• Journal of Family Resource Management and Policy Review
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• 제27권3호
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• pp.21-37
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• 2023

This study examines the living conditions and life satisfaction of single-person households according to their life cycle. The survey was conducted from August to October 2022, and respondents were single-person households from Kimpo, South Korea. The respondents were categorized to three groups namely, young, middle-aged, and older adults by life cycle, and items regarding their sociodemographic background, personal life, family relations, and life satisfaction were included in the analysis. Descriptive statistics, Chi-square analysis, analysis of variance, and multiple regression analysis were performed. The key findings were as follows. First, significant differences were found according to life cycle in the respondents' diet, clothing, housing, financial and home management, self-care, and leisure life. Second, the variables that significantly affected the level of life satisfaction of single-person households were the life cycle with young adults showing a higher level of satisfaction; having a family member to care; living alone voluntarily, discrimination experience; community awareness; and ties with the local community. Based on the results, it is clear that single-person households have different needs and problems in each stage of life cycle. Thus, to reflect the different experiences and needs of single-person households by life cycle, tailored policy and programs should be provided for young, middle-aged, and older adult single-person households.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• 제35권1호
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• pp.1-7
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• 2023

Purpose: This study sought to investigate the perceptions and service needs of tele-physical therapy among people in their 50s and older in Korea. Methods: Subjects were inducted during a 14-day survey of 104 people over the age of 50 in Korea and were administered a questionnaire consisting of 14 questions about their general characteristics and another 14 questions about tele-physical therapy. Results: The general characteristics of the participants (participants' gender, whether they were single or married, number of cohabiting families, final education, major, job, physical therapy experience, tele-physical therapy experience, presence of a physical therapy worker among relatives, subjective health awareness, chronic disease conditions if any, frequency of drinking, and smoking) were investigated. Among the perceptions of the subjects about tele-physical therapy, the score of 'awareness' was the lowest, and that of 'resolving restrictions on hospital visits' was the highest. In an analysis of the correlation between perceptions and needs, there was a significant correlation with factors other than 'awareness' and 'information protection' factors. The regression analysis of necessity and factors revealed that the awareness of necessity increased as the intention to use, health improvement, and time efficiency improved. Conclusion: These findings presented the perception and necessity of tele-physical therapy for adults in their 50s or older in Korea. These results will help confirm the demand for tele-physical therapy in this age group in Korea and the need to improve the available physical therapy services.

• 한국노년학
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• 제40권1호
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• pp.73-89
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• 2020

This study validates an abridged version of the age integration scale by Chung et al. (2015), which constitutes sub-dimensions of age flexibility and age heterogeneity-from Riley et al. (1994)-and observes disparities in the perception of age integration among different socio-cultural characteristics. This study analyzed 1,433 people in the "Age Integration and Generation Integration Survey" data, with the support of the Social Science Competency Enhancement Project (SSK) (supported by the Korea Research Foundation). This paper analyzed the data using exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, multiple-group factor analysis, and a compare means test. The results are as follows. First, the scale was abridged to 13 items from 28, of which eight items concern age heterogeneity and five concern age flexibility. Second, the multi-group analysis did not show a significant difference among younger, middle, and older age groups, therefore allowing the scale to be used among all age groups. Third, when sociocultural characteristics were observed, younger adults showed differences in their levels of age integration, age heterogeneity, and age flexibility regarding their residential area. Middle-aged adults showed dif f erences in their levels of age integration, age heterogeneity, and age flexibility regarding their residential area and social status. Older adults showed differences in their level of age integration regarding their residential area, education level, and social status. They also showed differences in the level of age flexibility regarding their residential area and social status and differences in the level of age heterogeneity regarding their residential area and education. Based on the results of the study, political and practical measures to promote perception on age integration in the future were suggested.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• 제17권9호
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• pp.396-405
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• 2017

Main purpose of this study is to analyze determinants of household debt among middle and old individuals aged between 32 and 76 that include Korean baby-boomers(born between 1955 and 1963), using a HAPC (Hierarchical Age-Period-Cohort) model and Korean Welfare Panel Study 2006-2016. This study includes 86,056 individuals. Research findings indicate that aging and period effects have statistically significant relationships with household debt levels, however, cohort effects including a baby-boomer generation do not. While household debt increases by 3,530,000 Korean won as age increases by one year, the rate of increase in household debt reduces as individual ages. In addition, employment and health status at the individual level have significant effects on household debt levels. The unemployed are more likely than the employed to have high household debt levels while unhealthy people tend than healthy people to have high household debt levels.

• Korean Journal of Social Welfare Studies
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• 제48권2호
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• pp.121-141
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• 2017

The objective of this study was to investigate the influence age-friendly environment factors on different age groups' life satisfaction. Data were taken from "2014 Survey on the Aged Society", with total of 1,000 participants divided into three groups: 300 youth participants from age 20 to 44, 300 middle aged participants from age 45 to 64, and older adults participants from age 65 and more. Performing ANOVA and multiple regression analysis showed that age-friendly environment factors had positive correlations with life satisfaction, regardless of the participants'age. However, the sub-dimensions of age-friendly environment that affected each age group was different. Among three sub-dimensions of age-friendly environment, which were housing factor, social participation factor, and community and health service factor, only housing factor affected life satisfaction of the youth group, while both community and health service factor, and housing factor affected life satisfaction of the middle-aged and the elderly groups. The result clearly presents that age-friendly environment factors are not only beneficial for older people but for people at all ages. Therefore, various measures need to be taken in order to increase the age-friendliness of communities, and improve the quality of life.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• 제54권6호
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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 Adult Nursing
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• 제29권2호
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• pp.109-118
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• 2017

Purpose: To identify the risk factors for suicidal ideation across the life cycle among Korean adults using data from 2015 Korean Psycho-social Anxiety Survey. Methods: The data were statistically analyzed using hierarchical logistic regression analysis. Results: The factors associated with suicidal ideation among the young adult group were education level (odds ratio [OR] 1.62, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.05~2.49), self-esteem (OR 1.19, 95% CI 1.12~1.27), stress (OR 3.26, 95% CI 2.07~5.15), anger control problems (OR 3.58, 95% CI 2.34~5.50), and depression (OR 2.59, 95% CI 1.66~4.04) whereas among the middle-aged adults the factors were education level (OR 1.58, 95% CI 1.12~2.23), existence of a spouse (OR 2.55, 95% CI 1.72~3.78), self-esteem (OR 1.13, 95% CI 1.08~1.18), stress (OR 2.46, 95% CI 1.81~3.33), anger control problems (OR 1.70, 95% CI 1.22~2.36), and depression (OR 2.64, 95% CI 1.91~3.64). Among the older adult group the findings were the existence of a spouse (OR 2.16, 95% CI 1.37~3.39), self-esteem (OR 1.22, 95% CI 1.13~1.32), stress (OR 2.21, 95% CI 1.38~3.54), anxiety (OR 2.42, 95% CI 1.46~4.02), and depression (OR 2.48, 95% CI 1.30~4.72). Conclusion: The findings suggest that there may be a need for different suicide intervention programs to decrease suicidal ideation across the life cycle.

• 한국노년학
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• 제40권4호
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• pp.729-746
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• 2020

For the development and better use of information and communication technology(ICT) for promoting health and quality of life in older people, it is important to understand personal factors associated with ICT use. The aims of this study were to describe the pattern of ICT use according to health characteristics of elderly and to investigate significant factors related to ICT use among three age groups. The data of 2017 National Survey of Older Koreans was used for analysis and 10,058 of older adults aged 65 and over were included for study participants. As results, first, the young old(65~74) used more functions of ICT than the middle-old(75~84) and the old-old(85 and over). Second, ICT was more used among older people with good conditions in chronic disease, subjective health, cognition, depression, vision, hearing, walking and IADL. Third, higher prevalence of ICT use was significantly associated with age, education, household income, subjective health, depression, cognitive function, vision limitation and walking limitation. Fourth, factors influencing the use of ICT were a little different among three age groups. For the young-old(65~74), subjective health, depression, cognitive decline, walking limitation, and IADL disability were significant factors affecting on ICT use. For the middle-old(75-84), subjective health, depression, cognitive decline, vision, hearing, and walking limitation were related with their ICT use. For the old-old(85 and over), only cognitive function and depression were associated with their ICT use. Based on these results, this study suggested the need to consider multiple health conditions for developing and using ICT for older adults.

• Korean Journal of Adult Nursing
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• 제19권4호
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• pp.656-669
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• 2007

Purpose: The purposes of this article were to analyze curricula of gerontological nurse practitioner(GNP) programs in the United States, to compare the curricula with Korean GNP programs, and to provide suggestions for better GNP programs in Korea. Methods: Top GNP programs in the United States were identified from the US NEWS and 12 universities were included in the analyses. Class distribution, credit hours, and clinical hours were analyzed and suggestions for Korean GNP programs were made. Results: Average credit hours for class lectures in the US GNP programs were 47 and emphases on physiology, pharmacology, physical assessment, and disease management were identified. Most US GNP programs(75%) provided health concerns for both middle aged and older adults. Not all US GNP programs included 'theory' or 'the introduction to GNP' classes, while these are required classes in the Korean GNP program. The mean clinical hours in the US GNP Programs were 537 which are much higher than those in the Korean GNP program. Conclusion: Based on the analyses, we can conclude that Korean GNP programs are lacking in many ways. Further evaluation and curricula modifications are required to settle down the program better and to have the graduates prepared more as internationally competent nurse practitioners.

• Journal of Korean Ophthalmic Optics Society
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• 제17권4호
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• pp.449-455
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• 2012

Purpose: This study was found the risk factors of cataract by gender in elder and older Korean adults. Methods: We investigated the data for 5,024 (men 2,163 people, women 2,861 people) people, aged 40-95 years, from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. We divided into two groups (group 1: 40-64 years, group 2: 65-94 years). We divided into two groups (group 1: 40-64 years, group 2: 65-94 years). Cataract was decided in case of at least one eye with lens opacity. We presented significant odds ratio (OR) increase of cataract according to the obesity and socioeconomic information including house income and education level after adjusting for diabetes, hypertension, high triglyceride, outside active, smoking and drinking habits in two groups with distinction of sex. Results: House income (or education) was strongly related to the prevalence of agerelated cataract in all groups. In models adjusting for all other related factors, cataract patients with lower income and education had a higher prevalence of cataract (group1: OR, 1.84[1.17-2.91], OR, 3.00[1.90-4.74], group 2: OR, 3.47[2.53-4.74], OR, 7.44[5.41-10.23] for men. In comparison, for women, cataract patients with lower income, lower education and obesity had a higher prevalence of cataract (group1: OR, 1.72[1.14-2.60], OR, 4.48[2.72-7.38], OR, 1.40[1.10-1.82], group 2: OR, 2.32[1.70-3.16], OR, 29.99[20.31-44.28], OR, 1.27[1.04-1.54]). Conclusions: Factors of low socioeconomic status were associated with age-related cataract in Korean. Obesity-cataract association was stronger in women.