• Journal of Korean Public Health Nursing
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.78-90
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• 2009

Purpose: This study investigated depression, ADL, ADL, QOL, and their relationships to examine the physical and, emotional health status of low income elderly in the local community. Methods: The subjects included 507 elderly 65 years of age in Jeonju, Korea. Data were collected through personal interviews with questionnaires. Results: The average depression score of the subjects was 8.7. There was significant difference in the level of depression as a function of the level of education and perceived health status. The items showing the highest level of functioning in ADL were consciousness and recognition, and the item combining the highest leveling of functioning in IADL was using phones. Regarding ADL and IADL, there were statistically significant differences in age. living condition and perceived health status. The levels of quality of life of the subjects were significantly different with respect to gender and, perceived health status. There were statistically significant correlations between the subjects' depression, ADL, IADL, and QOL. Conclusions: The findings indicate that the low income elderly in the local community were in poor physical and, psychological health. Based upon the outcome, health promotion programs to improve depression, ADL, and IADL of low income elderly in the community are needed.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.302-310
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• 2003

This study was undertaken to assess nutritional status of the low income elderly residing in Gwangju. Anthropometric data showed that mean height of the subjects was lower than that of Korean Standard Growth data but weight was similar to that standard value. As the subjects became older, their heights and weights were decreased. Body mass index (BMI) in males and females were 22.9 and 24.4 respectively. However, BMI distribution showed that 56% of the elderly females under 75 were underweight. Advancing age conoibutes significant difference in triceps skinfold thickness in females (p < 0.001). Total cholesterol level was higher in the elderly females than the males. It was found that a considerable number of subjects had anemia determined by hemoglobin and hematocrit level, which indicated un iron deficiency. Twenty-four hour dietary recall revealed that, except for phosphorus and vitamin C, all the nutrient intakes of the subjects were below 75％ of Korean RDA. Surprisingly, vitamin A and riboflavin intakes of the elderly were below 50％ of Korean RDA. Energy intakes of the elderly males and females were 58.7% and 59.6% of Korean RDA respectively. Unbalanced energy ratios of carbohydrate, protein and fat were noted in both genders. Nutrient intakes of females' were lower than those of males'. Thus, there was a significant gender difference in nutrient intakes. It might be further suggested that an appropriate nutritional program should be developed and implemented to improve the Poor nutritional status of the low income elderly living in cities.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.191-201
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• 2004

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate economic viability of public health center visiting nurse services for the low-income elderly with long-term care needs. Method: The sample consisted of 252 community dwelling elderly who enrolled in public health center visiting nurse services for three months or more. Data was collected on physical (ADL and IADL) and cognitive impairments of the elderly, contents and frequency of visiting nurse services, cost per visit, and costs of alternative services for long-term care. Result: The mean score of ADL and IADL levels of the elderly was 2.80.4904, which indicated these patients were mostly independent. Eighty four percent of the elderly subjects were cognitively intact. Among visiting nurse services supplied, providing assessment was 34%, followed by education and counseling 26%, medication 22%, and referral. The mean cost per visit was 17,824.1 won, which transformed into a total cost per person per year of 161,130.2 won. Comparing the cost of a visiting nurse service with those of other long-term care alternatives, the visiting nurse service was the least costly alternative, followed by an outpatient clinic, hospital based home care, and nursing home. Conclusion: Overall, the results of the study provide evidence of the economic viability of visiting nurse services for the low-income elderly among long-term care alternatives.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.593-602
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• 2008

Purpose: This study aimed to compare self-care behaviors and depressive symptoms between the young old (65-74 yr) and the old-old (75-84 yr) in low-income women with hypertension. Methods: This study used a descriptive research design. The subjects of this study were 136 elderly women over 65 yr living in D city. Data was collected from September to December 2007 through personal interviews using a questionnaire. The collected data was analyzed using the SPSS WIN 12.0 Program. Results: Self-care behaviors, functional status, and number of medications showed a significant difference between young elderly and middle elderly. There was a negative correlation between self-care behaviors and depressive symptoms. 52.2% of variance in self-care behaviors of young elderly and 76.8% of variance in self-care behaviors of middle elderly were explained by depressive symptoms, number of medications, and functional status. Conclusion: It is necessary to manage depressive symptoms to improve the self-care behaviors of low-income elderly with hypertension. Depressive symptoms need to be considered in planning hypertension programs for low-income elderly women.

• Journal of the Korean housing association
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.65-76
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• 2015

With a rapidly aging population, the proportion of elderly households with low income has been increasing. Despite the poor housing environment, it is not easy to improve their housing environment due to the high cost of modification. However, as many elderly want to keep living in their current houses, it is urgent to improve their housing environment. The purpose of this study was to develop the guidelines on home modification for low-income elderly. This study set the scope of home modification categories through literature analysis in advance to develop the guidelines. Based on the literature analysis and small group workshops, the primary and secondary guidelines were derived and a total of 169 final guidelines were produced based on the scope of home modification categories. Those guidelines were composed of the categories by space, divided into mandatory and recommended by details. Those guidelines proposed in this study were classified and composed under the objective standards, so that they were systemic and objective based on the verification of experts. They are considered to get closer to the user's demand on the basis of the demand of low income elderly for home modification and the improvement categories under the system to support home modification for low income elderly at home and abroad. In addition, as the standards to apply each guideline, separated into mandatory and recommended, was suggested, those guidelines may help expand the scope of improvement under the economic conditions for home modification.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.35 no.6
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• pp.1144-1152
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• 2005

Purpose: The purpose of this research was to examine the effects of exercise program on knowledge and attitude of excercise, and depression in low-income elderly women. Method: The research design was a nonequivalent control group pretest-posttest design. The subjects were 26 in the experimental group and 22 in the control group among 46 low-income women over age 65. The independent variable is the exercise program, and the dependent variables are knowledge and attitude of excercise and depression. The exercise program was performed for 45-50 minutes, twice a week for 8 weeks. Data was collected from March. 12. to May. 8. 2004. Result: Participants were given a pre-test and post-test for the selected variables. The experimental group reported significant improvements in their knowledge and attitude of excercise and depression scores compared with the control group. Conclusion: The results indicated that the exercise program had the potential to manage low-income elderly women's health promotion. Furthermore, the exercise program can enhance life satisfaction in low-income elderly women.

• Journal of Society of Preventive Korean Medicine
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.79-94
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• 2017

Objectives : The elderly in South Korea are the poorest among OECD countries in 2015. The aim of this study was to explore the health and life of the low-income elderly living in vulnerable areas in a metropolitan city. Methods : Data were collected through in-depth individual interviews with 7 participants from October to November 2015 and analyzed through Colaizzi's phenomenological methodology. The participants were interviewed for over 60 minutes in each person. Results : 7 categories were identified from 17 subcategories: "My life history: sick body," "Living with a sick body," "My poor but precious life," "A sense of distance from the hospital," "Narrowed area of my life," "Thankful for help," and "The village where I have lived my destiny." There is a lack of medical accessibility, mobility, and economic independence for low-income seniors. In addition, full-fledged redevelopment comes to them as violence. Conclusions : The health and life of the low-income elderly in vulnerable areas are products of many social factors, reaffirming the importance of social health.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.217-224
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• 2014

Purpose: This study aimed to assess the levels of and relationships among health literacy, knowledge about diabetes, and self-care activities in the Korean low-income elderly with diabetes and to identify factors influencing the self-care activities of this vulnerable population. Methods: This study surveyed a total of 151 low-income elderly patients with diabetes registered at 16 Visiting Health Care Services in B City, Korea. Health literacy was measured with the Newest Vital Sign. Diabetes knowledge was measured with the Diabetes Knowledge Test. The Summary of Diabetes Self-care Activities Questionnaire was used to assess diabetes self-care activities. A stepwise multiple regression analysis was conducted to identify significant factors influencing diabetes self-care activities in these patients. Results: In the regression model, diabetes knowledge (${\beta}=.322$, p<.001), exercise (${\beta}=.337$, p<.001), and experiences of diabetes education (${\beta}=.241$, p=.001) were significantly associated with increased diabetes self-care activities in low-income elderly patients with diabetes when gender, education, health literacy, and subjective health state were controlled. Conclusion: To improve diabetes self-care activities in the low-income elderly with diabetes, it is important to develop a customized program considering their knowledge, exercise, and diabetes education experience.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.157-166
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• 2005

Purpose: This study was to explore health experiences of the low-income elderly living alone reflected in Newman's Health as expanding consciousness theory. Method: The researcher used Newman's praxis methodology because it is good for showing the process of interaction between the researcher and the low-income elderly living alone. Results: The significant characteristics of early health experience during a participant's lifetime were demonstrated that blamed themselves, being burden of themselves hopeless of their lives. However, after a turning point in health experience. The health experience of most of the participants evolved as expanding consciousness. Conclusion: This study has provided support for Newman's theory of health. Most of the participants recognized meanings in their patterns and authentic caring relationships with the nurse as researcher, pattern recognition as a nursing practice was a meaningful transforming process in the participant-nurse partnership. This participatory approach expands the scope of sharing health experience with the elderly living alone and with caring community people.

• 한국노년학
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.835-852
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• 2017

The purpose of this study was to examine the moderating effects of social support on material hardship of low-income elderly people that have been excluded from the National Basic Livelihood Security System. For this research, data of 255 persons aged 65 and over were collected using a survey conducted in 2014 by the National Human Rights Commission of Korea on the minimum living cost of low-income household. Data analysis was performed through descriptive analysis, correlation analysis, and multiple regression analysis with STATA13. According to the results, the average level of material hardship in low-income elderly people was 1.45 out of 6, with the most hardship shown in heating and health care. The results of multiple regression analysis showed that when low-income elderly people became excluded from the system, they suffered more than the recipients. They also showed that the social support system of low-income elderly people brought a negative impact on their material hardship when they were connected by the strong social support system. In other words, social support system reduced their material hardship caused by exclusion. Based on the results, this study suggests some practical and political means to reduce material hardship of low-income elderly people.