• 한국노년학
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.583-600
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• 2017

The purpose of this study is to explore qualitatively what kind of coping strategy the Korean older adults use when they are depressed and why. Participants were users, older than 60, of an elderly welfare center in Seoul, and answers of 34 respondents who experienced depression were included in the analysis. The collected data were analyzed through content analysis. The results of the analysis showed that strategies to cope with depression used by participants were composed of 6 domains and 11 sub-domains: health behavior (medical approach / exercise and diet), family and social contact (social interaction / going out and going on a trip / communication with family), Religious activities (Religious activities), lifelong education (hobbies / educational activities), productive activities (labor), health risk behaviors (drinking and gambling / resignation). The depression coping strategies of the older adults and their characteristics are as follows. First, older adults used diverse problem-focused coping strategies to cope with depression. Second, older adults considered various coping strategies together and used them simultaneously. Third, the facility space for older adults functions as a shelter. Fourth, although there were cases where medical approach was used, the intention to reuse was very low. Through this study, the following suggestions were made to help older adults cope with depression more successfully. First, access to various coping strategies should be promoted. Second, more places where older adults can spend their time comfortably need to be provided. Third, resistance to mental health care should be resolved.

• 한국노년학
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.463-478
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• 2011

This study examined the impact of late-life poverty on self-rated health, focusing on the mediating and moderating effects of health behaviors and social support. Despite the significant associations among poverty, health behaviors, and health outcomes, little studies have tested complex structural pathways among them. Thus, the purpose of this study is to identify multiple causal pathways between poverty and self-rated health, mediated and moderated by health behaviors and social support. To test the structural pathways, the structural equation modeling was utilized using the 2006 Korean Longitudinal Study of Aging data. The results of this study indicated that poverty had the direct negative impact not only on the health behaviors such as smoking and lack of regular exercise but also on the self-rated health. In addition, regular exercise significantly mediated the relationship between poverty and self-rated health. Finally, informal social support from family and friends buffered the negative impact of poverty on the self-rated health. Findings suggested that providing informal social support to the low income elderly is important in addition to the economic support. It is also necessary to develop programs for promoting healthy behaviors, especially regular exercise.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
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• v.19 no.5
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• pp.449-460
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• 2021

The purpose of this study explained the experience of volunteering activities and the relationship of subjective self-awareness in order to examine the social meaning of volunteer activities. For adults aged 20 or older, 312 volunteering experience and social support awareness were analyzed on the level of self-identity by allocation sampling method depending on gender and age. The analysis results of this study were as follows. First, it was found that those who have experienced volunteer activitiies have a relatively simple willingness to participate in professional volunteer activities and those who have experienced volunteer activities. Second, social support and self-identification were different depending on whether they have experienced volunteer activities. Third, age, volunteer participation, willingness to participated in volunteering, and social support were analyzed as explanatory factors predicting self-identification of research participants. Based on the research results, volunteer activities to positively promote self-awareness suggested the need to practice volunteer activities according to the life cycle so that social meaning can be given. As a policy suggestion, the need for volunteer activities was closely analyzed to enable healthy self-forming for well-aging from adulthood to old age to discussed the need for policies and systems to strengthen volunteer motivation as leisure activities.