• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.104-116
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• 2021

In order to reduce the social and economic costs due to the increase in dementia patients, which is a representative senile disease in an aging society, it will be important to prevent dementia and to detect and treat early in high-risk groups. This study reported the results of treatment for the elderly with high risk of dementia and depression who received Korean medicine (KM) treatment in 9 KM clinics. Medical charts were surveyed on 116 patients with high risk of dementia and depression who received KM treatment at 9 KM clinics in Gangseo-gu from September 1, 2020 to December 31, 2020. The majority of the patients were female(76.72%), the average age was 71.66±7.18 years old, and the average education level was 8.96±3.91 years. The average treatment period was 61.47±10.30 days, the average number of treatments was 15.38±1.06 times, and both acupuncture and herbal medicine were administered. After receiving KM treatment, cognitive assessment scores such as MMSE-DS and MoCA-K, depression-related GDSSF-K score, dementia knowledge, attitude, and preventive behavior, blood debilitation scale, and GQOL-D score were improved compared to before. There was no specific adverse reaction except that one patient with elevated AST and ALT levels was observed. This study showed improvement in cognitive function, depression, dementia-related scale, and quality of life in high-risk groups for dementia and depression over 60 years old who received KM treatment. More systematic and large-scale planned clinical studies will be needed.

• Journal of Society of Occupational Therapy for the Aged and Dementia
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.107-115
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• 2018

Objective : The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of a group occupational therapy program on the depression and quality of life of the elderly with Mild Cognitive Impairment(MCI). Method : The elderly with Mild Cognitive Impairment were selected based on the Mini Mental State Examination-Dementia Screening(MMSE-DS). The group occupatinal therapy program consisted of various cognitive domains and was performed 12 times for 6 weeks. The Geriatric Depression Scale(SGDS-K) and Quality of Life(QOL) were used to assess depression and quality of life of the subjects before and after the intervention. Result : The elderly with MCI improved significantly on the SGDS-K and QOL after the intervention program(p<0.05). Particularly, in some items of the QOL, there was a statistically significant difference, but the results of the SGDS-K and QOL did not show any correlation(p>0.05). Conclusion : In the case of the elderly with MCI, the QOL scale and the depressive symptom test were statistically significant when the group occupational therapy program was applied for 6 weeks.

• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.55-64
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• 2019

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to compare the differences in oral health-related quality of life among elderly people aged over 65 years, in terms of physical, mental and oral health status and to analyze factors affecting their oral health-related quality of life. Methods: From May 9 to June 23, 2017, we randomly visited aged-care community centers in the metropolitan area, and recruited 222 elderly, aged 65 or older. First, each participant completed a questionnaire consisting of 4 general items: 1 systematic disease, and 3 subjective oral conditions. Afterwards, the researchers interviewed the participants to assess their mental status, using MMSE-DS and recorded the responses. Finally, an oral examination was performed to determine the number of remaining teeth. The average oral health-related quality of life according to each characteristic was analyzed by t-test and ANOVA. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis and Pearson's correlation coefficient analysis were used to analyze the correlations between factors and the factors affecting oral health-related quality of life. Results: The mean oral health-related quality of life was 4.15. Participants with 20 or more remaining teeth demonstrated better oral health-related quality of life than those with 19 or less teeth. Higher oral health-related quality of life was also found among elderly without gingival bleeding, self-reported halitosis and dry mouth. In addition, positive correlation with the number of remaining teeth and negative correlation with gingival bleeding, self-reported halitosis and dry mouth, were noted. Finally, the results of the hierarchical multiple regression analysis indicated that remaining teeth, gingival bleeding, self-reported halitosis and education were influential factors in determining the oral health-related quality of life among the elderly. Conclusions: The results of this study confirmed the necessity of better policy support, and the importance of implementing delivered, elderly-centered oral health education program by professionals to prevent tooth loss and manage periodontal diseases.

• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.141-150
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• 2023

Objectives: This study aimed to comprehend the characteristics of Korean medicine patterns in relation to varying degrees of cognitive impairment in an elderly population. Methods: The dataset included 127 elderly individuals with cognitive impairment obtained from three Korean medicine hospitals between 2018 and 2021. The participants were categorized into two groups based on Clinical Dementia Rating-Sum of Boxes (CDR-SB) scores: those with questionable impairment (QI) and those with very mild dementia (VMD). A diagnostic framework for Korean medicine patterns encompassing Qi deficiency, Yin deficiency, Phlegm dampness, and Heat-fire was employed. Liver blood markers, including aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and the AST/ALT ratio, were also analyzed. Results: The scores of the cognitive assessment tools (MoCA-K, MMSE-DS, and K-IADL) of the QI group significantly differed from those of the VMD group. CDR-SB exhibited a positive correlation with the scores of each pattern of Qi deficiency, Yin deficiency, Phlegm dampness, and Heat-fire, whereas ALT and AST values displayed negative correlations. Binomial logistic analysis, controlling for potential confounders, such as age, education years, body mass index, the presence of chronic disease, and the presence of medication, verified that the VMD group showed higher pattern scores and lower ALT and AST values than the QI group. Conclusions: Increases in pattern scores along with decreased AST and ALT levels might be indicative of more severe cognitive impairment.

• 한국노년학
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.107-125
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• 2021

The purpose of this study is to verify the effects of gender and exercise participation types on depression and cognitive function in the elderly. The data of 10,059 elderly individuals who participated in survey on the welfare and living conditions of elderly individuals in 2017 were utilized for this study. The SGDS and the MMES-DS were used to measure their level of depression and level of cognitive function. The data were analyzed using the frequency analysis, the reliability analysis, and the two-way ANOVA. The results are as follows: first, the main effects of gender and exercise participation on depression are statistically significant. However, the interaction effect between gender and exercise participation is not significant. Second, the main effect of gender on depression is statistically significant. However, the main effect of exercise frequency on depression and interaction effect between gender and exercise frequency are not significant. Third, the main effects of gender and exercise hours on depression are statistically significant. However, the interaction effect between gender and exercise hours is not significant. Fourth, the main effects of gender and exercise participation on cognitive function are statistically significant. Additionally, the interaction effect between gender and exercise participation is significant. Fifth, the main effects of gender and exercise frequency on cognitive function are statistically significant. However, the interaction effect between gender and exercise frequency is not significant. Lastly, the main effects of gender and exercise hours on cognitive function are statistically significant. Moreover, the interaction effect between gender and exercise hours is significant. In conclusion, participating in exercise has shown to be beneficial for decreasing the level of depression and increasing level of cognitive function in elderly of both genders. An additional discovery made through this research is that women's level of cognitive function improves larger than men's when they participate in exercise.

• Journal of Korea Entertainment Industry Association
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• v.14 no.7
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• pp.599-608
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• 2020

This study aims to investigate the performance and satisfaction of occupational therapists at the Dementia Relief Center for health care of the elderly in local communities, and to provide basic data necessary for role establishment by checking occupational therapists' tasks according to the priority. The subjects of this study were occupational therapists in dementia care centers in the Honam area and Gwangju Metropolitan City, who were surveyed via mail and e-mail. The survey had a total of 54 items covering the general characteristics of the therapists and current state of the centers (n=8), performance and satisfaction with the service areas and task content of the centers (n=45), and tasks that were considered important (one short-answer question). It was found that occupational therapists at the Dementia Relief Center were mainly carrying out the "Dementia Prevention Management Projects", which provided the programs for the patients, and they showed the highest satisfaction. Although the 'MMSE-DS' is occupational therapists' own area with high performance and satisfaction, it was not assigned to the occupational therapists at the Dementia Relief Center, indicating that the role was insufficient. The tasks related "administrative works and strengthening community capacities" showed low performance and satisfaction, but they are essential for the operation of the Dementia Relief Center and the management of the patients, so the plans to increase the occupational therapists' performance should be established. The categories of projects that occupational therapists consider important were also consistent with those they had to perform. It means the occupational therapists at the Dementia Relief Center recognized their unique roles. In this context, to establish the role of occupational therapist at the Dementia Relief Center, it is necessary to amend the operating guidelines based on the performance, satisfaction, and priorities of the projects, and to develop the curriculums and programs that can improve the tasks with insufficient performance and low satisfaction.