• The Journal of the Convergence on Culture Technology
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.443-448
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• 2023

Over the past five years, the number of patients with sleep disorders has increased by about 250,000 from 840,000 in 2017 to 1.09 million in 2021. In addition, sleep disorder is a factor that causes dementia risk factors, and furthermore, the population with sleep disorder is a very important policy issue in terms of stable health insurance financial management in the future in terms of national health management in the super-aging trend. Therefore, this study aims to establish an efficient treatment environment in medical institutions responsible for the current status of polysomnography and effective reimbursement policies for the recently increasing population with sleep disorders, and appropriate sleep management policies for future sleep disorders through correct implementation. We are trying to find out the actual condition and improvement plan through interviews with related organizations and experts.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Oral Health
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.159-166
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• 2018

Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the association between masticatory ability, oral health-related quality of life, and cognitive function in an elderly population using structural equation modeling. Methods: A total of 308 subjects, aged 65 years and over, were recruited from the senior citizen center in Daegu, South Korea and provided consent for inclusion in the study. The Korean version of the Mini-Mental State Examination (K-MMSE) was used to assess the level of cognitive function. Masticatory ability was evaluated through chewing tests, patient-perceived masticatory function and, measurement of relative occlusal forces on molar teeth using the T-Scan $III^{(R)}$ system. All data were analyzed using ${\chi}^2$ tests, t-tests, and one-way ANOVA in SPSS version 23.0 for windows. Structural equation modeling was performed using SPSS AMOS version 22.0. Results: There was a significant association between cognitive function and molar teeth occlusal force. Ability of food chewing score and patient-perceived masticatory function could affect oral health-related quality of life (P>0.05). Higher occlusal forces on molar teeth, compared to anterior teeth, positively correlated with higher cognitive function. Conclusions: These results suggest that an individual's oral health condition could affect molar teeth occlusal forces and may be related to a risk of developing dementia. Therefore, there is a need for implementing nation-wide policies to improve oral health, such as masticatory function, in the elderly population.

• 한국노년학
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.831-848
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• 2011

The purpose of this study is to analyse the family caregivers' stress pathways by types of long term care services for the elderly, and then to discuss the findings of analysis. For this research, primary caregivers that provide care the elderly requiring long term care services sanctioned by National Health Insurance Corporation were drawn and surveyed. Among collected data, data for 258 primary caregivers by type of long term care services were used for this study. The results of this study can be summarized as follows. First, on average, the elders that utilize care service in institutions for the elderly were higher proportion of women, older, higher rate of bereavement, more children than the elders that utilize in-home care service, but some cases were vice-versa. Second, the elders that utilize care service in institutions more ADL dependency, higher proportion of severe dementia or severe stroke, higher care rank by National Health Insurance Corporation than the elders that utilize in-home care service on average. Third, primary caregivers with elders that utilize in-home care service were higher proportion of women, older, lower education level, higher rate of spouse and daughter-in-law in relationship with care recipient, less health, lower income than primary caregivers with elders that utilize care service in institutions. Fourth, subjective indicators representing caregivers' reactions to caregiving for the elderly significantly impact on caregivers' stress(ie, depression), and pathway of caregivers' stress are differentiated by type of long term care services. Fifth, stressors that have direct impacts on depression as caregiving family are differentiated by type of long term care services. Therefore, policies or programs to reduce negative mental health or stress of caregivig families should be designed differently by reflecting pathway of various stressors and stress by use types of long term care services for the elderly.