• Journal of Korean Biological Nursing Science
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.287-296
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• 2015

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify the influence of physical activity and depression on sleep quality among the young-old and old-old community-dwelling elderly. Methods: Participants were 216 community-dwelling older adults in Korea aged 65 or above. Data were collected using structured questionnaires with face-to-face interviews that included demographic and health-related characteristics, International Physical Activity Questionnaires (IPAQ), the Short Form Geriatric Depression Scale (SGDS) and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). A hierarchical multiple regression was conducted to examine whether physical activity and depression would predict sleep quality under other controlled factors. Results: There were differences in demographic and health-related characteristics, physical activity, and depression by age groups, but not in sleep quality. In the young-old elderly, physical activity (${\beta}=-0.22$, p=.043) and depression (${\beta}=0.31$, p=.002) were significantly associated with sleep quality (F=4.46, p=.001, Adjusted $R^2=.16$). In the old-old elderly, physical activity (${\beta}=-0.29$, p=.001) and depression (${\beta}=0.41$, p<.001) were significantly associated with sleep quality (F=10.79, p<.001, Adjusted $R^2=.29$). Conclusion: These finding highlight physical activity and depression as important contributors to sleep quality in both young-old and old-old elderly.

• Journal of muscle and joint health
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.308-318
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• 2012

Purpose: Diabetes Self Management Behavior (DSMB) is crucial for the elderly with diabetes to prevent diabetes complications and to improve their quality of life. The Purposes of this study were to investigate the current status of DSMB and to identify motivational factors related to DSMB in community dwelling older adults with diabetes. Methods: The subjects were 150 diabetic elderly who visited 2 community senior centers in S city. DSMB scale consisted of 5 sub-domains; Being active, healthy eating, regular medication, glucose monitoring, and foot care rated by a scale with a range of 0 to 7. Personal motivation(i.e., intention to behavior) and social motivation including family support and health professional support were measured. Results: The mean score of DSMB was 4.27. The mean score of intention to behavior was 2.52. DSMB was related to Intention to behavior (r=.461, p<.001), family support (r=.342, p<.001), and health professional support (r=.284, p<.001). In regression analysis, a total of 33.4% of variance in DSMB was accounted for by intention to behavior, family support, and health professional support. Conclusion: To improve DSMB of the elderly, diabetes educator should consider on the strategies across both personal and social motivation related to DSMB.

• International Journal of Advanced Culture Technology
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.72-89
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• 2024

Depression is a common disorder among the elderly, significantly affecting their quality of life. Traditional dance interventions, although beneficial, have limitations in convenience, personalization, and retention. With the advent of digital technology, digital dance interventions have emerged as a potential solution to these limitations. This paper involves an extensive review of literature on digital dance interventions. Research databases were searched for studies that focus on the use of digital dance in treating depression among older adults. The review also includes analyses of the advancements in digital dance technology, its application in therapeutic settings, and the evaluation of its efficacy. The paper identifies three main challenges in the current digital dance intervention research: real-time dynamic assessment, multimodal dance generation, and improving compliance. Despite these challenges, digital dance interventions show promise in addressing the limitations of traditional dance therapy. The research suggests that the integration of human-computer interaction and personalized approaches in digital dance interventions could significantly improve outcomes in elderly patients with depression. Digital dance interventions represent a novel and promising approach to treating depression in older adults. Future research should focus on overcoming the identified challenges and enhancing the effectiveness of these interventions.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.184-191
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• 2011

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to compare health management and leisure activities of the Korean and Japanese elderly. Methods: This study used a cross-sectional descriptive research design. A total of 149 Korean and 140 Japanese older adults living in two urban-rural composite areas participated in this research project. Data were collected using interviews with the participants. t-test and $x^2$ test were used to analyze the data. Results: Eighty eight point two percent of the Japanese perceived that their health status was good whereas 27.3% of the Koreans responded that their health status was poor. There were significant differences in types of leisure activities in art, intellectual, events, and volunteer activities between the two groups. A majority of the Japanese elderly replied that they spent some time and money for leisure activities; however, 20.2% and 27.2% of the Koreans reported that they did not spend time or money at all for leisure activities. Conclusion: The number of the Korean elderly participating leisure activities was significantly lower than Japanese participants. Developing nursing strategies using leisure programs would improve the quality of life of older adults and the quality of nursing care.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.5-12
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• 2003

Influenza virus is a major cause of respiratory infection in the epidemic season. Especially, the elderly with underlying health problems are at increased risk for complications of influenza. The objective of this study was to investigate that influenza vaccination can reduce the hospital admission rate related to the respiratory diseases. This study was a retrospective study of two age groups, who are the healthy children aged 6 months to 9 years (n=237) and the adults aged over 20 years with respiratory disease (n=327). The vaccinated groups were compared to the controls that were matched in sex and age. The children were vaccinated in winter season of 1995-96 and the adults were vaccinated in 1996-97. The efficacy of influenza vaccine was evaluated with the number of outpatient visits in children group, the admission rate and the mean admission days in both children and adult group. As results, there were not significant differences between the vaccinated and the control group of children. In the elderly over 61 years, however, the influenza vaccination can reduce the admission rate $(8.9\%\;vs.\;25.6\%,\;p<0.05)$ and the mean admission days (1.3 vs. 3.8 days, p<0.05) compared to the control. In conclusion, influenza vaccination can effectively reduce the events related to respiratory infection in the elderly than the children. The elderly should be recommended for influenza vaccination.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.48 no.1
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• pp.38-47
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• 2015

Objectives: Controlling blood pressure is a key step in reducing cardiovascular mortality in older adults. Gender differences in patients' attitudes after disease diagnosis and their management of the disease have been identified. However, it is unclear whether gender differences exist in hypertension management among older adults. We hypothesized that gender differences would exist among factors associated with hypertension diagnosis and control among community-dwelling, older adults. Methods: This cross-sectional study analyzed data from 653 Koreans aged ${\geq}60years$ who participated in the Korean Social Life, Health, and Aging Project. Multiple logistic regression was used to compare several variables between undiagnosed and diagnosed hypertension, and between uncontrolled and controlled hypertension. Results: Diabetes was more prevalent in men and women who had uncontrolled hypertension than those with controlled hypertension or undiagnosed hypertension. High body mass index was significantly associated with uncontrolled hypertension only in men. Multiple logistic regression analysis indicated that in women, awareness of one's blood pressure level (odds ratio [OR], 2.86; p=0.003) and the number of blood pressure checkups over the previous year (OR, 1.06; p=0.011) might influence the likelihood of being diagnosed with hypertension. More highly educated women were more likely to have controlled hypertension than non-educated women (OR, 5.23; p=0.013). Conclusions: This study suggests that gender differences exist among factors associated with hypertension diagnosis and control in the study population of community-dwelling, older adults. Education-based health promotion strategies for hypertension control might be more effective in elderly women than in elderly men. Gender-specific approaches may be required to effectively control hypertension among older adults.

• Journal of International Academy of Physical Therapy Research
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.2338-2344
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• 2021

Background: The therapeutic exercise method using kinesiology taping (KT) has been reported to be effective in activating the suprahyoid muscle in healthy adults. However, its applicability and effectiveness are not known to the physically vulnerable elderly. Objectives: To investigate the effects of kinesiology taping on the activity of suprahyoid muscles in community-dwelling elderly people. Design: Repeated measure design. Methods: We enrolled 23 healthy elderly adults (age range 60-75 years) with no history of neurologic disease. Participants performed five consecutive spontaneous swallowing actions at 5-second intervals under three conditions (KT with 80% stretch, placebo-KT, and non-KT. Activation of the suprahyoid muscles during swallowing in the three conditions was measured using surface electromyography (sEMG). In addition, a 0-10 numerical rating self-report scale was used to evaluate the required effort and the resistance felt during swallowing. Results: KT with 80% stretch were significantly higher in sEMG mean value, peak value, required effort, and resistance felt during swallowing compared to other two conditions (P<.05, all). KT with 80% stretch required the most effort during swallowing and, consequently, has a positive effect on increasing suprahyoid muscle activation. Conclusion: Our results could be taken into consideration in therapeutic exercise method for suprahyoid muscle in dysphagia rehabilitation.

• The Korean Journal of Community Living Science
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.221-231
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• 2016

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of participation in adult education on cognitive function, and the mediating effects of relationships with children among older adults. This study employed data from the 2011 Elderly Survey, and a total of 8,668 older adults over 65-years old were used for analysis. Multiple linear regression analyses were used to examine the mediating effect of relationship with children based on the approach proposed by Baron & Kenny (1986). The results showed that participation in adult education increased cognitive function of older adults. Adult education participation also increased satisfaction with relationship with children, and relationship with children was found to have a mediating effect. These findings suggest that there is a need to recognize the importance of the relationship between older adults and children when developing education programs for older adults.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.222-229
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• 2019

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Aging is an imperative problem for many countries in this century, and presents several challenges for the maintenance of good nutritional status. This study aims to assess the impact of socio-demographic factors, lifestyle and health status on the nutritional status among the elderly in Taiwan. SUBJECTS/METHODS: A cross-sectional study was carried out in Taiwan. Data were obtained from the Mei Jau Health Management Institution, which is a private health evaluation provider with multiple health screening centers in Taiwan and Asia. This study included 7947 adults aged 65 years or above. The data were extracted between 2001 to 2010. Nutritional status was assessed using anthropometric data, biochemical data and dietary intake information. RESULTS: Among the 7947 participants with mean age of 70.1 (SD = 4.5) years, 20.2%, 6.6%, 10.5% and 52.5% experienced underweight, protein malnutrition, anemia and inadequate dietary intake in the past month, respectively. Age was negatively correlated with body weight (r = -0.19, P = 0.02), body mass index (r = -0.41, P < 0.001), albumin level (r = -0.93, P < 0.001) and hemoglobin level (r = -0.30, P = 0.008). Age above 70 years, gender, unmarried status, retirement, lack of education, low family income, smoking, alcohol drinking, sleep duration of 6-8 hours, vegetarian diet, multiple medications, comorbidity and dysphagia were positively associated with malnutrition in older adults. CONCLUSIONS: Underweight and inadequate dietary intake are prevalent among the elderly in Taiwan. Vegetarian diet, multiple medications, comorbidity, dysphagia and lifestyle factors such as smoking, alcohol drinking and sleep duration of 6-8 hours are risk factors for undernutrition in older adults.

• 한국노년학
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.895-910
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• 2010

This study examined the mediating effect of social isolation on the life satisfaction among lowincome older adults. The purpose of this study was to find out isolated older adults' social isolation rate and mediating effect of sense of community by community dwelling older adults with loweconomic status. This study used the Gijang Welfare Network study(2009). The sample consisted 256 older adults 65 and older residing in Busan(Gijang). As statistical method, correlation analysis and structural equation model used in this paper. The results of this study suggested some practical implications in reducing social isolation for older adults with low economic status. We need to emphasize social relations and social participations as well as outreach program for high-risk elderly of social isolation. In addition, Findings suggested that community based interventions should be provided to protect older people, especially poor elderly from social isolation.