• Journal of the Korean Society of Industry Convergence
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.709-725
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• 2024

This study utilized the raw data from the Community Health Survey (2023) to compare differences in body function, activity, participation, environment, personal factors, and suicidal ideations between elderly individuals aged 65 and older living alone and those living with families in Korea. The study subjects consisted of 80,618 elderly individuals aged 65 and older. Cross-tabulation analysis χ²-test), independent sample t-test, and logistic regression analysis were conducted. The results indicated that for both elderly individuals living alone and those living with families, age(p<.001), smoking(p<.001), stress(p<.001), depression experience(p<.001), and falls experiences(p<.001) were risk factors that increased suicidal ideations. Conversely, educational level(p<.05), income level(p<.001), subjective health status(p<.001), social participation(p<.001), economic activity(p<.001), community environment(p<.001), and social relationships were protective factors that reduced suicidal ideations. These findings demonstrate that demographic characteristics and individual health status significantly influence suicidal ideation in the elderly, while social factors contribute to a decrease in suicidal ideation. Furthermore, considering the differences found between elderly individuals living alone and those living with families regarding hypertension and gender, differentiated interventions for suicide prevention are necessary.

• The Journal of Korean Society for School & Community Health Education
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.87-98
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• 2018

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to compare alcohol drinking behaviors between living alone and living together women in Korea. Methods: 6~7th National Heath and Nutrition Examination Survey(2013~2016) data were analyzed using SPSS statistics complex samples. 9,373 Korean Women, aged 19-65 years were included in this study. Among them, 560 participants(5.1%) was living alone women and analyzed between characteristics of drinking behaviors of living alone and living together women. Results: Adjusted confounding variables were analyzed and the risk of light drinking behavior was not significant between the groups. However the group of living alone women showed in higher risk of binge drinking(OR=1.57, 95%CI=1.19-2.07) than those of living together women. Conclusions: Living alone women were associated with binge drinking behaviors compared to living together women. Thus, living alone women are needed to concern on social behaviors including alcohol drinking.

• 한국노년학
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.551-567
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• 2018

Demographic and socio-structural information is useful to identify potential welfare recipients who are in need of disease-prevention and intervention services. Thus, the present study aims to explore the differences in grip strength among middle and old-aged adults by living conditions and by living area. The 5th wave data of Korean Longitudinal Study of Aging was utilized. The dependent variable was grip strength, and the independent variables were living alone (living alone or not) and living area (city or non-city). Covariates were age, education, log-transformed household income, spouse existence, body mass index, self-rated health conditions, depressive symptoms, cognitive function, smoking, regular exercise, frequency of meeting with friends, and the number of social participation. Regression analysis was performed for middle-aged men, middle-aged women, old-aged men, and old-aged women, respectively. ANOVA and Chi-test were additionally used to specifically discuss significant results. Cross-sectional weight was applied to all analyses. According to the results, living alone and living area did not have significant effects on grip strength among middle-aged men, old-aged men, and old-aged women. In middle-aged women, however, living alone and living area were significantly associated with grip strength. To be specific, middle-aged women who lived alone in rural areas had the lowest grip strength compared to other middle-aged women. Additional analysis showed that middle-aged women who lived alone in rural areas had risk factors, such as low education level, low income, or high depressive symptoms. It implies that middle-aged women living alone in rural areas may have physical health risks, so they might be in need of disease prevention. This study is meaningful in that it can provide reliable information on the latent welfare recipients by using representative panel data and applying weight values.

• The Journal of Korean Society for School & Community Health Education
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.83-96
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• 2021

Background & objectives: Cognitive function decline is a main factor influencing the overall life of the elderly and places a burden of society. The aime of this study was to investigate the risk factors of cognitive function decline of elderly living alone and living with a spouse. Methods: This study used the Korean Longitudinal Study of Ageing from 2014 to 2018. 243 older adults who lived alone and 1,155 lived with a spouse with the Korean version of Mini Mental State Examination scores in normal range at the time of 2014 were included in the analysis. Logistic regression analysis was conducted to determine the difference of risk factors affecting cognitive function decline between in elderly living alone and elderly living with a spouse. Results: Cognitive function decline incidence rate of elderly living alone was 30.5% and the elderly living with a spouse showed 23.0%. According to the results of logistic regression analysis, the risk factors of cognitive function decline in the elderly living alone was age and residential area, while in the elderly living with a spouse were age, education level, social networks, and depression. Conclusions: The factors that affect the cognitive function decline of the elderly living alone and the elderly living with a spouse were different. Accordingly, other measures to prevent cognitive decline are necessary.

• Journal of Agricultural Extension & Community Development
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.503-532
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• 2009

This study aims at identifying any difference in the quality of life according to the patterns of living together in the family for the aged women who live in the rural areas. The findings of this study can be summarized in brief. First, those aged women who live alone showed a higher ratio of works like farming with less average income and less perception of living standards but better ADL than those of the aged women who live together with their family. Second, as a result of logistic regression analyses to identify factors to predict the patterns of living together in the family for the aged women in the rural areas, those aged women who live alone showed more cases of farming, higher ADL level, higher degree of economical preparations and more perception of intimacy with their offspring than those of aged women who live together with their family. Unlike these results, those aged women who live together with their family have less average income, more phone calls with their neighbor and higher quality of life that those of aged women who live alone. Third, as a result of impact variables in the quality of life by the pattern of living together in the family for the aged women in the rural areas, those aged women who live together their family showed higher quality of life with better preparations for the health, emotion and economy for their aged life, and with less number of offspring and more frequency of phone calls with their neighbor. In addition, those aged women who live along in the rural areas showed higher quality of life with better emotional preparations, better economic preparations, more number of offspring, more friendly with their neighbor and more emotional supports.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.145-154
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• 2017

Objectives: This study used data of urban and rural elderly living alone to compare the general characteristics of the elderly who have had suicidal ideation, and to investigate the suicidal ideation of urban-rural elderly with varying degrees of emotional support status, health status, and health behavior. Methods and materials: The research participants included 2,750 elderly aged 65 or above, of which 1,487 were from dong unit and 1,263 were from eup myeon units according to the raw data of 2011 Survey on Elderly Status. All collected data were analyzed using cross tabulation of SPSSWIN(ver 21.0) program and multivariate logistic regression. Results: The results were as follows. First, the factors that influenced the suicidal ideation of urban and rural elderly living alone included degree of depression, experience of abuse, and nutritional management status. Second, the suicidal ideation of urban elderly living alone was affected by the emotional support of their children who live apart and their grandchildren. Third, the suicidal ideation of rural elderly living alone was affected by the emotional support of their kin (including siblings).

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.78-87
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• 2017

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to identify factors influencing the quality of life of the elderly living alone and living with their families with regard to their health statuses and health behavior experiences. Methods: We used source data from the 2014 Community Health Survey. The subjects of this study included some elderly people aged 65 and over, and analyzed the data of 13,373 elders living alone and 13,322 elders living with family. Results: Factors influencing the quality of life of the elderly living alone and living with their families include gender, age, education, household income, current occupation, subjective stress level, depression, number of diagnosed diseases, walking exercise, the experience of health screening, and the experience of not having necessary medical services (p<.001). Region was a significant variable influencing the quality of life of the elderly living with their families (p<.001). Conclusion: In order to improve the quality of life of the elderly, it is necessary to provide sound conditions for working, emotional support, walking exercise and promotion of health screening, and to supplement the environment and institution for them to receive necessary medical services.

• The Journal of Korean Academy of Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapy
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.29-50
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• 2001

This research have been made to define how the IADL (Instrumental Activity of Daily Living) performance and the subjective health index of the Aged are affected by their residential circumstance, gender and age, and how deeply these two factors are related and interact. For the period of June 1 to July 31, 2000, we had conducted a questionnaire and direct interview with 693 persons over age sixty-five (65) in Daejon and in other adjacent area, grouping into three different residential types The Aged living at home, The Aged living at welfare facilities and The Aged living alone, and studied on how the IADL performance and the subjective health index of the Aged are influenced and interact as per their characteristics, daily activity and mentality. We had analyzed all the data obtained through this research by the method of : - analysis of frequency as per specific factors by SPSS 1O.0/PC+, - $x^2$ test, - t-test, - ANOVA, - multiple regression analysis by factors. The research concludes followings : a. It appears that the three (3) factors such as gender, age and residential circumstance of the Aged deeply affect the IADL performance and subjective health index of the Aged. (p<0.01) b. With regard to IADL performance of the Aged by the gender, it was analyzed that the female-Aged gains 23.8 point on average, which shows the performance of the female-Aged is less independent. (p<0.01). In addition, it was also found that the IADL performance is becoming less and less independent following their age increasing. In analyzing IADL performance by the residential type, it appears that the Aged living at welfare facilities gains the lowest 21.5 points and is least independent. It was also found that the Aged living at welfare facilities need some assistances from others for their performing IADL. (20-24 point) (p<0.001) c. With regard to the subjective health index of the all-Aged participated in this research, the analysis indicates 8.8 point and this is considered as a point of general standard (7-10 point). In analyzing this index by the gender, the female-Aged gains only 8.6 point which explains a lot of female-Aged consider they are not really healthy. (p<0.001) In analyzing this index by the residential type, the Aged living at welfare facilities and the Aged living alone gain the comparatively lower point, - respectively 8.4 point for the Aged living at welfare facilities and 8.8 point for the Aged living alone. The Aged living at these two residential types express they are obviously in a bad situation of health. (p<0.001) d. With regard to the factors affecting the IADL performance and the subjective health index of the Aged, it was analyzed that the IADL performance can largely be affected by the factors such as depression, frequency of going-out and age rising, and that the subject health index can also deeply be affected by depression, pain and by how much they are satisfied with their current living conditions. e. It was analyzed that the interacting between the IADL performance and the subjective health index is not that strong but even weak. As a result, we were able to conclude that the IADL performance is less independent in case of the female-Aged, the Aged living at welfare facilities, and following the age rising. As for the subjective health state the Aged themselves are aware of, we concluded that the female-Aged, the Aged living at welfare facilities and the Aged living alone, are more critical about their health. From this research, we were able to realize that, when the OMT (Orthopedic Manual Therapy) needed, the physical therapists are really required to have a correct and cautious understanding of the situation in which the aged persons are, and take care of them with more concerns and more improved treatment.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.257-268
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• 2013

These days the aged have to live 30 or 40 years beyond the day they quit their day jobs. The quality of life for the elderly is a keen concern for the young people. We need to have a correct understanding of the age problem and the effort of a government or local government in order to bless the average life expectancy and not perceive it as a disaster. The number of the elderly living alone is increasing. Various types of support are needed to ensure that these people do not become socially isolated and are able to live alone. Supporting them includes activities to prevent social isolation that take their unique difficulties into consideration, which are different from the difficulties of supporting elderly people living with their families. In this research examined the current status of support activities for elderly people living alone and the unique difficulties involved in supporting them.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.50 no.6
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• pp.799-812
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• 2020

Purpose: This study aimed to construct and test a predictive model that explains and predicts the quality of life in older men living alone. Methods: A self-report questionnaire was used to collect data from 334 older adult men living along aged 65 years or over living in Jeollanam-do provinces. The endogenous variables were depression, self-rated health, instrumental activity of daily life, health promotion behaviors, the number of social participation activities and quality of life. Data were analyzed using the SPSS 21.0 and AMOS 21.0 programs. Results: The final model with 14 of the 8 analysed paths showed a good fit to the empirical data: χ2 = 173.26(p < .001, df = 53), normed χ2 = 3.27, GFI = .92, NFI = .90, CFI = .93, TLI = .89, RMSEA = .08 and SRMR = .06. Activities had direct effect on quality of life of older men living alone and social support had both direct and indirect effects. Meanwhile, function and socioeconomic status showed only indirect effects. The variables included in the eight significant paths explained 83.7% of variance in the prediction model. Conclusion: Instrumental activities of daily living and social support effect directly on quality of life in the older men living alone. Findings suggest that health care providers including community nurses need to provide social support as well as empowerment programs of instrumental activities of daily living and health promotion for improving quality of life of the older men living alone.