• Journal of Integrative Natural Science
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.140-148
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• 2008

This study was conducted to compare of health status, dietary behaviors and nutrient intakes according to family types of the elderly in rural areas. Family types were divided into three types-elderly living alone, elderly living with spouse, and elderly living with spouse and children. Subjects were 119 persons aged over 65 years (34 male, 85 females) living in rural areas and period of survey was from 29 January 2007 to 2 February. General environmental factors, health status, dietary behaviors and nutrient intakes were compared according to family types, the elderly living along showed a significantly lower in monthly income(p<0.01), self perceived health status(p<0.001), Instrumental Activity of Daily Living(IADL) score, and General Self Efficacy Scale(GSES) score compared to the elderly living with spouse and those living with spouse and children. However, Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale(CES-D) was higher than those of the elderly living family members (p<0.05). In addition, sum of dietary behavior score was the lowest in the elderly living alone (22.3 in elderly living alone, 24.1 in elderly living with spouse, 23.4 in elderly living with spouse and children, p<0.001) and nutrient intakes of potassium, zinc, vitamin C(p<0.01 respectively), calcium, phosphorus, iron, vitamin A, vitamin E, vitamin B6 and folic acid(p<0.05 respectively) also reported to be significantly lower in the elderly living alone than in others of two types. From these results, health status, dietary behavior pattern and nutrient intakes of the elderly living alone were found to be inadequate overall, so measures to deal with these health and nutritional status were needed.

• Journal of Korean Academic Society of Home Health Care Nursing
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.284-293
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• 2020

Purpose: Based on Anderson's model of health service utilization, we investigated the factors that affect the influenza vaccination status in Korean adults aged 50-64 years, who live alone. Methods: Data of 194 Korean adults aged 50-64 years, who live alone were obtained from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 7th Edition (2016-2018). Descriptive statistics and a multiple logistic regression model were used for statistical analysis. Results: The influenza vaccination rate in the study population was 39.3%. Educational status and health behaviors such as smoking habits and regular medical check-up were associated with the influenza vaccination rate in Korean adults aged 50-64 years, who live alone. Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that educational level lower than middle school graduation (odds ratio [OR] 2.02), non-smoking status (OR 1.98), and lack of regular medical check-up (OR 0.62) were significantly associated with the influenza vaccination rate in Korean adults aged 50-64 years, who live alone. Conclusion: The influenza vaccination rate in Korean adults aged 50-64 years, who live alone, is relatively low; therefore, policies should be implemented to improve the influenza vaccination rate in this population. Influenza vaccination in single households was affected by health promotion activities; therefore, interventions are warranted to encourage overall health promotion activities.

• Journal of Korean Public Health Nursing
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.195-205
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• 2016

Purpose: This study is to compare the difference in status between elderly individuals with and without a spouse. Methods: The study is based on the Fifth Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey(KNHAENS), between 2010 and 2012. Subjects were over the age of 65 years who participated in the survey. Chi-square test and logistic regression of complex sampling design of the KNHAENS and used the survey analysis method by SPSS (version 18). Results: Sleep time of female elders living alone was the shortest which was 2.59 times that of male elders living with a spouse. Stress awareness of female elders living with a spouse was the highest, which was 3.21 times that of male elders living with a spouse. Depression was the highest in female elders living alone, which was 2.26 times that of male elders living with a spouse. Suicidal idea was the strongest in female elders living alone, which was 2.87 times that of male elders living alone. Conclusion: Female elders living alone were weakest in regards to socio-economical aspect with the highest rate of poverty, low educational status, and unemployment. The mental health status of females was worse than that of males. In particular, the mental health status of females living alone was the worst.

• Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.21-28
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• 2005

In order to investigate the differences in nutrient intakes and eating habits between people living alone and people living together with family or others by age group, dietary survey data of the subjects aged 20 years or older from 2001 Korean National Health and Nutrition Survey were analyzed. Living status of the subjects was defined as 'single' when the subjects' household member was one person. Age, gender, income, education were adjusted during the comparative analysis. The subjects living alone had diets with lower score of nutritional adequacy ratio and lower quality, and drank more alcoholic beverages when compared with the subjects living together. Females were more greatly affected in dietary intakes by living alone situation than males. Of the four age groups, a group with ages from 30 to 39 years showed less nutrient intake patterns in persons living alone than in persons living together, but the rest three groups with ages from 20 to 29, from 50 to 64, and 65 or older did not show any significant differences. Eating habits of the subjects living alone, such as skipping meals, kinds of snacks, dining-out, were worse as a whole than the other. In conclusion, single living particularly of females or of 30 to 39 years of age group had negative influences on dietary intakes and behavior. There may be statistical errors if socioeconomic and demographic factors such as age, gender, income, and education are not controlled in the population study investigating the effect of living alone on dietary intakes. Further studies will be needed to know the age-specific reasons for the worse nutrient intakes of single living persons.

• 한국노년학
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.451-465
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• 2019

This study focuses on the relationship between living alone and depression of the elderly, and explores the possibility that loneliness mediates the relationship between the living alone and the level of depression in Korean Elderly. The sample of the study consists of 1000 elderly aged 65 and above living in Chuncheon. The data is analyzed with the path analysis method with OLS regression method. The main results of this study are as follows. First, the level of loneliness showed a significant difference according to whether they were living alone. The reason for the difference was that the elderly living alone had less intimate relationship comparing with the elderly living with others and did not feel that they had the sense of belonging or intimate relationship with others. Second, it was confirmed that controlling the loneliness, the living alone showed no direct relationship with depression, but it's indirect effect through loneliness was significant.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.257-266
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• 2018

Purpose: The study has been conducted to identify factors affecting the participation in leisure activities by elderly women living alone. Methods: Data were collected through a questionnaire survey among 150 elderly women in Seoul and Gyeong-gi Province. The measurement tools that were used include participation in leisure activities, perceived health status, Geriatric Depression Scale Short Form-Korea (GDSS-K), psychological well-being scale, and loneliness scale. The data were analyzed by using the Pearson correlation coefficients, t-test, analysis of variance ANOVA, and stepwise multiple regression with the SPSS/windows version 21.0 program. Results: The analysis shows that the affection for participation in leisure activities of the elderly women living alone who participated in the questionnaire survey is significant (F=14.6, p<.001). The value of the adjusted $R^2$ is 0.55, which accounts for the explanatory power of 55.4%. The predictor that has been found to have the greatest influence on the participation in leisure activities by the elderly women living alone include perceived health status, followed by monthly allowance (10,000 won), psychological well-being, economic status, religion, depression, family structure, and loneliness. Conclusion: The results suggest that in developing nursing interventions and practice for the participation in leisure activities by elderly women living alone, perceived health status, psychological well-being, depression, and loneliness should be considered.

• The Journal of the Convergence on Culture Technology
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• v.5 no.4
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• pp.295-306
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• 2019

In this study, I wanted to explore in depth the meaning of psychological phenomena experienced by Christian living alone. For this purpose, five male and female living alone aged 65 or older were interviewed in depth, and the data after the interview was qualitatively analyzed by Giorgi's method of phenomenological research. The study found five categories : 'feeling closer to death', 'loneliness due to lack of a partner to talk to', 'helplessness to a debilitated body phenomenon', 'disconnected relationships' and 'looking at God'. The findings that the faith proved to be an important factor of overcoming loneliness in the lives of the elderly, provide a foundation for understanding and the pastoral counseling of the elderly living alone in churches.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.74-82
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• 2006

Purpose: This study used MDS-HC 2.0 to identify health problems in the elderly who live alone. Method: The subjects of this study were 100 living-alone elders aged over 65 in Daegu city. This study was performed through home visiting interviews during the period from the 1st of September to the 30th of September 2005. Analysis in this study was made using SPSS Version 11.0. Results: Frequent health problems in the living-alone elderly were: preventive heath measure (90), health promotion (80), social function (78), visual function (75), depression and anxiety (61), pain and communication disorder (60), cognition (55), environmental assessment (48) and oral health (45) in order of frequency. Informal services were provided to 73% of the subjects for emotional support. IADL services were provided to 57% of the subjects, and ADL services to 66%. Conclusion: Nursing intervention programs based on health problems from MDS-HC 2.0 should be provided in order to cope with individual health problems and living-alone elders needs. The results of this study suggest that MDS-HC 2.0 is applicable to help decide nursing interventions for the elderly who live alone in community.

• Journal of Korean Public Health Nursing
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.227-239
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• 2022

Purpose: This study aimed to examine the differences in the reciprocal causal relationship between cognitive function and depressive symptoms depending on whether older adults lived with others or alone. Methods: We used panel data retrieved from the sixth (Time 1) and seventh (Time 2) waves of the Korean Longitudinal Study of Aging (KLoSA). The study sample included 2,638 older adults living with others and 628 older adults living alone. We conducted cross-lagged panel analyses (CLPA) to identify the bidirectional causal relationship between cognitive function and depressive symptoms in the groups of older adults living with others and those living alone. Results: In the group of older adults living with others, cognitive function and depressive symptoms showed significant reciprocal relationships. In the group of older adults living alone, although the CLPA confirmed that higher levels of depressive symptoms at Time 1 influenced lower levels of cognitive function at Time 2, cognitive function at Time 1 was not associated with depressive symptoms at Time 2. Conclusion: The results suggest that the strategies for preventing cognitive decline and depressive symptoms should be developed according to whether the older adults live alone. Moreover, further studies should identify factors influencing depressive symptoms among older adults living alone, which will ultimately enable the management of depressive symptoms.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Rural Health Nursing
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.1-10
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• 2021

Purpose: This study was aimed to compare health promotion behaviors and safety consciousness for elderly women living alone in rural areas and elderly women in group homes, and then provide information for the development of safety awareness programs for elderly. Methods: The participants were 120 elderly women living alone in rural areas aged 65 or older and 120 elderly women living in group homes. The data collection was conducted during November 2020, and the collected data used the SPSS/WIN 25.0 program to verify frequency, percentage, average, standard deviation, and independent t test. Results: There were significant differences of health promotion behaviors between elderly women living alone and elderly women in group homes (t=15.77, p<.001). In addition, there were significant differences of safety consciousness between elderly women living alone and elderly women in group homes (t=21.42, p<.001). Conclusion: Since the safety consciousness and health promotion behaviors of the elderly in group homes are significantly higher than that of the elderly living alone, various programs should be developed to improve the safety consciousness and health promotion behaviors in the elderly living alone. Based on local government' acts, continuous support and attention is needed that elderly women in group homes can maintain a healthy life.