• 농촌지도와개발
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• 제10권2호
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• pp.153-166
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• 2003

The objective of this study is to explore the situations and extension roles for rural elderly welfare program in North Dakota, USA. With a growing older population, aging has become an important issue for extension. Services for rural elderly available in North Dakota were adult day care, home health care, senior insurance counseling, nutrition and medication assistance programs, support groups, legal assistance, meals on wheels, nursing homes and more. With a growing older population, aging has become an important issue for extension. Extension provides programs and services for rural elderly. This study was conducted by literature review. First, many rural elderly Americans are actively engaged in volunteer work and have made substantial contributions to their communities. Second, extension educators from interdisciplinary areas should work together to develop programs. Extension programs can include intergenerational programs to help younger generations learn about the issue. Third, extension can collaborate with other agencies and groups to offer support groups. Offering educational programs is a key to empowering older people. Fourth, elderly residents may be the only increasing natural resource for volunteering in general, and for participation in community improvement in particular. Fifth, extension educators should be proactive in working with agencies to provide social access and in helping older people be actively engaged in their lives, especially in rural areas.

• Annals of Geriatric Medicine and Research
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• 제20권3호
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• pp.149-159
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• 2016

Background: Since the mid-20th century, the ways in which social networks and older adults' health are related have been widely studied. However, few studies investigate the relationship between self-rated health and position in a complete social network of one entire Korean rural village. This study highlights use of a complete network in health studies. Methods: Using the Korean Social Life and Health Project, the population-based data of adults aged 60 or older and their spouses in one myeon in Ganghwa island (Ganghwa-gun, Incheon, Korea), Incheon, Korea (with a 95% response rate), this study built a $1,012{\times}1,012$ complete social network matrix of the village. The data were collected from 2011 to 2012, and 731 older adults were analyzed. The ordered logistic models to predict self-rated health allowed us to examine social factors from socio-demographic to individual community activities, ego-centered network characteristics, and positions in a complete network. Results: From the network data, 5 network components were identified. Even after controlling for all other factors, if a respondent belonged to a segregated component, the probability that he or she reported good health dropped substantially. Additionally, high in-degree centrality was connected to greater self-rated health. Conclusion: This finding highlights the importance of social position not only from the respondents' point of view but also from the entire village's perspective. Even if a respondent maintained a large social network, when all of those social ties belonged to a segregated group in the village, the respondent's health suffered from this segregation.

• 지역사회간호학회지
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• 제18권2호
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• pp.223-231
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• 2007

Purpose: This study was to compare differences in and correlation among depression. sleep and fatigue between younger and older elders. Method: A total of 370 subjects aged between 65 and 88 were selected through convenient sampling. Data were collected using a self report questionnaire from March to December, 2005. Results: Younger elders showed lower levels of depression and fatigue than older ones. The level of sleep satisfaction was higher in older elders than in younger ones. In both groups, fatigue was positively correlated to depression, and depression and fatigue were negatively correlated to sleep satisfaction. In addition, fatigue was affected by depression, the number of persons in household and sleep satisfaction. Conclusion: Older elders showed more serious health problems than younger ones. It is necessary to develop comprehensive intervention programs in order to promote healthy lifestyle for older elders.

• 한국전문물리치료학회지
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• 제26권3호
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• pp.106-114
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• 2019

Background: It is difficult to assess whether community-dwelling frail older adults may remain pre-frail status or improve into a robust state without being directly checked by health care professionals. The health information perceived by older adults is considered to be one of best sources of potential concerns in older adult population. An online measurement system combined with item response theory (IRT) and computer adaptive testing (CAT) methods is likely to become a realistic approach to remotely monitor physical activity status of frail older adults. Objects: This article suggests an approach to provide a precise and efficient means of measuring physical activity levels of community-dwelling frail older adults. Methods: Article reviews were reviewed and summarized. Results: In comparison to the classical test theory (CTT), the IRT method is empirically aimed to focus on the psychometric properties of individual test items in lieu of the test as a whole. These properties allow creating a large item pool that can capture the broad range of physical activity levels. The CAT method administers test items by an algorithm that select items matched to the physical activity levels of the older adults. Conclusion: An online measurement system combined with these two methods would allow adequate physical activity measurement that may be useful to remotely monitor the activity level of community-dwelling frail older adults.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• 제42권1호
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• pp.35-41
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• 2009

Objectives : The changing population age structure and rapidly increasing medical costs make providing high-quality, effective medical care for the elderly a challenge. This study assessed the satisfaction with medical care in terms of comprehensiveness, general satisfaction, and accessibility among community-dwelling Korean elders. Methods : Data were obtained from a nationwide representative sample of the older adults(aged 65 years old or older) living in the community, who participated in a 2006 telephone survey conducted using random digit dialing(n=881). General satisfaction, comprehensiveness and accessibility were measured using a 10-item satisfaction survey questionnaire. Descriptive analysis was used to assess the distribution of each of three components of subjective satisfaction. Analysis of covariance(ANCOVA) was used to examine the association of each of the three components with socioeconomic variables. Results : Comprehensiveness and general satisfaction were low among older people with a high socioeconomic status. Accessibility was evaluated as low among older people of low socioeconomic status, those living in rural areas and those who were medical aid beneficiaries. Conclusions : Urgent interventions should be considered in order to improve accessibility to medical care for elders of low socioeconomic status and those living in rural communities. Given the rapid aging of the population, we need to develop a monitoring system to improve the quality of geriatric care.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제15권6호
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• pp.2473-2476
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• 2014

Background: Little is known about the cancer screening prevalence and correlates in older adults from different racial backgrounds. In the context of heightened efforts for prevention and early diagnosis, we collected information on screening for two major types of cancers: cervical and breast cancer in order to establish their prevalence estimates and correlates among older South African women who participated in the Study of Global Ageing and Adults Health (SAGE) in 2008. Materials and Methods: We conducted a national population-based cross-sectional study with a multi-stage stratified cluster sample of 3,840 individuals aged 50 years or older in South Africa in 2008. In this analysis, we only considered the female subsample of (n=2202). The measures used included socio-demographic characteristics, health variables, anthropometric and blood pressure measurements. Multivariable regression analysis was performed to assess the association of socio-demographic factors, health variables and cancer screening. Results: Overall, regarding cervical cancer screening, 24.3% ever had a Papanicolaou (PAP) smear test, and regarding breast cancer screening, 15.5% ever had a mammography. In multivariate logistic regression analysis, younger age, higher education, being from the White or Coloured population group, urban residence, greater wealth, and suffering from two or more chronic conditions were associated with cervical cancer screening, and higher education, being from the White or Indian/Asian population group, greater wealth, having a health insurance, and suffering from two or more chronic condtions were associated with breast cancer screening. Conclusions: Cancer screening coverage remains low among elderly women in South Africa in spite of the national guideline recommendations for regular screening in order to reduce the risk of dying from these cancers if not detected early. There is a need to improve accessibility and affordability of early cervical and breast cancer screening for all women to ensure effective prevention and management of cervical and breast cancer.

• 한국화재소방학회논문지
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• 제19권1호
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• pp.29-45
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• 2005

우리나라는 2000년에 65세 이상의 노인인구가 전체 인구의 $7.2\%$를 차지하여 고령화사회가 되었고, 2019년에는 2배인 $14.4\%$에 달하여 고령사회가 될 것으로 예상하고 있다. 고령자는 신체기능의 저하 등에 의해 재해발생 시에 정확하고 신속한 판단과 행동을 하지 못할 가능성이 높으므로 고령화가 진전될수록 화재 등 각종 재해로 인한 고령자의 인명피해가 증가할 것이다. 고령자의 화재 등 재해로 인한 희생을 줄이기 위해서 고령자 등 재해약자관련 소방방재대책 추진, 화재로 인한 인명피해 최소화대책 추진, 농촌지역 소방력 보강 및 소방서비스확대, 소방방재 정보제공 및 홍보기능의 강화, 새로운 연계활동 발굴(우편집배원 및 사회복지사의 119요원화), 소방공무원 보강 및 장비의 경량화 등의 정책을 제언한다.

• 한국안전학회지
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• 제37권6호
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• pp.102-107
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• 2022

South Korea will soon be a super-aged society, as more than 20.6% of its population will be 65 years and older by 2025. As of 2022, 17.5% of the total population in South Korea is 65 years and older, which exceeds the set threshold for an aged society, where more than 14% of the population is 65 years and older. The proportion of older subway construction workers has increased. Aging workers and their work stress negatively impact their workability. A previous study demonstrated that the stress index measured using the uBioMacpa measurement device (Macpa stress index) had a significant correlation with work stress in South Korea. The device tests vascular health and measures stress levels via Macpa signal analysis. In this study, the pulse waves of subway construction workers were measured using uBioMacpa to identify their stress levels. The stress levels were analyzed by age, years of service, job position, employment type, and work type. Herein, these statistics could not be easily represented by a normal distribution; therefore, the Kruskal-Wallis test, a nonparametric statistical method, was used for the analysis of data. The results showed that age, job position, employment type, and working type affected the Macpa stress index and the stress levels of workers increased with age. In terms of job position, technical engineers were more stressed than other workers because of their poor working environment. In terms of employment type, daily-wage workers were more stressed than other workers. In terms of working type, tunneling, waterproofing, and construction scored the highest Macpa stress indexes without any significant difference, whereas earthworks scored the lowest. Based on the analysis of Macpa stress index, safety and health management plans were proposed to reduce the stress levels of workers. Moreover, a manual for efficient stress management must be developed for subway construction workers.

• Annals of Geriatric Medicine and Research
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• 제22권4호
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• pp.167-175
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• 2018

Sarcopenia, a common clinical syndrome in older adults, is defined as decreased muscle mass, strength, and physical performance. Since sarcopenia is associated with the incidence of functional decline, falls, and even mortality in older adults, researchers and health care providers have been keen to accumulate clinical evidence to advocate the screening and prevention of sarcopenia progression in older adults. The factors that may accelerate the loss of muscle mass and function include chronic diseases, inactivity, and deficiency in appropriate nutritional support. Among these, nutritional support is considered an initial step to delay the progression of muscle wasting and improve physical performance in community-dwelling older adults. However, a nationwide study suggested that most Korean older adults do not consume sufficient dietary protein to maintain their muscle mass. Furthermore, considering age-associated anabolic resistance to dietary protein, higher protein intake should be emphasized in older adults than in younger people. To develop a dietary protein recommendation for older adults in Korea, we reviewed the relevant literature, including interventional studies from Korea. From these, we recommend that older adults consume at least 1.2 g of protein per kg of body weight per day (g/kg/day) to delay the progression of muscle wasting. The amount we recommend (1.2 g/kg/day) is 31.4% higher than the previously suggested recommended daily allowance (i.e., 0.91 g/kg/day) for the general population of Korea. Also, evidence to date suggests that the combination of exercise and nutritional support may enhance the beneficial effects of protein intake in older adults in Korea. We found that the current studies are insufficient to build population-based guidelines for older adults, and we call for further researches in Korea.

• 지역사회간호학회지
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• 제22권4호
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• pp.429-437
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• 2011

Purpose: The purposes of this study were to describe the prevalence of low weight and to investigate related factors contributing to low weight in community-dwelling older adults. Methods: From the database of the Fourth Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES-IV), the researchers selected 2,964 older adults aged over 65. The original study was a population-based epidemiological survey of health and nutrition with a stratified multistage clustered probability design. Data were analyzed using ${\chi}^2$-test and multiple logistic regression with the SPSS/WIN 18.0 program. Results: The prevalence of low weight in older adults was 4.7%. The prevalence of low weight was different according to demographic characteristics. That is, the rate was higher in male elders, older ones, and rural residents. In the cases of current smoking, frequent alcohol consumption and no chronic disease, the prevalence of low weight was higher. Age, gender, area of residence, and current smoking were found to be contributing factors to low weight in community-dwelling older adults. Conclusion: The result of this study provides important insights into possible reasons for low weight in community- dwelling older adults and suggests that low weight should be considered in promoting older adults' health.