• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
• /
• v.14 no.4
• /
• pp.646-656
• /
• 2003

Purpose: The Purpose of this study was to investigate how elders in rural communities maintain their sexual life. Methods: Data were collected through in-depth interviews with 20 participants who were 65 years old or older, and either were married couples or were continuing the sexual relationship though widowed. Data were analyzed based on Strauss and Corbin's (1990) Grounded Theory Methodology. Results: The core category of experiences of the elderly's sexual life was identified with 'changeable sexual life at husband's mercy'. This process could be divided into 3 stages, which were the stage of recognition of sex difference and obstacle in sexual life, the stage of observation of partner's attitude and the stage of husband's lead in sexual life. Conclusions: This study found that sexuality was an important aspect for the elderly although their sexual interests and activities declined along with aging. In addition, the husband's sexual and economic capabilities and sexual difference were very important factors in the elderly's sexual life. It is suggested to consider sexuality as a normal aspect of life for the elderly when nurses plan for their care.

• Journal of Korean Public Health Nursing
• /
• v.28 no.1
• /
• pp.127-137
• /
• 2014

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate differences in suicidal ideation according to general characteristics, and to identify the associated factors of suicidal ideation in rural elderly. Method: We surveyed 168 elderly people using structured questionnaires from March through April, 2013. Data analy was performed using descriptive statistics, ${\chi}^2$ test, Fisher's Exact test, and multiple regression using the SPSS program. Results: Significantly differences in suicidal ideation score were observed according to drinking state(p=.036), sleep state(p=.013), health state(p=.020), and stress state(p=.049). The associated factors identified in this study significantly explained 13.2% of suicidal ideation. Smoking and sleep state were the most significant factors of suicidal ideation. Conclusion: Based on these results, development of programs for promotion of psychological health in order to reduce suicide rates of the elderly is urgent. In particular when focusing on relations between sleep disturbance and suicide, it is considered that nursing intervention will be required to promote quality of sleep in clinical practices and communities.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
• /
• v.20 no.5
• /
• pp.171-180
• /
• 2020

The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of the characteristics of the elderly living community in rural areas on the life satisfaction of the elderly. The subjects of study were 670 elderly people living at the living communities in Jeollabuk-do. In order to achieve the research purpose, multiple regression analysis model was applied using community characteristics as independent variables and life satisfaction as dependent variable. Among community variables, programs, mutual support, pysical space satisfaction, community consciousness and conflict, household labor burden are significant variables for life satisfaction. Among the personal characteristics, subjective health, monthly average income, marriage status(bereavement) are found to have a significant effect on life satisfaction. These results suggest that the influence of community characteristics as well as individual characteristics are important on the life satisfaction of the elderly living in the group life. The results of this study suggest such as policy implications that living community features such as interactions among seniors, programs, and their relationship with local residents are the important intervention points for improving life satisfactions of the elderly living community in rural area.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Rural Health Nursing
• /
• v.15 no.2
• /
• pp.41-48
• /
• 2020

Purpose: This study was a descriptive study to identify the factors affecting the dementia prevention behavior of elders in rural communities. Methods: The participants in this study were 125 elders aged 60 or older who lived in Eup or Myeon areas of P city. For data analysis, SPSS/WIN 22.0 was used to perform descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA, Pearson correlation, and linear multiple regression and mediated effects. Results: Scores for dementia recognition, dementia attitude and dementia prevention behavior averaged 5.6±2.50 points in the 0~11 range, 38.8±4.59 in 14~56 and 20.2±3.59 in 10~30 respectively. Dementia recognition (a), dementia attitude (b), dementia prevention behavior (c) and the number of chronic diseases of the elders (d) were positively or negatively correlated with each other (rab=.29, p<.01; rbc=.26, p<.01; rac=.36, p<.01; rad=-.29, p<.01; rcd=.19, p<.05). Factors affecting dementia prevention behavior were dementia recognition, dementia attitude, and degree of dementia interest. When the number of chronic diseases affects dementia prevention behavior, dementia recognition has a mediating effect. Conclusion: In order to prevent dementia among elders in rural areas, appropriate management of chronic diseases and provision of appropriate dementia-related education and information to enhance dementia recognition should be provided.

• Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion
• /
• v.22 no.2
• /
• pp.33-46
• /
• 2005

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to identify the influential factors on health behavior of the middle and elderly generations in a rural community. Methods: The subjects of this study were 495 people. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, T-test, ANOVA, Pearson's correlation coefficient and multiple regression analysis. Results: 1. The differences of health behavior by sample characteristics were found to have significance of age, marital status, residence status, education level, and occupation. 2. The level of health behavior was related positively to the level of social support and self-efficacy. The level of health behavior was related negatively to the level of anxiety and depression. 3. The multiple regression analysis revealed that the most powerful predictor of health behavior was 'social support,' followed by anxiety and self-efficacy. A combination of social support (42.1%), anxiety (3.0%) and self-efficacy (0.8%) accounted for 45.9% of the variance in health behavior in the middle and elderly subjects. Conclusions:. The findings of this study could be effectively used to develop a practical management strategy to help promote health and health behavior of the middle and elderly people living in rural communities. In addition, the one idea to be emphasized should be the development of efficient health education programs that can have a favorable effect on the middle and elderly generations' physical, psychological and social health.

• Korean Journal of Human Ecology
• /
• v.24 no.6
• /
• pp.795-809
• /
• 2015

The suicide rate in South Korea has been the highest among the OECD countries for more than 10 years. In addition, the suicide rate among the rural elderly is much higher than that of the elderly in urban areas and that of younger generations. The purpose of this study was to examine the general tendencies of family ties, community consciousness and suicide ideation of the rural elderly in Korea. Also, this study aimed to verify the mediating effect of community consciousness between family ties and suicidal ideation. The data for this study came from 283 elderly people (over 65 years old) living in 11 villages in South Korea. The data was gathered from July to August 2013. Baron and Kenny's (1986) step based regression from the SPSS Win 18.0 program was used to analyze this data. This study also utilized the Sobel-test. The results of this study are as follows. First, the suicidal ideation of the respondents had a lower score than the median score. However, the magnitude of suicidal ideation was still significant. Second, this study found that family ties and community consciousness have both direct and indirect effects on the reduction of suicidal ideation. Lastly, this study examined the mediating effects of community consciousness. The findings of this study are of great significance because they reconfirmed the importance of establishing a social safety net in local communities to replace adult children who have relocated to urban areas.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Rural Health Nursing
• /
• v.18 no.2
• /
• pp.99-105
• /
• 2023

Purpose: This study aims to develop a shared forest walking program and verify its effects on self-esteem, life satisfaction, and depression among older adults living alone in rural communities. Methods: Participants were assigned to an experimental or a control group, with 20 participants each. Data collected during August 1~3, 2022, before the program, and October 29~31, 2022, after the program. In this study, the shared forest walking program was conducted twice a week for a total of 24 sessions, with each session lasting one hour. All data were analyzed using SPSS version 18.0, x² tests, and t-tests. Results: The experimental group participating in the sharing forest walking program showed higher self-esteem and life satisfaction than the control group, along with a decrease in depression. Additionally, there were statistically significant differences in self-esteem (t=5.97, p<.001), life satisfaction (t=7.78, p<.001), and depression (t=-7.58, p<.001). Conclusion: The shared forest walking program, developed based on the results of this study, improved self-esteem and; life satisfaction; and reduced depression among older adults living alone in rural communities. We propose the development of a continuous program to assist older adults living alone in underprivileged rural areas to experience retirement with reduced depression, increased self-esteem, and enhanced life satisfaction.

• Journal of Families and Better Life
• /
• v.29 no.3
• /
• pp.23-41
• /
• 2011

The purpose of this study is to explore social supports for elderly housing and their residential lives in small cities along rural counties of the United States and Canada, and suggest future implications for age-concentrated rural villages in Korea. In this study, five small and medium cities in non-metropolitan counties of California and Ontario province were visited and elderly residents and service experts were interviewed about their perceptions of community integrated social support networks for senior residences. The senior housing complexes were built due to influx of both metropolitan and rural residents seeking warm localities, traffic connections, business purposes in active production areas. and leisure attractions. There are five main social support networks for senior housing issues in these areas. First, the areas are claimed for senior zones and accordingly health industries are encouraged by local authorities. Second, the community is homogeneously constructed as a senior friendly environment and include features such as an RV park and mobile cottages. Third, senior-helping seniors are offered active work through golf-cluster active retirement communities. Fourth, traditional theme production camps are mobilized by the elderly workers. Lastly, an information system is maintained for screening volunteers and for senior abuse prevention. On the other hand, residential lives are occasionally negatively influenced by unbalanced concentrations of elderly facilities such as nursing stations and funeral homes. For the future of Korean rural elderly policies, suggestions are made as follows: first, an integrated urban and rural township that contains attractive places for early retiring people who seek a warm atmosphere in later life needs to be constructed. Second, an integrated model retirement village of urban and rural retirement life needs to be initiated as a measure of evaluating the adaptation process of movers in senior concentrated zones. Third, a cooperation system among governmental ministries needs to be formed with the long- term goal of establishing a traditional rural town of independent housing districts and medical facilities in rural areas. Fourth, productive and active lifestyles need to be maintained as the local community and government develop successful retirement rural villages, by limiting the expansion of nursing related facilities. Finally, generation integrated visiting welfare programs and services need to be further developed for the housing areas especially in the winter, when social integration and activity are relatively low.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
• /
• v.11 no.11
• /
• pp.499-508
• /
• 2013

This study was done to examine the affecting factors of successful aging to provide basic information for developing intervention program for the rural elderly. Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive design was used. Data was collected through questionnaire from 208 people with age over 65 residing in an rural community. They were recruited by convenience sampling. Collected data were analyzed by independent t-test, one-way ANOVA, Pearson's correlation coefficients, and multiple regression through SPSS/WIN 21.0 program. Results: Explanatory factors affecting the rural elderly's successful aging were social support, depression, cognitive function, productive activity and Activities of daily living, respectively, and these five factors accounted for 42.1% of the variance in successful aging. Conclusion: The rural elderly's successful aging requires establishment of social support system such as health medical service supply and social activities by being connected with social communities, and for this, this study suggests that there be a necessity of developing customized nursing intervention program.

• The Journal of Korean Society for School & Community Health Education
• /
• v.24 no.3
• /
• pp.37-50
• /
• 2023

Objectives: The aim of this study was to identify factors influencing communication satisfaction between geriatric caregivers and older adults in urban-rural complex communities. The ultimate goal was to design local community educational programs and policies to enhance communication satisfaction among geriatric caregivers and improve the quality of care services for older adults. Methods: To identify factors influencing communication satisfaction between elderly caregivers and older adults, a survey titled "CCEP: Assessment of Communication Status between Elderly Care Service Providers and Recipients" was conducted from February to July 2020, focusing on rural-urban complex areas. The survey was administered based on providers of elderly healthcare services. The survey targeted 131 respondents involved in providing care services for older adults. The dependent variable of this study was the communication satisfaction reported by elderly caregivers in their interactions with the elderly. The independent variables included perceptions of older adults, factors associated with communication difficulties, and communication efforts. Additionally, gender, working environment, working experience, and the proportion of face-to-face interactions with older adults during caregiving were controlled for the hierarchical multiple regression analysis. Results: The analysis revealed that communication efforts with older adults significantly influenced communication satisfaction (β=.09, p<0.01). However, perceptions of the elderly and communication hindrance factors did not have a significant impact on communication satisfaction among geriatric caregivers. Conclusion: Effective communication between geriatric caregivers and older adults is crucial for identifying and meeting the needs and demands of caregiving services, and it plays a vital role in overall caregiving service satisfaction. To enhance communication skills and satisfaction among geriatric caregivers and ensure the appropriate fulfillment of elderly care needs in the local community, the development of community-centered, specialized health communication programs and other initiatives will be necessary in the future.