• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.2002-2011
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• 2015

This study was performed to determine the levels of physical function (ADL, IADL) and to reveal its association with the related factors in the elderly people. The study subjects were 1,756 (male 872, female 884) people aged over 70 who received medical check-ups and long-term care services between 2009 and 2012 from the National Health Insurance Corporation. As a result, the distribution of impaired ADL and IADL increased significantly with age. Logistic regression showed that the risk ratio of impaired ADL was increased significantly in the following groups: female, urban, low weight, stroke history group, smoking, alcohol drinking, and not regular exercise group. The risk ratio of an impaired IADL were increased significantly in the group of females, low weight, smoking, alcohol drinking. On the other hand the risk ratio of an impaired ADL and IADL was similar in each age group. As above results, the levels of ADL and IADL in the study subjects are closely related to the socio-demographic characteristics and health related behaviors. In particular, they suggested that the levels of ADL and IADL were lower in the poor group of the health-related behaviors, such as smoking, alcohol drinking, and regular exercise.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.43 no.9
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• pp.1431-1438
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• 2014

This study assessed the risk and prevalence of anorexia as well as associated factors among home-dwelling elderly adults. The subjects were 419 elderly men (116) and women (303) aged 65 years and older ($76{\pm}5.6yr$) living in Korea. Data were collected by personal interviews using questionnaires. The collected data were analyzed by descriptive statistics and Pearson's correlation. The prevalence of anorexia was 35.1% among participants. Male elders (74.1%) had higher proportions of anorexia than female elders (20.1%) (P<0.001). Significant differences in the appetite were observed according to type of disease, depression, and activities of daily living (ADL) index. In the poor appetite group, central nervous system diseases were the primary illness in male elders (P<0.01), whereas endocrine diseases were the primary illness in female elders (P<0.01). Elders with good appetites had less symptoms of depression (P<0.001) and greater independence in ADL (P<0.001). These results explored the high prevalence of anorexia in geriatric populations in Korea and its impact on elderly nutritional status and health. Further research should be performed to identify the causes of anorexia and establish an intervention protocol allowing the early diagnosis of anorexia.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.20 no.12
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• pp.314-321
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• 2019

Based on data obtained from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) conducted by Korea Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (KCDC), this study analyzed the relationship between existence of the spouse, number of family members, and disease afflictions of the Korean elderly, and factors affecting their quality of life. The collected data were analyzed by Chi-square test, t-test and One-way Anova, using the SPSS / WIN 25. Our comparative analysis on the health status and quality of life revealed that individuals in the singles group had significantly more diseases than the married group. The singles group considered their health was subjectively poor, whereas the quality of life of the married group was higher. Analyzing the characteristics of chronic disease and activity restriction showed significantly higher prevalence of several diseases in the singles group. Besides, the singles group revealed significantly higher limitations of activity. Taken together, our results reveal a difference in the health status, quality of life, and the presence of chronic diseases in accordance to existence of the spouse, indicating that having a spouse increases the level of health and quality of life of the elderly.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.2674-2683
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• 2015

This study was performed to determine the levels of depression(CES-D) and its related factors among the elderly people affiliated with long-term care insurance services in urban areas. The interviews were performed, during the period from March 1st, to May 31th, 2012, to 388 elderlies. As a result, the levels of depression among all subjects were 21.6% of normal group, and 78.4% of depression group. The distribution of depression according to the grade of long-term care insurance were 83.6% in Grade I, 82.1% in Grade II and 67.0% in Grade III, and the level of distribution were significantly higher according to the higher grade of long-term care insurance. For the results of multiple logistic regression analysis, the odds ratio was increased in older age group, in the poor health status group, and in the group of seldom in activity of hobbies than their counterparts, but it was decreased in the higher monthly income group than lower group. Above results suggested that the depression was significantly related with the variables such as sociodemographic characteristics, economic status, health related factors and health status.

• Korean Journal of Social Welfare
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• v.56 no.4
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• pp.57-78
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• 2004

The economic crisis in $1997{\sim}1998$ caused massive unemployment and unprecedentedly increased the number of the poor in Korea. As many unemployed families fell into poverty, the poverty rate skyrocketed to higher than 10 percent. Not later than 2000, unemployment late got back to normal and real average income among urban households approached to the income level prior to the economic crisis. Although the economic crisis has been passed through, poverty was not decreased to the low level prior to the crisis by 2000. Why does it remain high? This study attempts to provide an answer to this question by analysing the poverty trend over the 1990s. Data come from the National Survey of Household Income and Expenditures 1991, 1996, and 20001. Results show that poverty was rapidly reduced in the first half period of the 1990s. This reduction in poverty is largely explained by steady and rapid economic growth. Modest improvement in income inequality also contributed. In contrast, the poverty rate considerably increased in the latter half of the 1990s. Average income was not fully recovered to its prior level, which reflected the economic crisis and the subsequent economic stagnation. Worsened income inequality led to higher poverty rate too. In addition, demographic changes increased the share of economically vulnerable types of families, such as families headed by single parents and the elderly. The most significant factor in explaining the higher poverty rate was extended income differential among non-elderly adults, while the next was the increased number of the elderly families. Yet, findings a little differ depending on which concepts of poverty to adopt. In the analyses based on the concept of absolute poverty, economic growth the most significantly affected the poverty trends in the 1999s. Changes in income inequality played the most important role in explaining the trend in relative poverty. Adopting the concepts of quasi-absolute poverty, which is preferred in this study, results show that rapid economic growth significantly reduced poverty in the first half of the 1990s and both worsened income inequality and stagnated economic growth increased poverty in the latter 1990s.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.479-487
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• 2020

The purpose of this study is to identify a potential user's need for use and operational of the elderly day care center and to identify the problems and suggest development directions. The data collection was conducted on 320 ordinary people living in J-do through a questionnaire, and sought to understand the operational status of in-depth interview institutions for the heads and employees of six center. As a result of the analysis, a potential user's ware not aware of the functions and specific roles of day care center, the cost of facilities was covered by the government, and that facilities and the environment were important factors when using the center. In-depth interviews show that the current policy or system is far from reality and does not fit the status or role of the workers and the operational status of the agency, requiring the re-establishment of the on-site system. Based on the research results, the development direction of day care facilities requires active promotion and strengthening of family support for improving and enhancing awareness of day care facilities to citizens at the national level. Second, the quality of nursing services should be enhanced through improvements in facilities and the environment that reflect users' needs. Third, The government should improve the quality of nursing services by improving the poor employment conditions and treatment of workers to fit the reality.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.368-379
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• 2022

Background: This study aimed to establish a strategy to improve the poor working environment and working conditions among long-term healthcare workers in Korea. Methods: A total of 600 questionnaires with which long-term health care workers participated in the targeted base areas of each city and province nationwide were distributed directly and 525 responses were collected and 506 responses were analyzed. Surveys, on-site field visits, and in-depth interviews were also conducted to understand the working environment as well as conditions and establish a strategy for improving the working environment among long-term healthcare workers to understand the demands of working conditions and working conditions. Results: Korean long-term care workers firstly and mostly enumerated their risk factors for ill-health when lifting or moving elderly recipients directly by hand (69.9%), followed by increased physical workload with old beds, tools, and facilities (42.3%) in the workplaces, shortage of manpower (32%), and source of infection (30%). To improve the working environment as well as conditions, Korean long-term care workers considered improving low-wage structures, ergonomic improvements to solve excessive physical loads, and increasing various bonus payments as well as implementing the salary system, positive social awareness, and increasing resting time. Of 506 responses, 92.3% replied that the long-term care insurance system for the elderly should be developed to expand publicization at the national level. Conclusion: This study proposes to improve the low-wage structure of Korean long-term care workers, automation and improvement of facilities, equipment, and tools to eliminate excessive physical loads (beneficiary elderly lifting), and reduction of night labor.

• 한국노년학
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.959-976
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• 2019

The purpose of this study was to understand socio-demographic factors related to older adults' participation patterns in lifelong education. For the purpose, this study used the raw data of 2017 Survey of the Living Conditions of the Elderly (SLCE) conducted by The Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs. From the data of 10,073 older adults, their lifelong education participation, participating program types, participating organizations, and participating frequency were analyzed by their sex, age, educational level, household income, the longest job status, and health status. This study found that female, age of 70-74 and 75-79, educational levels of high school and higher, the longest job status of regular employees and unpaid family workers, and decent health status of older adults more participated in lifelong education. According to lifelong education program types, significant differences were found between education groups of middle school/lower and groups of high school/higher and between 1, 2 quintile income groups and 3, 4, 5 quintile income groups. In relation to the participating organizations, groups of 70 years and older, middle school and higher education level, under 3 quintile income, and poor health tended to participate in lifelong education at the elderly welfare center, senior citizens, and elderly classrooms. In terms of participation frequency, high school and college/higher than 0 year of school education, and regular workers than unpaid family workers were more frequently participated in lifelong education. This study showed the inequality in lifelong education participation according to older adults' demographic characteristics; finally, this study suggested necessary policies and academic discussions for future older adults' lifelong education.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.18 no.9
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• pp.203-215
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• 2017

Delirium is an acute confused state associated with poor outcomes among hospitalized long-term care hospital elderly patients. This study was conducted to examine the effects of acomfort promotion program based on Kolcaba's comfort theory for prevention of delirium among elderly patients who have been hospitalized in long-term care hospitals. The study used was a quasi-experimental type, with two groups of patients; those who received their usual care plus comfort nursing intervention (n=34) and those who only received usual care methods. Using the IBMSPSS/PC (Version 21), the homogeneity of the control and intervention group wereevaluated by the chi-squared test and an independent t-test, and all collected data wereanalyzed. Hypotheses were tested by independent t-tests and repeated measures of ANOVA. Delirium occurred at a rate of 2.9% (1/34) in the intervention group and 14% (5/34) -in the control group ($x^2=3.98$, p=0.047). The severity of the delirium in theintervention group was lower than that of the control (t=2.27, p=.027). The duration of delirium was 2days in the intervention group and 2-10days in the control group, indicating delirium in the intervention group lasted for a significantly shorter period ($x^2=3.22$, p=0.048). According to the change of time, the intervention group showed improvement in all areas including comfort scores (F=108.85, p<0.001), anxiety scores (F=63.39, p<0.001), depression scores (F=89.78, p<0.001), quality of sleep scores (F=63.63, p<0.001), and pain scores (F=93.64, p<0.001). In conclusion, elderly patients who were admitted to nursing homes were advised to participate in nursing intervention,which effectivelyprevented delirium based on the Kolcaba's comfort theory of physical, psychological, spiritual, social, cultural and environmental approaches to prevent delirium. Therefore, it is necessary to extend the program for prevention of delirium in the physical, psychological, spiritual, social, cultural, and environmental contexts to prevent delirium in geriatric hospitalized elderly patients.

• Clinics in Shoulder and Elbow
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.75-78
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• 2000

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to review primary traumatic anterior shoulder dislocation in the 40 years and older to determine the incidence of recurrence, rotator cuff injury and associated fractures. Materials and Methods: From May, 1991 to October, 1998, seventeen patients were available to participate in the study. The average age was 55 years(range, 40 to 75 years). Follow-up averaged 27 months(range, 12 to 48 months). There were 12 men and 5 women. 10 right and 7 left shoulders were involved. Any participant with a history of shoulder pain and limitation of motion was excluded from the study. Each shoulder was evaluated with UCLA shoulder functional assessment. Results: The overall results were excellent in 9 patients(52.9%), good in 3 patients(17 .6%), fair in 3 patients(17.6%), and poor in 2 patients(11.7%). Surgical treatment of the associated rotator cuff and greater tuberosity fracture injuries resulted in 5 patients with excellent(55.6%), 3 patients with good(33.3%) and I patient with poor(11.1 %) and Nonsurgical treatment of the associated injuries resulted in 2 patients with excellent(33.3%), 3 patients with fair(50%), 1 patient with poor(16.7%)(P=0.025). Conclusion : Our findings on small number of patients suggest that the diagnosis of a rotator cuff and other pathologies should be approached aggressively by an MRI, CT arthrogram if significant pain and weakness are still present and early surgical repair of rotator cuff and greater tuberosity can lead to restoration of shoulder function and better outcomes in selected patients.