• 한국노년학
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.781-800
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• 2019

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the association between residential environment satisfaction and elderly depression with a focus on the mediating effect of physical activity. The survey of Living Conditions and Welfare Needs of Korean Older Persons performed in 2017 was used for analysis. Among total 10,299 who aged 65 years or above and participated in survey, only 10,059 people who answered the survey questions by themselves without missing main questions were included in this analysis. Mediation effects were tested with Baron & Kenny(1986) method and Sobel test(Sobel, 1982). As results, first, residential environment satisfaction was negatively associated with elderly depression. Second, residential environment satisfaction was positively related to physical activity. Lastly, it was found that physical activity mediated the relationship between residential environment satisfaction and elderly depression. The results showed that older adults who satisfied in residential environment were more likely to participate in physical activity, and older people who participated in physical activity were less likely to experience depressive symptoms. Based on these results, the paper suggests the importance of subjective satisfaction of residential environment and participation of physical activity for mental health in later life, and some intervention strategies for Aging In Place.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.19 no.10
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• pp.263-271
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• 2018

The purpose of this study is to find that people's visit to a dementia home exhibition hall is effective at improving their perception of dementia. The satisfaction of visitors to the dementia home exhibition hall and a change in their perception of dementia after the visit were analyzed. The study subjects were 52 residents in S city. This study had been conducted from April, 5 to May, 25, 2018. The dementia home exhibition hall has welfare kits installed in an entrance, a rest room, a living, and a kitchen. Virtual reality experience program and the program of wearing clothes to experience an elderly person were performed together. As a result, the visitors' satisfaction was high overall, and their visit was educationally effective at improving their perception of dementia. After their visit to the hall, the residents showed high increases in the scores of the questions about the perception of dementia causes, dynamism & system, symptoms & diagnosis, and treatment & prevention. The residents with middle years and higher of age were more satisfied than those in other age groups with the introduction of dementia, and prevention methods, introduction of safe and comfortable home environment, and appropriateness of experience program. In this study, it was positive that the differentiated experience program which was not existed actively led the participation of the target person and attracted high education satisfaction in a short time. In the future, it will be necessary to develop an extended experience program, provide an environment for direct experience of dementia, and perform a continuous program to draw more citizens' attention.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.126-133
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• 2024

Background: Medication's benefits and harms require careful management. Laws mandate pharmacists to provide essential medication details since inadequate counseling may pose risks. This study explores public expectations for pharmacist-provided side effect information to enhance safety. Methods: A self-developed questionnaire was created for participant to self-report, refined through pilot surveys with experts and laypersons. Nineteen items were categorized into four sections, using closed-ended questions. Adults over 20, having obtained prescription medications within the past year, were surveyed via convenience sampling. Data analysis employed descriptive statistics and T-tests using IBM SPSS Statistics 21 and Microsoft Excel. Results: The study involved 189 participants, with a slightly higher proportion of females (59.3%) than males (40.7%), predominantly in their 20s (45.0%) and college graduates (57.1%). Health professionals represented 76.2% of respondents. Over half visited pharmacies at least 5 times yearly for prescriptions. Indirect experience with side effects was more common (30.2%) than direct experience (17.5%). Most (82.0%) showed interest in media-reported side effect events. Satisfaction with pharmacist-provided side effect explanations was low (59.7%), but importance was high (98.9%). Preferences favored combined verbal and written explanations (65.1%), with a majority desiring explanations for common but less serious side effects (82.5%). Healthcare professionals found explanations significantly more sufficient than non-professionals did. Older individuals, those living with elderly, and frequent pharmacy visitors attributed greater importance to pharmacist-provided explanations. Conclusion: Koreans view pharmacist-provided medication side effect explanations as vital but find current services lacking. Enhancements in content and delivery methods are needed in pharmacy counseling to meet public expectations.

• Korean Journal of Social Welfare
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• v.68 no.3
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• pp.181-201
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• 2016

Using a nationally representative sample from three recent waves of the Korean Welfare Panel Study, this study examined the association between experiencing material hardship and suicidal ideation among low-income households in South Korea. Overall, we found that experiencing material hardship was associated with a higher likelihood of having suicidal ideation. We also found that, among individual items of material hardship, experiencing food insecurity or credit problems was associated with a higher likelihood of having suicidal ideation. Furthermore, we found that the association of experiencing material hardship with having suicidal ideation was more pronounced for male-headed or elderly-headed households. Policy implications to improve living condition among low-income households and reduce their suicide-related behavior were discussed.

• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.263-278
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• 2005

This study investigated the current oral health conditions of the elderly at home and welfare facilities in their age over 65 years around some rural areas in Gangwon province, which would expect the fewer medical benefits even with lower interest than urban areas, despite of relatively high ratio of elder populations, so that it could prepare a basic document necessary to determine certain planned quantification for the benefit of elder's oral healthcare. As of the end of December 2004 both 50 elders at home and 50 elders at welfare facilities were randomly sampled in their age over 65 years in Samcheok city. As a result of this study, it was found that the elders at welfare facilities scored 15 pts. in DMFT index level typical of oral health conditions, which was higher than the elders at home. In addition, the elders at welfare facilities scored 26.0% in the coexistence of immobile bridge and partial denture higher than the elders at home with regard to the presence of intraoral prosthetic appliance. The results of analyzing the difference in the one-year dental visiting experience of respondents hereof showed that the elders at home were relatively more in ratio(62.0%) than those at welfare facilities, while many of the former group(38.0%) had relatively more handicap in masticatory movement than the latter one with regard to the conditions of dental prosthesis in use. Besides, many of the elders at facilities(30% or more) felt subjective symptoms of periodontal disease including bleeding or swelling, which indicates higher ratio than the elders at home. Finally, the elders at home used to brush their teeth at more frequency on a daily basis than those at facilities, while the latter group suffered general body disease more than the former group. Summing up, it is concluded that a formulated oral healthcare system will become more needed in near future than now for the benefit of the elderly living in welfare facilities, while nationwide policy-level supports would be urgent for them in the aspect of national welfare.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.1-13
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• 2014

Objective: The objectives were to estimate the rate of the injury in the elderly over the past year and to identify factors related to injury in the elderly in South Korea. Method: Using data from the 2008 Community Health Survey, 43,049 elderly persons, aged 65 years and older, were selected as study subjects. Their experience of injury during the past year and other variables, including socio-demographic factors, health-related factors, and diagnosed chronic diseases, were used. The chi-squared test and multiple logistic regression analysis with weighted analysis were conducted and statistical significance was set at p<0.05. Result: The rate of injury in the elderly during the past year was 5.1%. The most common types of the injury were falling/slipping down and traffic accidents. Factors related to injury in the elderly were living alone, current drinking, depression, poor self-rated health, stroke, and osteoporosis. Living alone (odds ratio 1.23, 95% CI: 1.05-1.45), current drinkers (OR 1.19, 95% CI: 1.05-1.35), poor self-rated health (OR 1.72, 95% CI: 1.43-2.08), depression (OR 1.23, 95% CI: 1.17-1.68), and history of stroke (OR 1.40, 95% CI: 1.17-1.68), and history of osteoporosis (OR 1.45, 95% CI: 1.26-1.66) were related to an increased risk of injury. Conclusions: Intervention programs that consider the risk factors related to injury should be developed and implemented to decrease and prevent injuries in the elderly.

• The Korean Journal of Community Living Science
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.71-85
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• 2007

This study investigates differences by type of caregiving using data on three groups of caregivers, 177 from home stay situations, 189 from day care centers, and 138 from nursing homes. First, the result shows that characteristics of both caregivers and elders differ by type of caregiving. Second, caregivers in the home stay situation have the highest caregiving burden of the three groups. Third, from examination of the related variables, the caregiving burden of home stay caregivers is affected by family income, caregivers' health, type of job, and whether or not the elder has symptoms of dementia. Also, the study reveals that emotional services for elders reduce the aggravation of family relations and economic burden, but that instrumental services highly increase economic burden. It reveals that caregivers of elders in day care centers, especially those who are in bad health, are more likely to experience feelings of constriction, aggravation of family relations and economic burden. On the other hand, caregivers who receive more emotional services have better experiences in family relations, including relations with the elder. In case of the elders of nursing homes, if the main caregiver is a daughter-in-law, aggravation of family relations is higher than if the main caregiver is a spouse. Finally, the caregiver's burden is affected by their own health and income, and by whether the elder has symptoms of dementia or stroke.

• Korean Journal of Social Welfare
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• v.50
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• pp.109-129
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• 2002

Studies of elder abuse are increasing in our country since the 1990s. But few studies have researched how older people may perceive and give meaning to the phenomenon of elder abuse. Old people have been alienated from their own problems. Elder abuse was constructed as a social problem by experts, not by older people themselves. The purpose of this study was to explore the older people's perceptions ell the meaning of elder abuse and interventions for it, using a qualitative approach based on the grounded theory. The findings from in-depth interviews with 10 the elderly were as follows: The elderly participated in this study has been constructing the aged as independence, privacy, and carer, which conflicts the existing social construction of the aged. They also had their own definition of elder abuse. They perceived all the psycho-emotional sufferings as major elder abuse. So, they understood that elder abuse was the pervasive problem which everyone would experience. They proposed that desirable interventions for it was to guarantee and to sustain their existing independent living.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.369-379
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• 1998

Despite acknowledgment that pain is likely to be a major problem for many older adults, it is difficult to estimate the frequency of pain problems for this population. The main purpose of this study was to identify the various characteristics of chronic pain in the elderly by gender. It examines by gender, pain frequency, pain intensity, number of chronic pain sites, localization of pain, impact on activities, methods of pain management, and effects of chronic pain management. The subjects were 189 elderly people(65 years and older) living in an urban area. They were surveyed at their homes. They were surveyed by interview using a closed-ended questionnaire. The survey was done from Nov. 6th. to Dec. 6th. 1997. Descriptive statistics were used to determine all of the reported pain variables. Chi-square tests were used to determine crude differences between pain intensity and gender. T-test was used to determine differences in number of pain sites between men and women. The findings are as follows ; Of the 189 subjects, 83.6% reported experiencing pain, and men reported a lower prevalence (69.5%) than women(89.2%). Women had significantly more severe pain than did men(p=.001). Lower back pain(20.2%) and leg pain(20.2%) were the most prevalent, followed by knee pain(17.4%), arm pain(13.3%), neck and shoulder pain(11.6%), and headache(9.9%). Women experienced more multiple localizations of pain(p=.0001), the greatest impact was on movement (83.5%) , followed by usual activities(60.8%), sleep(49.4%), visiting(29.1%), and hobbies and recreations(50.0%). No differences were observed between men and women in the proportion of subjects reporting a negative impact on each of these activities. The methods of pain management were hospital visit(70.9%), drug store medication(46.7%), oriental medicine clinic(32.9%), endurance(13.3%), self-management(6.3%). Drug therapy was the most effective pain management strategy(94%), followed by physical therapy(63%) and accupuncture.byssocausis(55%). The conclusion : Pain is a symptom of great clinical importance that is often associated with disability, loss of independence, and reduced quality of life. In this study chronic pain symptoms were common but unevenly distributed in men and women. The results further advance understanding of the experience and impact of pain by gender. Future studies should incorporate questions that gather systemic and more detailed information on the characteristics of pain, especially by gender and by age.

• 한국노년학
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.589-612
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• 2019

Korea has undergone rapid modernization and globalization process in the last few decades. The purpose of this study is to explore how shifting traditional values are impacting Korean elderlies and their perceptions of aging experience. In order to understand how changing social and cultural practices are affecting older adults, the similarities and differences among Korean elderlies living in three different geographical locations are examined in a multidimensional comparative framework. Life story interviews were conducted with 30 Korean elderlies (10 urban residents in Korea, 10 rural residents in Korea, and 10 residents in the US). Paying attention to within-group variation, this study particularly focused on analyzing the psychological, social, emotional, and spiritual experiences that made lives meaningful and resilient in old age in spite of physical decline. Based on analysis of narrative, the following major areas were identified as having positive or negative influence on aging experiences: physical health, emotional health, family relationship, work, leisure/social activity, and spirituality. Common themes of aging well across all settings included: "life not indebted to their offspring," "physical and mental health," and "dying well." Spirituality played a critical role in cultivating perspectives on life and accepting aging process, which were rooted in specific religious traditions participants identified (e.g., Christianity or Buddhism). Interesting differences in the meaning of work and leisure were also found between elderlies residing in Korea and the US immigrant context. One unique factor continuing to negatively affect Korean elderly in rural community was related to shame of not obtaining higher education. Implications for future research are also addressed.