NQ-E score (54.7 points) of the group with low oral health scores (P < 0.001). Concerning the NQ domain scores, the elderly with good oral health status had "favorable" results in terms of balance and dietary behavior, and the elderly with poor oral health status had "favorable" results only in terms of balance. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, several dietary areas needed improvement in general. Those with poor oral health conditions urgently needed to improve related factors to minimize the risk of increasing imbalanced nutrition and comorbidities due to insufficient nutrition and undesirable eating habits.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
• /
• v.12 no.5
• /
• pp.592-605
• /
• 2007

Undernutrition could be a significant deterrent to healthy aging and could negatively affect health outcomes in elderly. This study aimed to assess health-related factors which are associated with nutritional risks in middle-aged and elderly individuals by a cross-sectional study. Interviews were conducted with 2660 subjects (847 males, 1813 females), aged 50 years and over, in 15 cities in Korea. Data on food intake were obtained through a validated semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaires. Nutritional status were analyzed according to health-related factors including cigarette smoking, alcohol drinking, exercise, stress and depression level. Less regular exercise was associated with a higher likelihood of a poor nutrition [odds ratio (OR) 1.94; 95% confidence intervals (CI) 1.43-2.65] of middle-aged and elderly male subjects. Cigarette smoking (OR 1.84; 95% CI 1.24-2.71), less exercise (OR 2.58; 95% CI 2.07-3.21), stress (OR 1.73; 95% CI 1.36-2.22), and depression (OR 1.34, 95% CI 1.08-1.67) of middle-aged and elderly female subjects was associated with a higher likelihood of a poor nutrition. The results of the multiple regression analysis showed that less exercise proved to be the strongest predictors for the poor nutrition, followed by stress, smoking, and depression (model $R^2= 9.0%$). It suggests that guidance to promote regular exercise, to quit smoking, to minimize stress and depression level might help to improve nutritional status of middle-aged and elderly in Korea. These findings also suggest that having recommendable health behaviors are beneficial to the good nutrition of subjects aged 50 years and over.

• Nutritional Sciences
• /
• v.5 no.1
• /
• pp.26-33
• /
• 2002

This study was conducted to provide insight into the management and care of the elderly in nursing homes. Eighty-six elderly subjects over 65 years old (38 male, 48 female) in 3 non-fee-paying nursing homes, located in Daejeon and Chungchong areas, were studied. Subjects'dietary intakes by estimated food intake records, and self-perceived health conditions, were studied using questionnaires from July 21 to August 1, 1997. Twenty-one % of the male subjects and 42% of the female subjects were over 80 years. Their predominant past occupation was farming. While 8.3% of the female and no male residents showed a BMI (Body Mass Index) of 27 and above, about 30% of the subjects were underweight and in poor health status in seeing, joint pains, lumbago and shoulder pains. Regarding overall health status, 72.1% of the subjects considered them to be in poor health, and female and male subjects suffered more difficulties from cloudy eyes, joint pains and lumbago and shoulder pains than any other. Neuralgia was the predominant chronic complaint and followed by hypertension in both sexes. Overall, female subjects felt worse off than the male subjects in terms of their health status, that can be attributed to higher average age of the female subjects compared to the male subjects. The elderly were eating a very low fat (about 15 g : 6% of total calorie) diet with low vitamin A and E. Intakes of calories, protein and iron slightly exceeded RDA. The phosphorus intake was more than double the RDA although calcium intake was close to the RDA. From these results, it seems important to doubling the fat intake of the elderly residents in the form of vegetable fat with the object of raising of vitamin E, antioxidant vitamin, and essential fatty acids for the elderly. It is also recommended that the elderly residents should be given adequate calcium and exercise for bone health.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
• /
• v.5 no.3
• /
• pp.475-483
• /
• 2000

The develop a simple screening test for identifying Korean elderly at risk of undernutrition, the data of the health-related habits, dietary behaviors and nutrient intakes of the elderly in Chongju were analyzed. Two risk indicators, mean adequacy ratio (MAR) and the respondents perceived health, were used to detect the undernutrition risk of the elderly. In order to select a list of questions for the test, factors a affecting nutritional status and items investigated in previous nutrition surveys of the elderly were considered, and 21 questions were primarily selected. A multiple regression and stepwise regression analysis were used to take out the weak predictors of poor nutrient intake, and to give item weights to the strong predictors, and a list of 17 questions was finally adopted. To determine the cut-point of the test score, sensitivity, and positive predictive values were calculated. The Simple Screening Test developed in this study is a brief, easily scored tool to predict poor nutrient intake and the perceived health status of the elderly. The test may provide a basis of further comprehensive nutritional assessment or intervention planning, if necessary, for those who are diagnosed ad "high risk". The test, however, needs to be independently validated by other groups of individuals.dividuals.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
• /
• v.28 no.4
• /
• pp.472-481
• /
• 2017

Purpose: The purpose of this study were to compare working condition, socioeconomic status, and health status between elderly and non-elderly workers and to examine the influencing factors of health status according to age groups. Methods: This study is a secondary analysis of data extracted from the 2014 Korean Working Conditions Survey. For the present analysis, 15,980 elderly workers over the age of 55 and 32,037 non-elderly workers under the age of 55 were selected. Results: The prevalence of subjective unhealthy status and poor mental health were significantly higher among the elderly workers than the non-elderly workers. The elderly workers were more likely to have lower level of education and income than the non-elderly workers. They also reported less support from colleagues and managers, however, have more decision authority. Among the elderly workers, long working hours, awkward posture, physical environmental risks, quantitative demand, decision authority, social support, age discrimination, education level, and income level were significant predictors of subjective health status or mental health. Conclusion: For keeping elderly workers healthy and productive, work environment needs to become more age-friendly. An age-friendly workplace may include: accommodative support, workers' participation, minimization of environment risk, etc.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
• /
• v.33 no.5
• /
• pp.544-552
• /
• 2003

Purpose: This study examined the health status among elderly in community. Method: This is a survey using cross-sectional design. The subjects were 531 elders who were 65 and over in Pusan, Korea. Data were collected by 17 trained interviewers from April 10 to August 26, 2000. Functional status for physical health status, depression, loneliness, self-esteem for psychological health status, and social support for social health status were measured. Result: About forty three percent of the subjects were found as the elderly who need support in physical status. About fifty six percent of the subjects were depressed. The mean score on the Loneliness scale was 40.4, which means relatively higher. For self-esteem, its score was lower than that of elderly who were examined in other studies. The subjects were living in the state of lower social support. The risk factors for vulnerable health status were being female, becoming older, lower income and education, and living alone. Conclusion: This finding indicates that the elderly subjects in Korean community were in poor health status in physical, psychological and social aspects.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
• /
• v.30 no.3
• /
• pp.632-646
• /
• 2000

The purpose of this study was to examine the health status of the daughter and daughter- in-law caregivers who care for a cognitively and/or functionally impaired elderly, individual to identify factors that were related to reported health outcomes, and to investigate the negative and positive impacts of family caregiving. Data was collected from 120 daughter and daughter-in-law caregivers and care-recipients using face to face interviews. Most caregivers were daughters- in-law (77.5%) and most care-recipients were female (88.3%). Sixty-eight percent (n=81) of caregivers reported depressive symptomatology. General health also deteriorated by caregiving. Caregivers reported several negative impacts (difficulties): care-recipients' problematic behaviors, deterioration of their own health, pressure from social norms related to family caregiving in Korea, intrafamily conflict, and economic problems. Contrary to the popular belief, caregivers reported diverse positive impacts of family caregiving (68.3%): a sense of filial responsibilities, recognition from elderly, family members, relatives, and society, education for the children, and familial harmony. Higher depression score was predicted by lower family income, the presence of cognitive impairment of care-recipients, and higher level of social conflict of caregivers. Poor general health of caregivers was predicted by older caregivers' age, lower competing roles of caregivers, and poor emotional health. While not seeking to deny the negative aspects of family caregiving, it is also necessary to understand positive aspects of family caregiving to see complete picture of caring for an elderly family member.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
• /
• v.33 no.6
• /
• pp.812-819
• /
• 2003

Purpose: This study was to identify factors that influence the health care needs of that over 65 years of age in Mokpo, Korea. Method: The data was collected from June 2002 to September 2002. The subjects were 120 homebound solitude elderly(age=76.8). Subjects were interviewed with structured questionnaire in order to identify the health care needs, health variables (perceived health status, risk of malnutrition, K-IADL), psychological variables(self-esteem, depression) and demographic variables. physiological health variables (height, weight, blood pressure, pulse, blood sugar)were assessed after the interview. Result: In general perceived health status was poor, risk of malnutrition was high, number of disease was 3 disease, self-esteem was low but depression was high and health care needs were relatively high. Among the elderly education & counseling needs topped the list. In regression analysis, health care needs were significantly influenced by IADL(23%), duration of solitudes(4%), sex(3%), and education(l%). These variables explained 31% of the variances in health care needs. Conclusion: The result identified that health care needs should be a considered in IADL, female, duration of solitudes and education for the solitude elderly.

• Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion
• /
• v.24 no.2
• /
• pp.1-14
• /
• 2007

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to investigate predictors of depression among elderly who have received visiting health services in public health centers. Method: The data has been collected from 678 elderly living in Seoul and Gyeonggi Province during the period from February 21 to June 30 in 2006. The data were collected by individual interview and were analyzed using correlation and multiple regression analysis with the SAS 9.1 program. Result: Among elderly, 73.8% of them showed depression. The elderly with higher level of socioeconomic status (${\beta}=0.136$, p=0.019) and higher level of social support including family support(${\beta}=-0.018$, p<.0001), friend's support(${\beta}=-0.025$, p<.0001) and special person's support (${\beta}=-0.021$, p<.0001) show lower levels of depression. In addition, elderly with perceived good health status (${\beta}=0.119$, p<.0001) feel less depression than those who have poor health condition. Conclusion: These findings suggest that low socioeconomic status and lower level of social support among elderly should be considered to decrease depression. These findings would contribute to health education, designing interventions and program development for appropriate depression management for the elderly.