• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.50 no.6
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• pp.799-812
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• 2020

Purpose: This study aimed to construct and test a predictive model that explains and predicts the quality of life in older men living alone. Methods: A self-report questionnaire was used to collect data from 334 older adult men living along aged 65 years or over living in Jeollanam-do provinces. The endogenous variables were depression, self-rated health, instrumental activity of daily life, health promotion behaviors, the number of social participation activities and quality of life. Data were analyzed using the SPSS 21.0 and AMOS 21.0 programs. Results: The final model with 14 of the 8 analysed paths showed a good fit to the empirical data: χ2 = 173.26(p < .001, df = 53), normed χ2 = 3.27, GFI = .92, NFI = .90, CFI = .93, TLI = .89, RMSEA = .08 and SRMR = .06. Activities had direct effect on quality of life of older men living alone and social support had both direct and indirect effects. Meanwhile, function and socioeconomic status showed only indirect effects. The variables included in the eight significant paths explained 83.7% of variance in the prediction model. Conclusion: Instrumental activities of daily living and social support effect directly on quality of life in the older men living alone. Findings suggest that health care providers including community nurses need to provide social support as well as empowerment programs of instrumental activities of daily living and health promotion for improving quality of life of the older men living alone.

• 한국노년학
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.551-567
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• 2018

Demographic and socio-structural information is useful to identify potential welfare recipients who are in need of disease-prevention and intervention services. Thus, the present study aims to explore the differences in grip strength among middle and old-aged adults by living conditions and by living area. The 5th wave data of Korean Longitudinal Study of Aging was utilized. The dependent variable was grip strength, and the independent variables were living alone (living alone or not) and living area (city or non-city). Covariates were age, education, log-transformed household income, spouse existence, body mass index, self-rated health conditions, depressive symptoms, cognitive function, smoking, regular exercise, frequency of meeting with friends, and the number of social participation. Regression analysis was performed for middle-aged men, middle-aged women, old-aged men, and old-aged women, respectively. ANOVA and Chi-test were additionally used to specifically discuss significant results. Cross-sectional weight was applied to all analyses. According to the results, living alone and living area did not have significant effects on grip strength among middle-aged men, old-aged men, and old-aged women. In middle-aged women, however, living alone and living area were significantly associated with grip strength. To be specific, middle-aged women who lived alone in rural areas had the lowest grip strength compared to other middle-aged women. Additional analysis showed that middle-aged women who lived alone in rural areas had risk factors, such as low education level, low income, or high depressive symptoms. It implies that middle-aged women living alone in rural areas may have physical health risks, so they might be in need of disease prevention. This study is meaningful in that it can provide reliable information on the latent welfare recipients by using representative panel data and applying weight values.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Fundamentals of Nursing
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.333-344
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• 2009

Purpose: This study was done to identify differences in health habits, perceived stress, depression, and suicidal thinking by gender for elderly people who are living alone and elderly people who are living with others. Method: The study participants were 4,051 people aged 65 years and over who were surveyed in the Third Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey in 2005. The relationship among outcomes and living arrangement by gender in elders was assessed using multiple logistic regression while controlling for sociodemographic characteristics. Results: Older men living alone were less likely to have breakfast and more likely to perceive stress and think of suicide than older men living with family or others. On the other hand, older women who live alone were less likely to perceive stress than older women who live with others. Age, educational level, income, and number of diseases were significantly associated with each individual outcome. Conclusion: This study showed that living alone has a significant impact on physical health habits and psychological health of elderly people, especially for older men. Therefore, living arrangement should be considered in developing a health promotion program for elders as well as age, gender, education, and income.

• Journal of Korean Medical classics
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.111-126
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• 2013

Objective : This study was designed in order to support the standpoint that dementia will be treated better by remedy for heart rather than for brain, liver and kidney in Korean Medicine. Methods : We investigated which of five viscera make dementia from original texts about it. Then, 15 aged men living alone in Yeongdong-gun, Chungcheongbuk-do were treated for dementia by herb remedies, acupuncture and moxa. After it, we verified through method, for example, SMMSE-DS, CDT, and etc. Results : We had results that the main viscera causing dementia is heart, and heart is related with gall bladder, spleen, and kidney according to philological method. Clinical testing in this viewpoint showed satisfactory effects on the diseases. Conclusion : From the results, we proved it could be a new way of remedy for dementia that main the viscera causing dementia is heart in Korean Medicine.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.54 no.6
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• pp.395-403
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• 2021

Objectives: Previous studies have shown that participation in social activities (SA) can prevent cognitive decline (CD) and that living arrangements (LA) can affect cognitive function. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of SA and LA on CD, as well as their interactions, using longitudinal data. Methods: Data were used from the 2006-2018 Korean Longitudinal Study for Aging, which followed 10 254 adults older than 45 years over a 12-year period. CD was defined as a ≥4-point score decrease in the Mini-Mental Status Exam over 2 years. We developed an extended Cox proportional hazards model for time-dependent covariates to estimate the hazard ratio (HR) of CD in 4 groups: (1) socially active and living with others, (2) socially active and living alone, (3) socially inactive and living with others (SILO), and (4) socially inactive and living alone (SILA). The model was stratified by gender and adjusted for important confounders. Results: The HR of CD was significantly higher in the SILO group in men (HR,1.36; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.08 to 1.78) and in the SILA group in women (HR, 1.72; 95% CI, 1.08 to 2.75). However, the interaction term for gender was not significant. Conclusions: Among socially inactive elderly adults, the HR of CD was elevated in men who lived with others and in women who lived alone, although the interaction term for gender was not significant. Socially inactive men who live with others and socially inactive women who live alone are particularly encouraged to participate in SA to prevent CD.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.309-320
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• 2019

Objectives: This study was undertaken to compare dietary life of the elderly living alone and in a family, and to compare differences based on gender, for the 2013-2016 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES). Methods: The subjects included 2,612 elderly people aged over 65 years who participated in the health survey, health examination and nutrition survey. Subjects on a diet therapy were excluded. This study analyzed the general characteristics, dietary habits, daily energy and nutrient intakes, CPF ratio, estimated average requirement (EAR), nutrient adequacy ratio (NAR) and mean adequacy ratio (MAR), index of nutrient quality (INQ), and food consumption of the elderly living alone and in a family. We also compared the differences based on gender. Results: Daily intake of food, water, dietary fiber, potassium, retinol, and riboflavin were low in the male elderly subjects living alone. The elderly living with family revealed higher NAR and MAR as compared to the elderly living alone. Although all MAR values were <1, the elderly living alone had lower values. Considering the intake of food, the consumption of seaweed, fish and shellfish, and oils (animal) was higher in elderly men living with families, whereas women living with families consumed more vegetables, fruits, seaweeds and seafood, as compared to their counterparts living alone. Furthermore, analyzing the foods consumed by the elderly people living alone, female subjects consumed more seaweed, milk and animal oil as compared to male subjects. Conclusions: The results of this study indicate that the elderly living alone have poor nutrient intake as compared to the elderly living with families. Based on this research data, we recommend that it is necessary to improve the health and nutritional status of the elderly living alone.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.316-329
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• 2023

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: This study investigated the association between dietary quality based on the Korean Healthy Eating Index (KHEI), and the prevalence of chronic conditions among middle-aged individuals (40-60 yrs of age) living alone. MATERIALS/METHODS: The participants were selected (1,517 men and 2,596 women) from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) 2016-2018 and classified into single-person households (SPH) and multi-person households (MPH). Nutrient intake, KHEI, and the prevalence of chronic conditions were compared according to household size. The odds ratios (ORs) of chronic conditions were analyzed according to the tertile levels of KHEI by gender within each household size category. RESULTS: Men in SPH had a significantly lower total KHEI score (P < 0.0001) and a lower prevalence of obesity (OR, 0.576) than those in MPH. For men, the adjusted ORs for obesity, hypertension, and hypertriglyceridemia in the first tertile (T1) of KHEI scores within SPH compared with the third tertile (T3) were 4.625, 3.790, and 4.333, respectively. Moreover, the adjusted OR for hypertriglyceridemia in the T1 group compared to the T3 group within the MPH was 1.556. For women, the adjusted ORs for obesity and hypertriglyceridemia in T1 compared to T3 within the SPH were 3.223 and 7.134, respectively, and 1.573 and 1.373 for obesity and hypertension, respectively, within MPH. CONCLUSIONS: A healthy eating index was associated with a reduced risk of chronic conditions in middle-aged adults. Greater adherence to a healthy eating index could lower the risk of chronic conditions in middle-aged adults living alone.

• The Korean Journal of Food & Health Convergence
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.7-13
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• 2022

The purpose of this study was to compare the nutrient intake of elderly according to their cohabitation status and determine its effects on the prevalence of anemia. Data from the KNHANES were used for this study, including raw data on socioeconomic characteristics, nutrient intake, health status, and clinical laboratory findings. Study subjects aged 60 to 80 years were retrieved and analyzed. As a result, the prevalence of anemia was 12.0% (men, 11.6%; women, 12.3%). The prevalence rate increased with age, and odds ratio [OR] of anemia among those aged 75 to 80 years was 4.16 times higher in men (OR=4.16, 95% confidence interval [CI]=2.48-6.97) and 2.77 times higher in women (OR=2.77, 95% CI=1.86-4.14) compared to 60~64 years old. Socioeconomic factors (area of residence, education level, household income), including cohabitation Status (living alone VS living with other family members), and health behaviors (high-risk drinking, smoking, aerobic exercise) did not significantly effect on anemia. In addition, other than protein intake for men, nutrient intake did not have a significant effect on the prevalence rate of anemia. Hypertension, diabetes, and cancer significantly increased the risk of anemia. In Korea, the influencing factors of elderly anemia change over time, so periodic follow-up studies are needed.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.319-326
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• 2016

Purpose: The aim of this study is to identify factors affecting elders' intention to participate in healthcare programs. Methods: This secondary data analysis used data of 390 elderly people who lived alone and were enrolled in the Visiting Health Care Center of H-city. In 2014, questionnaires were used to collect data about demographics, social activity, depression, frailty, and intention to participate in healthcare programs. The data were analyzed by descriptive statistics and multivariate logistic regressions. Results: Among the participants, 51.8% intended to participate in the offered healthcare programs. The strongest factor affecting the intention was gender. Women were 4.85 times more likely to participate in the programs than men. The women's intention was associated positively with increased levels of frailty. The men tended to participate in the program as they got older and as the level of frailty and the number of chronic diseases increased. Conclusion: Gender-specific public healthcare programs for vulnerable elders living alone should be developed to maximize their participation in the programs and to promote good health. The healthcare programs must be tailored to the levels of the patients' physical functions.

• Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.105-111
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• 2003

Balanced intake of appropriate nutrients is the key to sustaining and promoting health as well as preventing and treating diseases. It is not always easy, however, to take balanced nutrition and various related factors must be taken into consideration. This report provides a summary of studies that have examined the nutrient intakes of Japanese middle-aged men and the relationship of this intake to drinking, job-related separation from families, and health practices. The alcohol consumption of Japanese middle-aged men has more than tripled in the last forty years. When nutrient intake was examined in relation to alcohol consumption, it was discovered that the maximum acceptable alcohol consumption was approximately 23 grams (about two drinks) of pure alcohol, provided the level of nutrient intake for drinkers was equal to that of non-drinkers. The alcohol energy ratio was approximately 5％. It was also discovered that middle-aged men's eating habits deteriorate when they relocate to new posts without their families and live by themselves. Compared to those living with their families, a higher proportion of those living alone have unfavorable eating habits including skipping breakfast or lunch, having a late lunch, and eating and drinking after dinner until bedtime. When Breslow's seven health practices, nutrient intake, and consumption weight by food group were examined, it was discovered that the group that had many beneficial eating and living habits consumed plenty of legume, pulses, fruit, green yellow vegetables and milk products. Their intake of vitamins and minerals was high and the results of a physical examination proved to be excellent. According to nutrition surveys conducted in Japan, China, the United Kingdom and the United States using a 24-hour recall method with common protocols and strict controls to ensure high levels of accuracy and cross-study validity, the Japanese had the highest cholesterol intake and the lowest dietary fiber intake among the four countries. Also, the alcohol energy ratio of the Japanese exceeded 8％, the highest among the four countries, while their intake of magnesium and iron was the lowest These results indicate that it is necessary to enhance nutritional education for middle-aged men and to reinforce the social environments in which they live and work in order to promote proper diet and nutrition in Japan. (J Community Nutrition 5(2) : 105-111, 2003)