• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.18 no.11
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• pp.623-633
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• 2018

This study aims to conduct a comprehensive analysis of how the presence or absence of a partner affects the life characteristics of persons aged 65 or older. For this, the subjects were divided into the married group and the single group to investigate sociodemographic characteristics, health conditions, self-rated health level, disease morbidity, limitations in life due to health conditions and health-related quality of life. An assessment was carried out by analyzing local communities' health survey data of 3 years from 2014 to 2016. The results revealed that the single group had more women, a lower household income, poorer health conditions, and a higher chronic disease morbidity rate than the married group, and thus their self-rated heath level was lower as well. These characteristics were found to contribute to a lower quality of life in the single group than the married group. To this day, we have viewed the elderly as one of the groups based on age and only tried to identify their average characteristics, thus overlooking their various inherent problems. The results of this study suggest that physical, emotional and social problems seen among the elderly need a comprehensive measure. In addition, this study found that public health approaches and social welfare systems should be improved to develop personalized support programs for the elderly.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.16 no.7
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• pp.4668-4678
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• 2015

This study was conducted to determine the correlation between breakfast consumption and health-related quality of life in elderly adults. It analyzed the data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from 2010 to 2012, using a sample of 4,035 people aged 65 or above. Analysis followed the SAS SURVEY procedure, considering the complex sample design. A t-test, a chi-square test, and logistic regression analysis were performed using SAS version 9.3. The rate of skipping breakfast by elderly adults was 4.7%, and it was higher in women and elderly adults living alone. It also significantly differed by drinking status and BMI. Elderly adults consuming breakfast had slightly higher scores on the health-related quality of life measure than those who did not (0.85 vs 0.81). Results revealed that health-related quality of life increased with meal frequency, and that elderly adults who ate breakfast tended to score better on the pain/discomfort and anxiety/depression domains of the health-related quality of life measure. It was found that breakfast consumption associated with health-related quality of life in elderly adults. Accordingly, it is necessary to increase awareness among elderly adults regarding the importance of breakfast, and to improve their health-related quality of life by developing and implementing interventions to improve dietary habits.

• 한국노년학
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.765-783
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• 2016

This study examines 2014 National Survey on Older Koreans (10,279 persons aged 65 or above) to understand social networks among older Koreans. In order to classify the types of social relationships, the latent profile analysis is conducted based on such structural aspects of social networks as network size, frequencies of contact, and closeness. The results show that older Koreans can be categorized into 5 distinct social network types: disengaged (11.6%), ritual-family-focused (17.7%), close-family-focused (23.6%), close-restricted (28,4%), and diverse (18.8%). Characteristics by each social network type are compared and multinominal logistic regression analyses are applied to figure out the influencing factors of social network type. Older persons with disengaged social network ties tend to be overwhelmingly female, living alone, old-old, and of low socioeconomic status. On the other hand, older persons with diverse social network ties tend to be young-old and had highly-ranked jobs in their mid-life. Spouse/children are the focal point of social relationships in both ritual-family-focused and close-restricted social network. However, the proportion of men is higher in the close-family-focused type than in the ritual-family-focused. Older Koreans with close-restricted social network ties tend to be female, uneducated, and have engaged in agricultural and allied activities. This study discusses the implications of its findings and how research in this area should develop in the future.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.45 no.4
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• pp.324-335
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• 2012

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship of dietary self-efficacy and illness beliefs, perceived benefits, and perceived barriers for the reduction of sodium intake in the elderly. A cross-sectional study was performed on 252 elderly people, aged 65 yrs and above, living in Daejeon Metropolitan city and Jecheon city, Chungbuk from March 21 to March 30, 2011. Dietary self-efficacy of three factors (resisting relapse, reducing salt and behavioral skills), perceived benefits and barriers, accurate and inaccurate illness beliefs were measured by 5 or 4 point Likert scale. With the increasing education level of the elderly, dietary self-efficacy, and accurate illness belief score increased and perceived barrier score decreased. Perceived benefits score was higher in the subject living alone compared to those living with siblings or spouses. Among three factors of dietary self-efficacy, reducing salt was scored highest and behavioral skills scored lowest in the elderly. Recording meal diary and reading labels for salt content in the items of behavioral skills showed lower score than other items. Accurate illness beliefs and perceived benefits were more scored than inaccurate illness beliefs and perceived barriers respectively in the subjects. The subjects with higher accurate illness beliefs, lower inaccurate illness beliefs, higher perceived benefits, and lower perceived barriers for the reduction of sodium intake showed higher dietary self-efficacy. In summary, accurate illness beliefs and perceived benefits positively correlated with dietary self-efficacy for the reduction of sodium intake in the elderly, whereas inaccurate illness beliefs and perceived barriers are negatively correlated.

• Journal of Society of Preventive Korean Medicine
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.1-16
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• 2005

The present study is designed to provide basic data for the future health promotion projects to be aimed at improving quality of life for the elderly people in the increasingly aging society of Korea by investigating factors related to the yangseng of old people in rural areas. The results of this study are intended to serve as fundamental for efficient approach toward health promotion projects for the elderly in rural communities. For this purpose, a survey by questionnaires was conducted to rural inhabitants from May to June 2004. The replies were analyzed from the perspective of Oriental medicine for yangseng. 1. The average points of health care appeared to be 3.24. In details by sub-areas, morality was 3.79, followed by 3.74 for activities and rest, 3.73 for sleeping, 3.29 for diet, 3.25 for mind, 2.88 for season, 2.12 for exercise and 1.95 for sexual life in sequence, showing that the yangseng of morality was scored highest while the area of sexual life were rated lowest. 2. As for the extent of health care depending on the characters of the subjects, spoused ones, married couples living alone, while the higher educated and the more leisure is utilized, the more the care is paid for yangseng. 3. Concerning the extent of yangseng depending on the general characters of the subjects, men showed more yangseng in activities and rest. The group aged 70 to 74 acquired the highest points in mind yangseng. The group with spouse featured higher concern for yangseng in the categories of morality, diet, activities and rest, sleeping and sexual life. Married couples who are living with no other family members recorded the highest points in the areas of morality, diet, sleeping and sexual life(P<0.05). 4. In terms of socioeconomic characters, the more one is educated, the more he/she is tended to take yangseng in the exercise, sleeping and sexual life. The group with occupation is inclined to take more yangseng in the activities and rest and sleeping. When people have to work for their keep, they usually showed to have highest yangseng for sleeping. People who enjoy leisure showed higher yangseng in all areas except for morality. In case man has religion, he showed more yangseng in the activities and rest, exercise and sleeping(P<0.05). 5. Those who reply they are confident with health showed higher yangseng. No significant difference was found in all areas except for sexual life in which high care is taken for yangseng, as far as one has no disease. Those who are confident with health had highest yangseng in all areas except for season yangseng(P<0.05). As seen above, extents of yangseng by the old people in the rural area are found to have difference depending on the individual and socioeconomic characters, factors which should be seriously considered in the local health promotion projects and projects for the health of the elderly. Particularly important is to launch health promotion programs and to analyze their effects to promote health care particularly in the areas of sexual life, exercise and season yangseng that turned out to be lowest by taking into account of yangseng in each sub-area.

• 한국노년학
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.569-592
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• 2018

This study purported to investigate the current state of human rights of older adults residing in rural areas of Korea. The study utilized, as an analytic framework, 4 priority directions (1. "older persons and development", 2. "rural area development", 3. "advancing health and well-being into old age", and 4. "ensuring enabling and supportive environments") with 13 task actions recommended by Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing (MIPAA). Furthermore, the study examined gender differences in all items included in the analytic framework. Data was collected by the face-to-face survey on 800 subjects aged 65 and over. Statistical analyses were conducted using STATA 13.0 program. The main results were summarized in order of 4 priority directions as follows. First, average working hours per day were 6.2, and men reportedly participated in economic activities and needed job training more than women, while women participated in lifelong education programs more than men. Awareness of fire and disaster prevention facilities was low in both genders. Second, accessibility to the support center for the elderly living alone as well as protective services for the vulnerable elderly was found to be low. IT-based services and networking were used more by men than women, and specifically, IT-based financial transactions and welfare services were least used. Third, medical check-ups and vaccinations were well received, while consistent treatments for chronic illnesses and long-term care services were relatively less given. In addition, accessibility to mental health service centers was considerably low. Fourth, although old house structures and the lack of convenience facilities were found to be circumstantial risk factors for these elders, experiences of receiving housing support services were scarce. The elderly were found to rely more on informal care, and concerns for their care were higher in women than men. Plus, accessibility to elderly abuse services was markedly low. Based on these results, discussed were implications for implementing policies and practical interventions to raise the levels of the human rights for this population.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Culture
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• v.32 no.5
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• pp.383-393
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• 2017

This study was conducted to analyze the dietary lifestyle of local Chinese consumers and to classify dietary characteristics according to their dietary lifestyle factors and dietary behaviors. This investigation was conducted for 1 month from 1 January 2017 targeting 300 adult males and females living in China using the online survey company surveymonkey. Four factors relating to dietary lifestyle were identified, gourmet factor, healthy factor, convenience factor and economic factor, and these were grouped into 4 clusters according to their dietary lifestyle factor scores. Group 1, the gourmet economy group, showed a high percentage of living alone and a high frequency of eating out, but a relatively low percentage of three regular meals per day. Their dietary lifestyle was sensitive to gourmet factors and economic factors, but less sensitive to health and convenience factors. Group 2, the wide interest group, contained a high percentage of individuals in their 30s, as well as more highly educated individuals and a higher income than other groups. Because their dietary lifestyle scores tended to be higher than those of other groups, they sought a variety of new foods and gourmet meals for enjoyment of dining and life, as well as well-being food materials and foods related to health. Group 3, the health economic group, constituted a family-type consumer group with lower income level than the other groups. Members of this group were seeking health food and natural food in their dietary lifestyle and tended to pursue a high economic profit ratio when purchasing food. Finally, group 4 showed a relatively higher percentage of women over 30 and individuals with a college level or higher education than the other groups. This group was more interested in health and taste than price and convenience, and showed the highest LOHAS orientation among middle aged Chinese women. Moreover, members of this group directly utilized their knowledge regarding nutrition in real life.