• Journal of Families and Better Life
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• v.19 no.5
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• pp.147-166
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• 2001

The Purpose of this study was 1) to analyse the attitudes about Elderly Assisted Living (EAL) among urban Korean 2) to consider the policy implications for elderly communal housing. The research methods used were 1) social survey research with questionnaire to find attitudes and preferences about EAL among potential elderly client in Seoul, Korea 2) interpretative suggestion for appropriate policy implications to facilitate developing EAL in urban Korea. A questionnaire was used to find attitudes/preferences about EAL was adapted from the results of the review about communal housing in the UK. The survey was undertaken from September to October, 2000 in Seoul, Korea. Data was collected from 413 subjects and analysed using various statistical techniques. From the results, location should be differentiated into urban type and suburban type. The urban type would prefer around 5 stories multi-family house style with elevator and suburban type would prefer single detached house style with shared garde. The most preferred characteristics found by factor analysis were factor I named as communal facilities and environment(the items belong to factor I was neighbour environment, communal spaces and facilities, heating system, and elevator). The most important advantages of EAL were social activities and convenience. The most salient disadvantages of EAL were difficulty of family contact. The higher the occupational status and income, the lower the preference for the characteristics of EAL with a preference for finding appropriate living arrangements in present housing market. But the higher the educational level, the higher the degree of preference for the characteristics of EAL.

• Korean Institute of Interior Design Journal
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• v.18 no.6
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• pp.3-11
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• 2009

The ratio of old persons among the total population is rapidly increasing and the apartment has become to the representative housing type in Korea. This means that many old persons would live in multi-family houses. Therefore the study was intended to examine the preferred characteristics of interior space organization in multi-family house by the aged. The characteristics were the number and usage of bedroom, necessity and type of dress room, type of living room, arrangement of work centers in kitchen, LDK type, the number and layout of bathroom, and type of entrance and balcony. The subjects were 122 old persons who lived in multi-family houses in Ulsan. The individual interview was carried out for collecting the data. The results were as the followings; The characteristics of interior space organization in multi-family houses preferred by the elderly were three bedroom, two bathroom, DK or LDK type, open planned living room, L shape arrangement of kitchen work center, entrance connected directly to outdoor space such as elevator hall or corridor, and the balcony located in front of living room and at the back of small bedroom. Even thouth the average age of population has increased, many apartments still be planned and provided without consideration of old persons. This study would contribute to plan the multi-family houses for the elderly.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.9 no.5
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• pp.615-628
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• 2004

This study is designed to examine influences of living arrangements on psycho-social factors, health and nutritional status, dietary adequacy and meal service utility patterns of the elderly. Nutritional status was evaluated by Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA). Three hundred and nine elderly (110 men and 199 women) who participated in meal service in the Chung-buk province were investigated. Proportion of the elderly living alone, couples only, living with spouse and family, living with family without spouse; and living with other than family were 30.7%, 25.9%, 14.2%, 24.3% and 4.9% respectively. The mean age of the elderly was 74.1 years and the elderly who are living couples only and living with spouse and family were younger than those with other living status. Living arrangements seem to be related to psycho-social factors, health and nutritional status, and dietary quality. Those who live alone and live with other than family were mostly women and they have lower socio-economic status, psycho-social, health and nutritional status and dietary patterns compared with those of the elderly who are living with spouse or family. It was found that the elderly who live a couple only and live with spouse and family had better emotional, health and nutritional index than those of the elderly who live with family without spouse, especially in case of females. Most of elderly perceived that participation of meal service programs had a positive effect on their daily life and satisfied with meals. The elderly living alone and living with other than family were more frequently using meal service but had a negative attitude about the charged meal service for better quality than the elderly with other living status. The most important reason for all the elderly to participate in meal service was to meet their friends and then to get other services. Particularly those who are living alone and living with other than family showed lack of moivation to prepare and set the meal, and for them the economic reason is also important. They also replied that the poor health and lack of other help were the most difficult problems for them to prepare meals. It would be effective to provide nutritional services that meet specific needs of the elderly according to their characteristics and living environment.

• Korean Institute of Interior Design Journal
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.21-29
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• 2014

This study analyzed some of nursing homes in various domestic and foreign regions in order to find solutions to reduce suicidal incidents from the loneliness. To analyze community space of nursing homes, elderly community is analyzed into three categories based on their characteristics (morphological characteristics, Social characteristics, Environmental characteristics). With those three characteristics above, architectural spaces are analyzed the relation with them. Elderly nursing homes are divided with living, nursing, management, and public spaces. The space of elderly nursing homes (classification of function)-elderly community (classification of elderly characteristics) is approached in an architectural way related to the space of elderly nursing homes and elderly characteristics. Through some case studies, specific space relation of elderly nursing homes and elderly community is analyzed. Also, with the building analysis for summary, plans, wards(hospital rooms), cafeteria, program rooms and alley, some of general information and elderly community space is understood. In this study, there will be an analysis of relation of elderly community(morphological, social, environmental characteristics) which is separated into some spaces of elderly nursing homes(living, nursing, public spaces and facilities) written above. Furthermore, if people can recognize the importance of community space for elderly facilities, there will be a new guide line for that which can have a play on catalyst.

• Journal of the Korean housing association
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• v.25 no.6
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• pp.123-132
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• 2014

Proportion of senior population living alone in South Korea has exceeded over 20.2% in 2012, and it is anticipated that the proportion would increase every year. Poverty rate of seniors living alone in Korea is also anticipated to increase the highest rate (76.6%) among OECD countries. In particular, seniors lacking family support are having greater difficulty and isolated due to high housing costs and housing instability. Therefore, they need a new housing alternatives for considering their economical difficulty and lacking family and social support. This study attempted to examine possibility to develop a new housing alternatives for Korean seniors, especially living urban area. For this purpose, this study identified the attitudes and preference for a new house alternatives(Senior Shared House) by Korean seniors living alone. The key findings of this study were as follows: 1) Eighty-five percent of seniors participated in this study responded the senior shared house was needed. 2) It should be developed by utilizing or renovating and renting out existing housing in city areas. 3) Pre-residence checklist can be developed to connect and match prospect residents. 4) Professional workforce (e.g. housing welfare professional) is absolutely necessary to perform the role of coordinator understanding the various characteristics of the seniors, and their living requirements. Recommendations and directions for future development of senior shared house were suggested.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.293-299
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• 2001

The characteristics of vivax malaria epidemics along the demilitarized Bone (DMZ) in the Republic of Korea has been established by the early surveillance data. To further characterize the epidemic, data of civilian patients microscopically diagnosed with malaria from 1995 through 2000 were analyzed in Yonchon-gun (county) . Malaria incidence was greater in male civilians > 30 years of age (p < 0.05). The annual parasite index was significantly higher in those living in the administrative areas (Myeon) traversed by DMZ than those living in Myons not traversed by DMZ (p < 0.05). Analysis according to the distance (4 to 14 km) from DMZ showed that people living in villages close to DMZ had higher annual parasite indices than those living in villages remote from DMZ (p for trend < 0.05). Civilians living in Myeons with plains and located in northwestern part of the county had higher annual parasite indices than those living in hilly Myeons located in southeastern part of the county (p for trend f 0.05). These findings suggest that the contraction of vivax malaria is related with night-time outdoor activities, and that the distance from DMZ is a risk factor. In this area, the flying distance of infected vector mosquitos can explain the annually repeating occurrence of civilian cases.

• Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.41-53
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• 2013

Objectives: As the size of elderly population living alone grows, socioeconomic diversity has also increased. This study examined if social risk factors of poor self-rated health were distinguishable between the low income elderly and their non-low income counterparts both living alone. Methods: The '2006 Elderly Health Interview Survey' conducted by D-gu in Seoul was utilized. We divided the elderly living alone into two groups depending on their economic status: low income and non-low income. Employing logistic regression, we analyzed the associations of poor self-rated health with socio-demographic factors, health-related factors, social support, the relations with children, social activities, welfare service use, and the perception of neighborhood safety. Results: Proportion of rating one's own health being poor was different between two populations. Social support was important for the self-rated health of the non-low income elderly, while welfare service use, the perception of neighborhood safety, and the relations with children were noticeable for the low income elderly. Conclusions: To better understand the health need of elderly population living alone, their heterogeneity in socioeconomic characteristics should be taken into account.

• Korean Institute of Interior Design Journal
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.274-282
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• 2013

This study aims to investigate planning characteristics of common and living space in the dormitory buildings on campus in Chungcheong province. A document research method was used to analyze and classified into floor-plan, zoning and area. Also site visits were conducted at 8 dormitory buildings of 4 universities, and drawings were collected and compared for this research. The results of this study were as follows; 1)Most floor plans of public spaces had corridor types and integrated public space types. The typical floorplan of living space was 2person-1bedroom and apartment type which shared livingroom, bathroom, restroom and shower between bedrooms. The living space type of dormitory buildings was more complex and growth in size. Unit community combined 2-4person per 1bedroom in floor plan can help student with identity and affiliated formation. 2)The types of the spatial composition in public spaces were devided into three zones; study, living and administrative zones such as seminar room, public bathroom and storage, etc. This results shows that various types of public space for the improvement of community of small group has recently become more important than basic sanitary space in public space of dormitory buildings on campus.

• Journal of Families and Better Life
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• v.32 no.5
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• pp.207-219
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• 2014

The purpose of this study was to examine the characteristics of suicide attempts and non-attempts of the elderly living alone and the subjects in this study were 690 elderly persons living alone in Seoul and Gyeonggi Province. For data analysis, this study used descriptive analysis, mean comparison correlation analysis, and binominal logistic regression analysis using PASW 20.0. To explain the suicide attempts of elderly persons who live alone, variables such as sex, age education level, monthly household income, religion, subjective economic status, subjective health status, ADL/IADL, depression, hopelessness, social support, and stress were used. The findings of the study were as follows: First, 9.2 percent(64) of the elderly living alone had attempted suicide and 90.8 percent(626) had never attempted suicide. Second, monthly household income, hopelessness, and social support were identified as the factors that affected their suicide attempts. In other words, the elderly living alone who had lower monthly household income, less social support, and greater feelings of hoprlessness had made more suicide attempts. As it is a cross-sectional research using data from non-probability sampling, this has a limitation in generality sampling, this has a limitation in generalizing the study results. To overcome this limitation, longitudinal research using data from probability sampling is necessary.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.145-154
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• 2017

Objectives: This study used data of urban and rural elderly living alone to compare the general characteristics of the elderly who have had suicidal ideation, and to investigate the suicidal ideation of urban-rural elderly with varying degrees of emotional support status, health status, and health behavior. Methods and materials: The research participants included 2,750 elderly aged 65 or above, of which 1,487 were from dong unit and 1,263 were from eup myeon units according to the raw data of 2011 Survey on Elderly Status. All collected data were analyzed using cross tabulation of SPSSWIN(ver 21.0) program and multivariate logistic regression. Results: The results were as follows. First, the factors that influenced the suicidal ideation of urban and rural elderly living alone included degree of depression, experience of abuse, and nutritional management status. Second, the suicidal ideation of urban elderly living alone was affected by the emotional support of their children who live apart and their grandchildren. Third, the suicidal ideation of rural elderly living alone was affected by the emotional support of their kin (including siblings).