• Journal of People, Plants, and Environment
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.219-229
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• 2019

This study was carried out to verify the accuracy of fitness tracking devices in monitoring heart rate and energy consumption and to contribute to the development of a forest exercise program that can recommend the intensity and amount of forest exercises based on personal health-related data and provide monitoring and feedback on forest exercises. Among several commercially available wearable devices, Fitbit was selected for the research, as it provides Open API and data collected by Fitbit can be utilized by third parties to develop programs. Fitbit provides users with various information collected during forest exercises including exercise time and distance, heart rate, energy consumption, as well as the altitude and slope of forests collected by GPS. However, in order to verify the usability of the heart rate and energy consumption data collected by Fitbit in forest, the accuracy of heart rate and energy consumption were verified by comparing the data collected by Fitbit and reference. In this study, 13 middle-aged women were participated, and it was found that the heart rate measured by Fitbit showed a very low error rate and high correlation with that measured by the reference. The energy consumption measured by Fitbit was not significantly different from that measured in the reference, but the error rate was slightly higher. However, there was high correlation between the results measured by Fibit and the reference, therefore, it can be concluded that Fitbit can be utilized in developing actual forest exercise programs.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.53 no.1
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• pp.56-63
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• 2020

Objectives: The objective of this study was to determine the effect of atrial fibrillation (AF) on the risk of dementia in the Korean elderly. Methods: A 10-year retrospective cohort study was conducted using the National Health Insurance Service-Senior Cohort database. We excluded those who were under 65 years of age as of January 2006 (n=46 113), those who were diagnosed with dementia between 2002 and 2005 (n=9086), and those with a history of stroke prior to AF diagnosis (n=8392). We used a Cox proportional hazards model with a time-varying covariate to determine whether AF is associated with the risk of dementia after adjusting for potential confounders. Results: In univariable Cox regression, the hazard ratio (HR) of dementia according to AF status was 1.28 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.23 to 1.33). After adjusting for potential confounders, AF was found to increase the risk of dementia (HR, 1.12; 95% CI, 1.07 to 1.17), Alzheimer dementia (HR, 1.12; 95% CI, 1.07 to 1.17), and vascular dementia (HR, 1.10; 95% CI, 1.03 to 1.18). In patients diagnosed with AF, the incidence of dementia was lower (HR, 0.50; 95% CI, 0.47 to 0.52) in patients who were treated with oral anticoagulants. Conclusions: Investigating the potential risk factors of dementia in an aged society is important. We found a slightly higher risk of dementia in those with AF than in those without AF, and we therefore concluded that AF is a potential risk factor for dementia.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.389-399
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• 2022

Background: This study aimed to analyze changes in medical utilization and cost before and after long-term care (LTC) implementation. Methods: We used the National Health Information Database from National Health Insurance Service. The participants were selected who had a new LTC grade (grade 1-5) for 2015. Medical utilization was analyzed before and after LTC implementation. Segmented regression analysis of interrupted time series was conducted to evaluate the overall effect of the LTC implementation on medical costs. Results: The total number of participants was 41,726. A major reason for hospitalization in grade 1 was cerebrovascular diseases, and dementia was the top priority in grade 5. The proportion of hospitalization in grade 1 increased sharply before LTC implementation and then decreased. In grade 5, it increased before LTC implementation, but there was no significant difference after LTC implementation. As for medical cost, in grades 1 to 4, the total cost increased sharply before the LTC implementation, but thereafter, changes in level and trend tended to decrease statistically, and for grade 5, immediately after LTC implementation, the level change was decreasing, but thereafter, the trend change was increasing. Conclusion: Long-term care grades showed different medical utilization and cost changes. Long-term care beneficiaries would improve their quality of life by adequately resolving their medical needs by their grades.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.215-227
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• 1996

This study was conducted to assess biochemical nutritional status and health status of 53 men and 130 women aged over 65 years and residing in low-income areas in Seoul. Nutritional status and health status were determined by hematological analysis, incidence of disease, and clinical symptoms. Mean serum cholesterol levels were 159.7mg/dl in men and 182.4mg/dl in women and triglyceride levels were 124.6mg/dl in men and 130.6mg/dl in women. The serum lipid levels were higher in women than in men, and 88% of the subjects belonged to normal range and 12% belonged to hyper lipid. The mean hematological indices.; Hb, Hct, RBC, MCH, serum iron belonged to normal ranges. The proportion of anemic state were 16~18% in men and 20~25% in women. Mean serum Ca, Cu and Zn levels were 9.4mg/dl, $84.2\mu\textrm{g}/dl$ and $75.8\mu\textrm{g}/dl$ for male and $9.5\mu\textrm{g}/dl$, $88.3\mu\textrm{g}/dl$ and $75.6\mu\textrm{g}/dl$ for female, respectively. However, proportion of low Ca, Cu and Zn status were 8~20%, 77~84% and 12~34%, respectively. The biochemical indices were not significantly different according to age, BMI, obesity rate. Cholesterol, RBC, MCH and serum iron levels were significantly different between men and women. (Korean J Community Nutrition 1(2) : 215-227, 1996)

• The Korean Journal of Community Living Science
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.163-173
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• 2014

This study investigates the dietary risk factors in elderly individuals in rural Korea by focusing on the development of service programs that can improve their health. The sample included 1,000 free-living elderly individuals aged 65 and over in rural Korea. A three-stage stratified random sampling method based on 2010 Korean census data was employed. Data on the dietary status and the need for assistance in meal management were collected through face-to-face interviews. The dietary status was evaluated based on the Nutrition Screening Initiative (NSI) checklist, and the outcomes for three groups classified base on their family type were examined. According to NSI scores, more than 70% of the subjects faced some nutritional risk. The activities most requiring assistance in meal management included preparing meals (18.3%) and purchasing food items (11.7%). More than half of the subjects reported that having meals at community senior centers at least once a week. The results indicate that those subjects from single-individual households were most likely to face some nutritional risk and require, assistance in purchasing food items and preparing meals. In addition, these subjects were least likely to be satisfied with their health and dietary management. To improve the dietary status of elderly individuals in rural Korea, any service programs should facilitate their daily activities by focusing on improving their diet, particularly that of those from low-income, single-individual households.

• Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.103-109
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• 2001

With a continuous and steep increase in life expectancies, Korean society is expected to enter the aged society by year 2020. And as the number of elderly increases, the burden of medical and health care expenses for them becomes greater in every developed society. Hence, the preventive approach for chronic degenerative diseases remains to be the best solution for the above-mentioned problem and warranting optimal nutrition would be one of the most important approaches. We performed a nutrition survey on 585 older adults of 50 years of age and older, residing in 3 metropolitan areas including Daejun, Daeku and Kwangju. Anthropometry, including body composition analysis based on the bioelectrical impedance analysis using InBody 3.0 and dietary intake survey by semi-quantitative flood frequency questionnaires, were used in collecting data. As one of the most important factors affecting the health and nutritional status of the elderly, we focused on living arrangements. Analyses were performed on the data from 550 subjects only, after excluding statistical outliers. Three hundred and sixty-eight of them(66.9%) were female and the number of elderly(65 years of age and older) was 485. According to the statistical analyses, the female elderly were more vulnerable to malnutrition than the male elderly. And the older they befame, the less adequate they were in nutrient intake. In addition to this, the elderly living alone showed the poorest patterns of nutrient intake and anthropometry. Although the exact effect of living alone could differ among different sex-age groups, the fact that the elderly living alone is vulnerable to malnutrition would remain concrete. This raises the utmost necessity of nutrition intervention to be devised and directed to the targeted population, namely the living-alone elderly from the government level. The intervention may include nutrition education, nutrition counseling and support In forms of meal service by networking the efforts of central as well as local governments to ensure the good health of the Korean elderly.

• International journal of advanced smart convergence
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.113-121
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• 2021

This study was conducted on 1,174 retirees in their 50s and 60s nationwide using the 7th data of the National Pension Service's National Elderly Security Panel Survey. We were able to confirm the following results through the SPSS WIN 18.0 program.. First, men showed a higher level of education than women. From these results, it is expected that men will be better prepared for retirement. Second, men had spouses and two or more household members than women. According to previous studies showing that men are better prepared for retirement if they have a spouse, it is expected that men are better prepared for retirement. Second, 38% of men and 62% of women were voluntary retirees. Third, both men and women responded that their own and spouses should play the main role in preparing for retirement. Fourth, both men and women had very low rates of preparation for old age, economic independence, and public and private pensions. Among them, women were lower than men. Fifth, economic problem solving, health, and medical care were the priority as parts to be done for retirement in oneself and society. Based on these results, the directions for preparing retirees for retirement are as follows. First, education on wage peak system, retirement age extension and financial management for involuntary retirees is required, and guidance and management methods on health care and disease should be provided to address needs for health and health care. Women had more voluntary retirees than men, and they need to know why. Second, when both men and women are very poor at preparing for retirement, there should be job creation measures to ensure that they and their spouses are fully prepared for retirement.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
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• v.14 no.11
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• pp.63-70
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• 2016

In this study, the correlation between convergence factors including social, environmental, psychological and physical factors and the health-related quality of life was examined using a structural equation model to find a practical alternative for improving the quality of life in the elderly people living alone. This study targeted 13,771 seniors from single households aged 65 and over, who were subject to the community health survey in 2014. Social capitals, stress, subjective health conditions and EQ-5D of the subjects were analyzed using SPSS 23.0 and AMOS 23.0. The analysis findings are as follows. The results of the model fit was good value with CFI=.906, GFI=.955, RMSEA=.074. In conclusion, these results demonstrate that for maintaining health and improving the quality of life in the elderly people living alone, families and local communities need to increase social capitals by providing care service for the elderly people living alone and grounds that they can participate in.

• Korean Institute of Interior Design Journal
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• no.25
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• pp.162-168
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• 2000

Due to the increase in elderly population, leading our society to that of aging one, informations on elderly living environments are in abundance. However, how the elderly perceive these informations and how they decide to choose their final residences normally depend on each elderly persons aging condition, because differences in each elderly persons daily living environment, dictated by his/her health, living characteristics, and/or living patterns, exist. This research studies design guidelines in planning elderly housing thru analyzing Japans privately funded elderly facilities and comparing their services and spatial configurations.

• Journal of the Korea Convergence Society
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• v.9 no.7
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• pp.95-103
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• 2018

The purpose of this study was to awareness of dental care services in the elderly long-term care insurance system and retirement preparation of middle-aged people. The survey respondents had a 56.1% saving for old age life, And showed a tendency to they don't like depend on one's family(41.8%), elderly care was intended to use facility services and nursing care. 36.7% of respondents answered "I know a little" about the system. Also, the need for dental care services within the system was high (98.5%), If the service is provided, 92.3% of the respondents said that they would participate, otherwise unrecognized rate of dental care services in long-term care insurance was 85.2%. Therefore, it is necessary to expand the awareness of the part of dental care service in the system. The results of this study can be used as basic data for the improvement of the system of dental care services in long-term care insurance for elderly.