• 한국노년학
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.1645-1663
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• 2009

The purpose of the study is to analyze the mediating effects of self-image on the relationship between experience of discrimination and self-esteem among the elderly in Korea. Furthermore, it is to explore whether these effects are moderated by social and economic activity participation. Data were collected from a cross-sectional survey of 543 community-dwelling Korean older adults (age≥65) drawn from community and senior centers in the mid-size city in Korea. The statistical analysis was performed by a structural equation modeling using LISREL statistical program. The results are fourfold. First, experiences of discrimination exerted the negative effects on physical, dispositional, and competent self-images of the elderly. Second, dispositional and competent self-image brought down by discriminative experiences lowered the levels of self-esteem. Third, social activity participation moderated the negative effects of discrimination experiences on physical and dispositional self-images. It also moderated the effects of dispositional self-image on self-esteem. Fourth, economic activity participation did not show moderating effects on the relationship between experience of discrimination and self-images. Meanwhile, it moderated the effect of competent self-image on self-esteem. These results demonstrate that to improve self-esteem of the elderly population, social welfare policies should make effort to reduce discrimination toward the elderly. Furthermore, social welfare organizations should also try to implement diverse community based programs geared for enhancing social and economic activities for elderly. Limitations and directions for future research are also discussed.

• 한국노년학
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.195-213
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• 2009

The purpose of this study is to analyse how consumption value affects the loyalty of green product through satisfaction and trust among elderly consumers. Data were collected from a cross-sectional survey of 314 older adults (age≥60) in the U. S., who bought and possessed a hybrid car, a representative green product. The statistical methodology is employed a structural equation model. The results demonstrated several important findings. First, perceived social value among elderly population had significant effects on green product satisfaction, while hedonic value did not. Second, both perceived functional value and environment friendly value had a significant positive effect on trust in green products. Third, satisfaction with green products also led to trust in green products. Finally, trust in green products showed their significant effects on loyalty in green product. These results provide practical implications to improve the trust and loyalty in green products among the elderly consumers. Furthermore, by deriving major components of consumption values in green products among the elderly, and analyzing the mechanism of satisfaction, trust, and loyalty, the study emphasizes relationship marketing in implementing "green" marketing strategies.

• 한국노년학
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.1327-1340
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• 2009

The purposes of the study were (1) to identify the level of successful aging of older people living in a city, (2) to identify associated factors with successful aging, and (3) to identify a risk group for successful aging using classification and regression trees (CART) analysis. One hundred eighty seven older people (>65years) participated in the cross-sectional survey. Trained interviewers collected data with a structured questionnaire on demographic information, Korean geriatric depression score, activity of daily living(ADL), instrumental activity of daily living(IADL), and Young's successful aging instrument in subject's home. A CART analysis split subjects into ten homogeneous small groups based on five determinant factors. Older people who are male, with higher education, living with family, and not receiving Medicaid showed better scores in successful aging than their counter parts. Depression was a strong primary determinant for successful aging. A risk group for successful aging of older people was identified by depression and IADL. An intervention to prevent and manage depression and to improve physical function of older people can be developed to promote successful aging of older people. It is suggested to consider an assessment of depression to develop the policies for older people welfare.

• 한국노년학
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.789-803
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• 2009

We investigated the influences of positive thought about social capital on social participation of the elderly Koreans. The study design was cross-sectional analysis of the National Statistic Office Study of Korean Society Statistics Survey 2003. Participants were total of 8,586 representative samples. Two types of social participation were investigated: meeting attendance and volunteer obligations. The base model included five thoughts about social capital that must be settled as a priority in Korea, i.e., reducing the differences between the rich and the poor, reducing the crime rate, reducing regulations and corruption, improving the moral level, eliminating environmental pollution. Social participation was influenced by positive thoughts about social capital, and different kinds of thoughts had different influences on different types of social participation. The elderly who responded positively to 'reducing the differences between the rich and the poor' attended all two types of social participation more. Along with education and health status, positive thought about social capital is another important factor that influences increased social participation. It may also compensate for deteriorating health with increasing age by promoting social participation. Encouraging social participation is a good way to improve the health of the elderly, as are efforts to change thought about social capital positively.

• 한국노년학
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.97-109
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• 2011

The purpose of this work is to examine how work stressors are related to the burnout among staff in long-term care facilities for the elderly. This study offers some responses to a growing stress and burnout for the long-term care workers. The demand for long-term care workers is set to rise in light of an increasing share of older people and dependent elderly. Long-term care workers provide long-term care services to persons with a reduced degree of functional, physical or cognitive capacity. Cross-sectional survey data were collected from 216 staff in long-term care facilities. The standardised Maslach Burnout Inventory(MBI) was used to assess levels of burnout in long-term care workers. The MBI consists of 22 items using a 5-point Likert scale, measuring three sub-scales of burnout; Emotional exhaustion, Depersonalization, and Personal accomplishment. Data were analyzed using regression. This study is empirically tested the degree of association between burnout and its antecedents. The majority of differences in burnout could be explained by work stressors such as client relationship, job overload, job role conflict, and conflicts with clients' family. The study also identified workers' perceptions of their image in society and emotional support as predictors of burnout. Therefore long-term care facilities are encouraged to review their practices so that workers well-being is supported. The study findings suggest attention for organizational oriented initiatives to cope with burnout.

• 한국노년학
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.393-408
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• 2007

This study examines the impact of retirement on psychological well-being of the elderly and identifies whether associative factors of psychological well-being differ between retired and non-retired persons. Psychological well-being is measured by the PGCMS developed by Lawton. The sample includes 1,625 older adults aged 60 and over, which derived from the cross-sectional data of the "Aging and the Quality of Life of the Elderly in Korea: A Longitudinal Study" living in Seoul and Chuncheon in 2003. Multivariate OLS regression results show that retirement is not associated with psychological well-being after controlling socio-demographic characteristics, economic status, health status, family and social relations, participation in social activities, and satisfaction with hobbies and learning needs. Also, associative factors of psychological well-being differ between retired and non-retired persons. For retired persons, greater social activities and higher satisfaction with hobbies are associated with the higher level of psychological well-being whereas higher satisfaction with learning needs has a positive relationship with the higher level of psychological well-being for non-retired persons. Discussion and implications of the findings are presented, and limitations of this study are acknowledged.

• 한국노년학
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.871-884
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• 2011

Standard Long-term care(LTC) Utilization Plan is a kind of care plan, which aims to help beneficiaries and their family choose services to meet their care needs. The objective of this study is to determine the relationships among family caregivers' perceived quality, overall satisfaction and utilization in Standard LTC Utilization Plan. Data were gathered from family caregivers with beneficiaries who have used community service in long-term care insurance system. A national cross-sectional descriptive survey was conducted in December 2008, using proportionate quota sampling. Finally, 351 family caregivers completed questionnaires which included demographic characteristics, perceived quality(9 items), overall satisfaction(1 item) and utilization(2 items). Path analysis was conducted to find a causal relationship. This study shows firstly, the quality of Standard LTC Utilization Plan was categorized into three dimensions, that is, assessment of care needs, recommended care plan, and management of monthly benefits. Secondly, reliability and validity of quality items were satisfied. Finally, in the effect of perceived quality and satisfaction for utilization, assessment of care needs(indirect effect, path coefficients=0.077) and overall satisfaction(total effect, path coefficients=0.324) were statistically significant. The findings of this study would be helpful in developing the strategies, which is needed to improve the role of Standard LTC Utilization Plan.

• 한국노년학
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.169-188
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• 2019

In this study, the author utilizes longitudinal data of the recent 12 years to verify whether the absolute versus relative income of old age has a significant effect on their life satisfaction of life. The findings of this study show that there is a significant difference in life satisfaction of old age according to respondents' relative income of three reference groups based on their asset quintile and residental area and education. In the correlation analysis using the cross-sectional data, the absolute and relative income level was closely related to the life satisfaction. In the panel regression analysis using the 12 years longitudinal data from the Korea National Labour Panel dataset, the income level of counterparts in those reference groups appeared highly significant in determining the level of life satisfaction of the elderly. However, some demographic variables such as age and marital status did not have a statistically significant effect in the long-term perspective. The income of reference groups in terms of asset levels, education and region as well as their own past life satisfaction level had a significant effect on the elders' life satisfaction determination. These results suggest that the relative income hypothesis in terms of life satisfaction among the elderly is more valid than the previous absolute income hypothesis.

• Korean Journal of Exercise Nutrition
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.65-71
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• 2012

Oxygen is the final acceptor of electron transport from fat and carbohydrate oxidation, which is the rate-limiting factor for cellular ATP production. Under altitude hypoxia condition, energy reliance on anaerobic glycolysis increases to compensate for the shortfall caused by reduced fatty acid oxidation [1]. Therefore, training at altitude is expected to strongly influence the human metabolic system, and has the potential to be designed as a non-pharmacological or recreational intervention regimen for correcting diabetes or related metabolic problems. However, most people cannot accommodate high altitude exposure above 4500 M due to acute mountain sickness (AMS) and insulin resistance corresponding to a increased levels of the stress hormones cortisol and catecholamine [2]. Thus, less stringent conditions were evaluated to determine whether glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity could be improved by moderate altitude exposure (below 4000 M). In 2003, we and another group in Austria reported that short-term moderate altitude exposure plus endurance-related physical activity significantly improves glucose tolerance (not fasting glucose) in humans [3,4], which is associated with the improvement in the whole-body insulin sensitivity [5]. With daily hiking at an altitude of approximately 4000 M, glucose tolerance can still be improved but fasting glucose was slightly elevated. Individuals vary widely in their response to altitude challenge. In particular, the improvement in glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity by prolonged altitude hiking activity is not apparent in those individuals with low baseline DHEA-S concentration [6]. In addition, hematopoietic adaptation against altitude hypoxia can also be impaired in individuals with low DHEA-S. In short-lived mammals like rodents, the DHEA-S level is barely detectable since their adrenal cortex does not appear to produce this steroid [7]. In this model, exercise training recovery under prolonged hypoxia exposure (14-15% oxygen, 8 h per day for 6 weeks) can still improve insulin sensitivity, secondary to an effective suppression of adiposity [8]. Genetically obese rats exhibit hyperinsulinemia (sign of insulin resistance) with up-regulated baseline levels of AMP-activated protein kinase and AS160 phosphorylation in skeletal muscle compared to lean rats. After prolonged hypoxia training, this abnormality can be reversed concomitant with an approximately 50% increase in GLUT4 protein expression. Additionally, prolonged moderate hypoxia training results in decreased diffusion distance of muscle fiber (reduced cross-sectional area) without affecting muscle weight. In humans, moderate hypoxia increases postprandial blood distribution towards skeletal muscle during a training recovery. This physiological response plays a role in the redistribution of fuel storage among important energy storage sites and may explain its potent effect on changing body composition. Conclusion: Prolonged moderate altitude hypoxia (rangingfrom 1700 to 2400 M), but not acute high attitude hypoxia (above 4000 M), can effectively improve insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance for humans and antagonizes the obese phenotype in animals with a genetic defect. In humans, the magnitude of the improvementvaries widely and correlates with baseline plasma DHEA-S levels. Compared to training at sea-level, training at altitude effectively decreases fat mass in parallel with increased muscle mass. This change may be associated with increased perfusion of insulin and fuel towards skeletal muscle that favors muscle competing postprandial fuel in circulation against adipose tissues.

• 한국체육학회지인문사회과학편
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• v.57 no.2
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• pp.509-518
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• 2018

The purpose of this study was to examine the association between resting heart rate (RHR) and the prevalence of colorectal cancer in Korean adults. A cross sectional analysis was performed using the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2005 to 2014). Total number of subjects were 10,564 adults aged over 19 years. The results showed that individuals in the highest quartile of RHR had a significantly higher prevalence of colorectal cancer (Odds ratio (OR) 2.27, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.34-3.85 to OR 3.00, 95%CI: 1.30-6.92) compared to those in the lowest quartile. Futhermore, every 10 beat per minutes (bpm) increase in RHR was associated with 27% (95%CI: 1.03-1.58) increased prevalence of colorectal cancer. In addition, after stratification by age and gender, the result showed that older people (>65 years) in the highest quartile of RHR had a significantly higher prevalence of colorectal cancer compared to those who were in the lowest quartile of RHR. (male OR 3.19, 95%CI: 1.10-9.24 to OR 3.38, 95%CI: 1.18-9.73; female OR 2.90, 95%CI: 1.13-7.42 to OR 5.59, 95%CI: 1.20-25.99). In this study, we examined the feasibility of RHR as a predictive factor of colorectal cancer prevalence. Moreover, we found that RHR was closely related to the prevalence of colorectal cancer in the age of over 65 years.