• The Korean Journal of Community Living Science
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.341-349
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• 2011

As elder abuse has become a social problem, it has drawn a great deal of attention from researchers and policy-planers. While there have been a number of studies addressing various issues related to elder abuse, the present study aims to explain whether and how the perception of elder abuse would differ among the elderly themselves. In particular, the study focuses on the differences between urban and rural areas. Family-centered culture is believed to have a stronger influence in rural areas compared to urban areas. This cultural tradition highlights the importancy of the family compared to the individuals. Thus, the elderly who experience abuse would take it as personal matter rather than publicizing it. In addition, the information and campaigns on preventing elder abuse are less prevalent in rural areas than in urban areas due to limited communication networks. For these reasons, the study suggests a hypothesis that the elderly in rural areas are less perceptive to elder abuse. Using 6,709 persons aged 65 and over from a nationwide survey conducted by the Korean Institute for Health and Social Affairs in 2009, the study ran regression analysis on 4 types of elder abuse including psychological, financial, physical and neglect. The results show that regardless of types of abuse, the elderly in rural areas have lower levels of perception than the elderly in urban areas do. In addition, the frequency of social activities is positively related to the perception of elderly abuse. This is also true for the different types of elder abuse. The findings suggest that social effort to prevent elder abuse consider the urban-rural differences and their sources.

• Journal of the East Asian Society of Dietary Life
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.39-48
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• 2015

This study aimed to compare and evaluate nutritive conditions of the female elderly (2,893 people) based on a national health nutrition survey and health-related factors influencing nutritional intake. The results are as follows.- Average age of all subjects was $72.12{\pm}5.2$ old. BMI ($24.48{\pm}3.3kg/m^2$) and waist size ($83.9{\pm}9.5cm$) of urban elderly was larger ($23.74{\pm}3.3kg/m^2$, $82.28{\pm}9.9cm$) than that of rural elderly. MAR[4] and MAR[10] were also higher in urban elderly than rural elderly. The results of multiple regression analysis showed that factors influencing poor nutrition of elderly subjects were increasing age, smoking, and self-rated health. Old-old and current smokers were associated with a higher likelihood of poor nutrition (OR 1.82, 95%CI 1.43~2.30) and (OR 3.40, 95%CI 2.17~5.33) elderly female subjects in urban areas. Smoking (OR 2.29, 95%CI 1.33~3.95), poor self-rated health (OR 1.55, 95%CI 1.11~2.16), over nine hours of sleep per nighting (OR 1.72, 95%CI 1.17~2.53) and stress (OR 1.46, 95%CI 1.10~1.92) of elderly female subjects in rural areas were associated with higher likelihood of a poor nutrition. In conclusion, rural elderly are more influenced by poor health practice behaviors (self-rated health, sleeping stress) and psychological factors. Nutrition status of the rural elderly is worse than that of the urban elderly. To reduce nutritional risk of Korean elderly, especially rural elderly, active nutrition arbitration should include psychological environmental factors.

• Journal of Korean Society of Rural Planning
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.91-101
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• 2012

The time management and allotments for various activities of daily life is much different by age groups. This study analyzes time allotments of different age groups for various activities of daily life to figure out the change of main activity by aging through 2009 time use survey by National Statistical Office. Especially we focus on time allotments of rural elderly population and intangible factors for life quality of people instead of physical and environmental elements. The results show that there is a large gap of time allotments for paid and unpaid working time of rural and urban elderly population. Whereas the time for leisure of elderly women in rural areas is much shorter than that of urban elderly women and rural elderly men spend more time to provide community services and help to other households. However, the percentage leisure time of rural elderly people for passive activities such as TV, radio, magazine etc. is longer than that of urban elderly people. We hope that our analysis data could be used for developing new policies and project to improve the life quality of rural elderly population.

• The Korean Journal of Community Living Science
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.369-378
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• 2007

This study purposed to examine elderly welfare facilities by type, to analyze their local variations, and ultimately to contribute to the expansion of elderly welfare infrastructure. The results are expected to help inspect elderly welfare infrastructure for providing the aged with social services before the execution of 'the insurance for elderly long term care' and establish welfare facilities by area in the future. For these purposes, we used the national data "The Current State of Elderly Welfare Facilities in 2007" produced by the Ministry of Health and Welfare. We digitized elderly welfare facilities in 163 cities and counties by type and analyzed them by area. We also examined the differences in the local distribution of representative elderly welfare facilities such as elderly welfare centers, home based facilities (home helper centers), asylums for the aged and elderly care facilities in 16 cities and provinces. Furthermore, we analyzed differences and problems in their local distribution urban areas, mixed areas of urban and rural communities, and rural areas. In addition, we studied the current state of institutionalized care and home based care, which are two major directions of current elderly welfare policies, based on the local distribution of facilities and analyzed differences in the trends according to area. According to these results, the urban had more home based care facilities than the rural. However, the rural had more institutionalized care facilities than urban. Also, each local self-governing body showed unique characteristics. Therefore, these results suggest that we need to establish elderly welfare policies based on the distribution of facility types by area.

• Journal of the Korean Home Economics Association
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.171-185
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• 2003

The eight hundred fourteen male and female elderly living in urban and rural area of Incheon were compared in terms of anthropometric indices and health related factors. Mean height, weight, BMI, WHR, MAC, TSF, %body fat and systolic blood pressure of male elderly were 162.7cm and 162.0cm, 61.8kg and 58.3kg, 23.2 and 22.0, 0.91 and 0.89, 24.4cm and 24.0cm, 9.9mm and 11.5mm, 23.9% and 23.2%, 152.1mmHg and 150.0mmHg in the urban and rural respectively. In female elderly, mean height, weight, BMI, WHR, MAC, TSF, %body fat and systolic blood pressure were 150.3cm and 149.2cm, 55.9kg and 53.1kg, 24.4 and 23.4, 0.87 and 0.86, 25.4cm and 24.4cm, 20.2mm and 18.9mm, 37.2% & 35.4%, 142.2mmHg and 151.7 mmHg in the urban and rural respectively. As the age increasing, most of the anthropometric indices are decreased while systolic blood pressure are increased in both gender. The proportion of the subject with normal hearing were 73.1% in the urban, 61.4% in the rural and 61.8% in the male, 73.1% in the female. Hearing and tooth status became deteriorated as increasing the age and the more elderly felt themselves unhealthy as increasing the age. Aerobic(25.7%) and walking/jogging(18.4%) in the urban, walking/jogging (22.1%) and climbing(3.5％) in the rural were the preferred exercise in the elderly. Frequency of health promoting substance intake were very low and not significantly different between the urban & the rural, and the male and the female elderly. Neuralgia, diabetes, indigestion and cerebral stroke showed relatively higher morbidity in the elderly. Neuralgia was significantly higher in the female(23.3%) than in the male(13.1%). Diabetes was significantly higher in the female(22.4%) and the urban(21.9%) elderly than in the male(16.1%) and the rural(13.5%) elderly respectively. In conclusion, as the age increasing the height and weight of the elderly decreased significantly and BMI, WHR and body fat toned to decrease. Hearing and tooth status deteriorated significantly as the age increasing, especially in female elderly.

• 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 the Korea Society of Computer and Information
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• v.27 no.11
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• pp.199-207
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• 2022

This study was conducted with the purpose of presenting data for preparing elderly work policies and mental health policies by comparing and analyzing the effects of working ability on depression of urban and rural elderly people. Data from the 16th year of the Korea Welfare Panel (2021) were used for the analysis data for this study, and data from 4,838 elderly people aged 65 and over were extracted and used for analysis. For the analysis method, descriptive statistics and regression analysis were performed using SPSS 22.0. As a result of the study, it was found that the depression decreased when the elderly were able to work. It was found that health status and household type had an effect on urban elderly, and health status and education level of rural elderly affected. Therefore, it is necessary to provide local social welfare services that are appropriate for the local characteristics, suitable for the resources and environment of urban and rural areas.

• Korean Institute of Interior Design Journal
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.217-226
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• 2015

As the aging society is globally increasing, the guide for the aged-friendly city is suggested by WHO and many cities are preparing to meet with it. The base of this guide for an age-friendly city is an active aging. This study examined how degree the neighborhood environment is age-friendly from older persons' standpoints. The data were collected through the interview with old persons who aged more than 65 years, 117 persons in an urban area and 110 ones in a rural area. The age-friendly degree of neighborhood environment was examined from two aspects. One is how close 12 neighborhood facilities were from the elderly's houses. Another one is how degree the elderly were considered in 4 areas: pedestrian road, traffic, the amount of housing for the elderly, and space layouts of their houses. Findings were as follows. First, the elderly related neighborhood facilities in urban area were closer located to old persons' houses than in rural area, except the senior center. Second, in case of the age-friendly degree of their neighborhood environments, the space layout of house was the highest, and then traffic, pedestrian road, and the amount of housing for the elderly, in order. The consideration degree of wheelchair users was the lowest. Third, the age-friendly degree of pedestrian road, traffic, and room layout of house in rural area were higher than in urban area. However, the amount of housing for the elderly in urban area was higher than in rural area.

• Korean Journal of Family Social Work
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• no.55
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• pp.5-30
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• 2017

This study aims to analyze the influence of network of elderly with his or her non cohabiting children on their depression and its regional differences between urban and rural areas. The analysis is based on the sample of 1,609 elderly of 65 and above (1,011 Urban residents and 598 Rural residents) from the third time span(year 2010) to the fifth time span(year 2014) collected by the Korean Longitudinal Study of Ageing, whose research conducted by Korea Employment Information Service. First, it is found that rural elderly are more likely to suffer from depression than urban elderly. Second, it is found that rural elderly have on average a bigger number of non cohabiting children in their network, whereas geographical proximity and frequency in meeting, and economic support is stronger upon urban elderly. Third, urban elderly tend to suffer from depression as the frequency of phone calls with their non cohabiting children increases with time, and as the frequency of meeting and relationship satisfaction is decreases with time, whereas rural elderly tend to suffer from depression as their geographical proximity with their non cohabiting children is decreases with time. Based on the results of this analysis, this study further suggests practical policy interventions to prevent elderly depression.

• Journal of the Korean Home Economics Association
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• v.39 no.11
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• pp.129-144
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• 2001

In spite of rapid sociocultural changes and an increase in the number of nuclear families in recent years, quite many families in Korea still have taken the extended family form where daughter-in-law provides care for the elderly parents. Even though the nature of the inter-generational relationship in Korea is reciprocal in many regards, most of the studies looked at the burden or costs of coresidence with the elderly parents while relatively little attention has been given to the positive side of the coresidence. This study is an attempt to fill this gap in the area. The purpose of this study is to examine not only the costs but also benefits of the coresidence with the elderly parents. We also explore whether there is a rural-urban differences in costs and benefits of coresidence and related factors. For the purpose, data were gathered from 876 daughters-in-law of three generational family both in rural and urban area, using structured questionnaire. The statistical methods used for data analysis were descriptive statistics, cross tables, and regression analysis with SPSS/PC+ program. The major findings of this study were as follows: Marital and economic status of the elderly parents, age, job status and filial responsibility attitude of caregiver, sibling support, and coresidence duration were the significant variables predicting the level of perceived benefits. Marital status of elderly parents, income, job status, educational level, and filial responsibility altitude of caregiver, residence region affected the level of perceived costs. Rural-urban differences are found in many aspects of coresidence experiences and related factors. Rural caregivers receive higher level of the sibling support, have more traditional final responsibility altitude and perceived less costs and more benefit than urban caregivers. There also are differences in the factors influencing the level of perceived costs and benefits between rural and urban area. Level of sibling support and final responsibility attitude have significant impact on both the perceived costs and benefits. But there are differences in terms of that perceived costs and benefits of urban caregivers are affected by job status of caregivers while those of rural caregivers are affected by educational level of caregivers and marital status of elderly. The results confirm that Korean caregivers experience both positive and negative aspects of coresidence and shows that the nature of the inter-generational relationships differ between rural and urban Korea.