• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.6 no.5
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• pp.773-788
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• 2001

The purpose of this study was to investigate the difference in nutrient intake according to the level of self-perception of health status, aging status and life satisfaction of the rural elderly. The factors for the study were surveyed by interview method. The subjects were 270 people(71 male, 129 female) aged over 65 years(73.5 $\pm$ 5.6ys) in the Ham-an area. The obtained results as follows : By evaluation of self-perception of health status, 57.5% of subjects answered they are in a bad health condition. The 91.5% of subjects had diseases(rheumatitis & arthritis 31.4%, cardiovascular disease 20.2%, gastric disease 10.2%). The women had more diseases than the men(p < 0.01). The subjects took medical treatment in private hospital(40.5%) and public health centers(35.0%). The men showed better level of aging status(p < 0.001) and life satisfaction index(p < 0.01) than the worsen. Living with spouse influenced the aging status(p < 0.05) and the more pocket money influenced life satisfaction(p < 0.05) and aging status(p < 0.05). The elderly who eat regularly 3 times a day(p < 0.05) and have a good appetite(p < 0.001) appeared to have positive effect on the self perception of health status and aging status. An increasing level of the self-perception of health status and regular exercise worked to improve aging status(p < 0.001). The habits of smoking and alcohol drinking, however had no effect on any index. The self-perception of health status affected the nutrient intake, but only in female elderly. The aging status and the life satisfaction index related overall positively to the intake of nutrients. In conclusion, the study shows that gender did influence nutrient intake in the elderly. The women who live alone rated lowest in social resources and health condition therefore their nutrient intake was also extremely in deficit. For successful aging, a program for rural elderly is needed, i.e. actions to provide minimum economic life, food delivery and psychological/physical health care through regional public health centers.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.31 no.7
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• pp.1174-1182
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• 1998

The purpose of this study was to compare the nutritional status and the immunocompetence of elderly women residing in urban and rural areas. Dietary food records and anthropometric measurements were used to evaluate the nutritional status of subjects. The immune function of subjects was assessed by total and differential white blood cell(WBC) counts. Total B and T Lymphocytes, and T cell subsets were quantified by flow-cytometer. Immunoglobulin G, A, and M concentrations were also measured as an index of humoral immunity. Elderly women in rural area showed a relatively lower dietary intake of total energy, protein, and iron than did urban elderly women. Total WBC, neutrophil counts, eosinophil counts, and the percentage of neutrophils among total leukocytes were significantly higher in urban elderly women than in rural women. Although the numbers of lymphocytes were not significantly different, the percentage of Lymphocytes among total leukocytes as greater in rural elderly women than in urban. Both groups did not show any significant differences in numbers of T cell subsets and NK cells. Immunoglobulin G, A, and M levels were not significantly different between the two groups, but the numbers of subjects placed under the deficient range of immunoglobulins were greater in rural than in urban elderly women. from the present study, it could be suggested that poor nutritional intake may selectively affect the number of immune cells, thereby influencing the immunocompetence of elderly women. (Korean J Nutrition 31(7) 1174-1182, 1998)

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.5-17
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• 2004

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to identify the health promoting lifestyle and need assessment of a health promotion program. and to develop a health promotion program for rural elderly. Method: The subjects of the study were 366 adults chosen from 24 villages located in Geochang Gun, Korea. Data sampling used a quota sampling method. Analysis of the data was done by using descriptive statistics, t test, ANOVA and the Scheffe test with SPSS. Results: 1) The average score of performance in the health promoting lifestyle was 1.85. In the subscales, the highest degree of performance was 'nutrition', followed by 'interpersonal relationships', 'health responsibility', 'stress management', 'spiritual growth', and the lowest degree of performance was 'physical activity'. 2) Health promoting lifestyles were significantly correlated with such demographic variables as age (F=2.684, p=.047), education (F=10.989, p=.000), monthly pocket money (F=3.516, p=.008), religion (F=7.160, p=.000), current health status F=3.375, p=.035), health education (t=2.476, p=.014). 3) Health promoting lifestyles were significantly correlated with such life style pattern variables as milk drinking (F=3.767, p=0.035), hobbies (t=3.072, p=0.002), exercise (t=7.186, p=0.000). 4) There is a high level of need for the need assesment of the health promotion program for the elderly in the rural area. Conclusion: With the above findings. I propose that it is necessary to understand a health promoting lifestyle and need assessment for a health promotion program, and to develop a health promotion program considering regional and environmental elements.

• Korean Journal of Social Welfare
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• v.62 no.2
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• pp.257-278
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• 2010

This study examined the factors affecting the preference for the elderly's mental health services utilization in rural areas. A behavior model developed by Andersen and Newman provided an analytical framework to determine the factors affecting service utilization preferences among 335 elderly people as research subjects. The authors found that the preferences for mental health service utilization were significantly related to the level of education, living alone, presence of grandchildren, participation in social activities, and recognition about the services. Based on the findings, this study suggests that more mental health services for the elderly in rural areas be further developed and strengthened. Also, the elderly who lives alone and lives with grandchildren should have a priority in policy consideration. Multiple approaches are suggested to increase the awareness of mental health services and participation social activities for those older people.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Fundamentals of Nursing
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.82-91
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• 2004

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify health promoting behavior and life satisfaction in rural elderly people. Method: The data were collected from October 1st 2002 to October 31th, 2003. The participants were 142 elderly people living in Hong Cheon, Korea. Data were collected using structured questionnaires and analyzed using the SPSS program. Result: The average score for the health promoting behavior was 2.64 (${\pm}0.34$), with a minimum of 1.48 and maximum of 3.80. The average scores for each subscale were, nutrition, 2.98, interpersonal support, 2.78, health responsibility, 2.67, self-actualization, 2.66, stress management, 2.58, and exercise, 1.93. Signifiant differences in health promoting behavior were found according to the following general characteristics: education level, religion, senior citizens center usage and allowance. The average score for life satisfaction was 2.68 (${\pm}0.42$), with a minimum of 1.38 and a maximum of 3.85. Senior citizens center usage was the only general characteristics that showed a significant difference for life satisfaction. There was a significant positive correlation between health promoting behavior and life satisfaction (r= 0.5783, p=0.001). Self-actualization and stress management had statistically significant casual effects on life satisfaction ($R^2$=0.3961). Conclusion: Effective methods to enhance life satisfaction of rural elderly should emphasize self-actualization and stress management.

• The Korean Journal of Community Living Science
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.417-431
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• 2007

This study investigates the differences among residental areas in the health, standard of living, and social relationships of female elderly living alone. The total of 501 subjects(185 from rural areas, 159 from fishing communities, 77 from the islands, and 80 from urban areas) were questioned from May to July, 2006. The research area was confined to Chungcheong Province. The female elderly living alone of this study were an average of seventy-three years old, had a low cost of living, and received little formal school education. Over sixty percent(60.3) of them lived on less than thirty dollars a month which was the recognized Korean poverty level in 2006. The female elderly living alone were evaluated as being in good health, but they themselves perceived their health as being poor. Observed by residential areas, the subjects in urban areas were lower in ADL, and both the urban dwellers and the islanders appeared to be higher in their satisfaction with medical services as compared to those in rural areas and fishing communities. The fishing villagers showed the lowest standard of living for female elderly living alone. The analysis of social relationships as seen in the different residental areas revealed that the female elderly living alone g in urban areas tended to be receiving social supports rather than providing for others, and subjects living in fishing areas and the islands proved to be relatively higher in the exchange of social supports. In relation to offspring, the female elderly living alone in urban areas had a lower frequency of meeting with their children and also a lesser degree of intimacy with them because they lived at a distance. On the other hand, subjects living in rural areas and fishing communities had a higher frequency of meeting with their children and a greater degree of intimacy with them even if they lived at a distance. The study also showed that the female elderly living alone in the islands had a higher frequency of once meeting per three week with their offspring and a higher degree of intimacy with them because they all live in the same islands. In conclusion, the subject living in urban areas appeared to be isolated from their offspring as compared to the other seniors in the study. The female elderly living alone in urban areas suffered from an insufficient network of relatives and neighbors, and they experienced a poor quality of relationships to their offspring. Almost all of the lone seniors in the study had a low score in social activities; however, the female elderly living alone in urban areas revealed a higher level of participation in volunteer activities, group activities, and educational activities. Nevertheless, the lone seniors living in urban areas were not satisfied with their participation in social activities. The subjects living in rural in fishing communities and the islands showed more participation in money-making activities. This study suggests that the policies for female elderly living alone should reflect the differences of regional characteristics.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.217-224
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• 2002

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.42 no.1
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• pp.1-9
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• 2016

Objectives: Personal exposure to air pollution is affected by contact over time and by location. The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between personal exposure to $PM_{2.5}$ and the time-activity patterns of the elderly in urban and rural areas. Methods: A total of 44 elderly participants were recruited for a 24-hour $PM_{2.5}$ personal exposure measurement. Twenty-four were from Seoul (urban area) and 20 were from Asan (rural area). Energy expenditure and spatiotemporal positioning were monitored through $PM_{2.5}$ measurement. Spearman correlation analysis was conducted to determine the relationship between $PM_{2.5}$ and time-activity pattern. Results: Daily average $PM_{2.5}$ personal exposures were $19.1{\pm}9.7{\mu}g/m^3$ in Seoul and $29.1{\pm}16.9{\mu}g/m^3$ in Asan. Although outdoor exposure was higher in Seoul than in Asan, residential indoor exposure was higher in Asan than in Seoul. Higher $PM_{2.5}$ personal exposure in Asan could be explained by longer time in residential indoor environments and higher indoor $PM_{2.5}$ concentrations. Seoul elderly had higher energy expenditure, which may be due to the use of mass transportation. Conclusion: Personal exposure to $PM_{2.5}$ was higher among Asan elderly than Seoul elderly because of high residential indoor concentrations and longer residential time. Lack of energy spent and higher personal exposure to $PM_{2.5}$ might have led to higher risk among the Asan elderly.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Rural Health Nursing
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.1-10
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• 2023

Purpose: This study was to evaluate the effects of a social prescribing program on cognitive function and depression of the elderly in the rural community. Methods: A non-equivalent control group pretest-posttest design was used for this study. The experimental group (n=76) completed a 8-week intervention of social prescribing, while the control group (n=39) only participated in pre- and post- need assessment from April 2021 to October 2022. A Wilcoxon signed rank test was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of a social prescribing program on the level of cognitive function and depression of the participants. Results: The level of cognitive function was improved significantly in the experimental group (p<.05) while there was no significant change in the control group. Depression has been significantly decreased in the experimental group (p<.01), but there was no statistically significant change in the control group. Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that the social prescribing program is effective for improving cognitive function and reducing depression of the elderly living in the rural area. Therefore, a social prescribing program can be utilized as a preventive program for dementia and depression of the elderly.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.303-311
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• 2021

Purpose: This study investigated the health literacy level of, the hypertension knowledge of, the self-management behaviors of, and the factors influencing self-management behaviors of the hypertensive elderly population residing in the urban and rural areas. Methods: Data were collected from November to December 2017 by the trained research staff. For two months, a total of 160 subjects in urban and rural areas who had been taking antihypertensive medications consented to participate in the project. 157 participants completed the survey. Results: The health literacy score of the hypertensive elderly subjects was at 48.38±8.13, the hypertension knowledge score at 8.90±2.01 points, and the self-management behaviors score at 52.96±8.08. The factor that influenced the self-management behaviors of the hypertensive elderly subjects the most was the health literacy, followed by the residential area, and the hypertension knowledge. Conclusion: The research findings suggest that a health promotion program for the hypertensive elderly population should be designed in consideration of the health literacy, the area of residence and the hypertension knowledge of the elderly.