• The Korean Journal of Community Living Science
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.73-88
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• 2005

As the proportion of the elderly population in rural Korea has increased rapidly, the quality of life of the rural elderly has become a major public and policy concern. In this regards, most of the researches on rural elderly have focused mainly on the 'risk factors or problems' of rural areas, ignoring the 'positive or protective aspects' of rural community on the quality of life of elderly. This study attempts to explore the possible positive influence of rural community on the quality of life of elderly and to examine the linkage among ecological characteristics of the communities, social interaction and quality of life of rural elderly. To achieve this goal, a community case study was conducted in four Korean rural villages. The data were collected using participant observation method and in-depth interviews (person-to-person, group interviews). All the interviews were tape-recorded and transcribed verbatim for the analysis. The data was analyzed using the reflective qualitative analytic technique. The major findings of this study are as follows : All of the four villages have strong community ties and provide contexts which make it possible for older people to share their everyday life with neighbors and to actively participate as a community member. Although the four villages were geographically not far from each other, the pattern of social interaction and the nature of everyday-life of the elderly were nevertheless different depending on the ecological environment of each community, the relationship history among the community members, and the shared experience of historical events in recent Korean history. Elderly men have smaller networks and have less frequent contact with community members than elderly women. The political and practical implications of this study are discussed.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.58-67
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• 2007

For the rapidly growing elderly population, the achievement and maintenance of good nutritional status is critical to health, functioning and quality of life. Elderly women living alone have been identified as a group associated with poor nutrition. The purpose of this study was to assess dietary intakes of elderly women living alone as compared to those of elderly women living with family in a rural area and to examine seasonal variation. The subjects are 49 elderly women living alone and 41 elderly women living with family who reside in Goryeong-gun, Gyeongbuk, and their food intakes were assessed once each time in summer 2005, winter 2005-2006, and spring 2006. The average ages were 74.7 years for living alone and 72.8 years for living with family. Education level was not different between the two groups. Height, weight, body mass index, systolic and diastolic blood pressures, and fasting blood glucose were not significantly different between the two groups. Average intakes of major nutrients, nutrient adequacy ratio, mean adequacy ratio and index of nutritional quality were lower in the elderly women living alone compared with the elderly women living with family in summer, but the differences in intakes of most nutrients became insignificant both in winter and in spring. High carbohydrate and low fat diet was prevalent and intakes of carbohydrate and fat in summer deviated from macronutrient acceptable distribution ranges. Percentages of the subjects who consumed energy less than 75% of the estimated energy requirement and nutrients less than the estimated average requirement were higher than those reported by the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. In summer, the percentage of the subjects who consumed energy less than both 75% of the estimated energy requirement and 4 nutrients less than estimated average requirements was 58.5% of the elderly women living alone, which was higher than 26.5% of the elderly women living with family and that of National Nutrition Survey. Therefore, nutrition policies including nutrition education and support are necessary to improve nutritional status of elderly, especially elderly women living alone and should reflect regional and seasonal characteristics.

• Journal of Agricultural Extension & Community Development
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.223-235
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• 2017

This study aims to identify the factors affecting the depression of elderly women in rural areas, by focusing on social network and sense of community. The questionnaires were conducted from July to September, 2016 by face-to-face interviews with the elderly women using the senior citizen center in rural areas. As a result, 302 questionnaires were collected, and of which 292 cases were utilized for the final analysis. The analysis revealed that socio-demographic characteristics, social network, and community consciousness had a significant effect on depression. The main results are summarized as follows. First, in first model, age, education, subjective health status, and subjective economic status were found to affect depression. Second, in second model, by adding the social network, the explanation power increased, and the social network of friends/neighbors were proven to be an influence on depression. Third, in third model, explanation power increased when sense of community was added, and it was proven that sense of community had an effect on depression. Finally, when the socio-demographic characteristics and the social network were controlled, the sense of community had more influence on the depression than the social network.

• Journal of Korean Society of Rural Planning
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.59-66
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• 2015

The objective of this study was to investigate the perception of walking environment and use of neighborhood facilities of rural female elderly, who are the most susceptible to ambulatory problems. The study showed that parks, senior centers and hospitals were among the most frequently used neighborhood facilities by rural female elderly, while bus stations and senior centers were recognized as the closest facilities. Frequency of use was higher for paid sports facilities rather than parks. Hospitals and health centers were facilities that were desired to be in close proximity. Social support, self-efficacy, and attitude were the factors that affected walking environment. Street trees, accessibility to parks, and street lights were factors that showed a positive relationship with total time of walking activity while perceived crime rate and slopes were perceived as environmental challenges for groups that walked under 150 minutes per week. One factor that negatively affected walking was the lack of sidewalks on streets. Providing parks and walking trails within neighborhood, pleasant walking environments, and safe sidewalks would contribute to improved perception of neighborhood and walking of older rural women.

• Korean Journal of Adult Nursing
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.379-388
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• 2005

Purpose: This study was conducted to explore the degree of depression, perceived health status, chronic disease and quality of life(QOL) among rural elderly and to determine the factors related to their QOL. Method: The design of this study was a correlational study. The subjects were 423 elderly consisted of 157(37.1%) men and 266(62.9%) women dwelling in a rural area of N City. Data were collected from May to December, 2003 using a structured questionnaire. A stepwise multiple regression analysis was performed to identify the factors related to the QOL. Result: It was found that the mean score of QOL was in total with 2.15 out of 5.00 and women elderly's score was significantly lower than men(t=2.20, p=.028). Perceived health status showed statistically significant positive relationship with QOL(r=.608, p<.05), while depression(r=-.751, p<.01) and chronic illness(r=-.336, p<.01) showed statistically significant negative relationship. Depression was found to have the highest correlation with QOL among the subjects. Depression score explained QOL at the most, accounting for 36.8% of the variability, followed by perceived health(8.2%) and the number of chronic illness(.7%). Other factors related to the QOL were economic status and absence of spouse. Conclusion: In order to increase the QOL of rural elderly, it is necessary to decrease the depression, to increase their perceived health status and to decrease the number of chronic illness. We suggest the implementation of a program not only to promote physical health status and self-care ability but to take care of mental health for the rural elderly.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Rural Health Nursing
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.17-29
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• 2015

Purpose: This study was done to examine factors affecting quality of life among community-dwelling elderly women who live in rural areas. Methods: The design of this research was cross-sectional descriptive study. The participants were 92 community-dwelling women aged 65 or older. Data were collected from November 1 to 15, 2013. ADL (Kart's Index), GDS-SF (Geriatric Depression Scale Short Form) and GQOL (Geriatric Quality of Life Scale) were used to measure variables. Data were collected using self-administered questionnaires and analyzed using descriptive statistics, Spearman's coefficient and stepwise multiple regression. Results: The participants' mean age was 77.5, and 85.9% had elementary school graduation or less education, and for 64.1%, their economic status was low. Spearman's rho coefficient analysis found that QOL was significantly associated with depression (r=-.72, p<.001), perceived health (r=.58, p<.001), regular exercise (r=.47, p<.001), education level (r=.29, p=.005), and ADL (r=-.21, p=.043). Multiple regression analysis showed that 65.9% of their QOL was explained by depression (${\beta}=-.72$), perceived health (${\beta}=.24$), ADL (${\beta}=-.16$), exercise (${\beta}=.22$) and number of diseases (${\beta}=.19$). Conclusion: These results indicate that older women who live rural areas need support for ADL, and prevention of depression to improve their quality of life.

• Journal of the East Asian Society of Dietary Life
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.135-142
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• 1996

The purpose of this study was to examine nutritional status of iron in 27 rural elderly subjects. The daily intake, urinary excretion and serum level of iron were determined by 24-hr food collection method, and 24-hr urine and serum collection for 3 days. The results were summarized as follows. 1. The mean age, height, weight, and blood pressure were 67.7 years, 163.2cm, 55.9kg, and 121.1/80. 0mmHg in men and 69.9 years, 146.5cm, 47.6kg, and 108.9/71.1mmHg in women, respectively 2. The daily intake of energy, protein, vitamin A, vitamin B$_1$, vitamin B$_2$, niacin, vitamin C, and iron were lower than Korean recommended dietary allowances. 3. The daily iron intake was 7.82mg. The proportion of heme iron and nonheme iron to the total iron intake were 8.05% and 91.94%, respectively Major iron sources of the rural elderly were cooked rice, Ko Chu Jang, beef blood, anchovy, soybean paste, and leafy radish. 4. The hemoglobin, hematocrit, serum iron, and total iron binding capacity were 14.3g/㎗, 42.9%, 79.4 $\mu\textrm{g}$/㎗, and 268.4 $\mu\textrm{g}$/㎗ in men and 12.9g/㎗, 38.8%,92.4 $\mu\textrm{g}$/㎗, and 277.9$\mu\textrm{g}$/㎗ in women, respectively. 5. There was a significant positive correlation between dietary intake and urinary excretion of iron.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.169-178
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• 2009

Purpose: This study was conducted to find perceived health status, ADL, depression, and life satisfaction among the rural elderly and to explore differences according to gender and the stage of exercise change. Methods: This is an exploratory survey study. The subjects were 365 elders consisting of 140 men (38.4%) and 225 women (61.6%) in a rural area in Korea. Data were collected from December, 2006 to January, 2007 using a structured questionnaire. The data were analyzed by Pearson's correlation, t-test, ANOVA, and Scheffe's test using the SPSS/WIN 10.0. Results: The mean scores of perceived health status and ADL were lower and depression was higher in women than in men. There were statistically significant differences in perceived health status according to the stage of exercise change. Also there were significant differences in the scores of ADL, depression, and life satisfaction according to the stage of exercise change. Conclusion: The tailored exercise seems to decrease depression while promoting physical health status and life satisfaction among the rural elderly. We suggest considering the client's intention and motivation when developing exercise programs.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.62-75
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• 1998

This study was conducted to reveal nutrient intakes and factors affecting the nutritional status of elderly women in a rural area. The data of dietary intakes were obtained using 24hour recall data which were collected from 244 women subjects older than fifty years old. The data from the questionnaire regarding eating habits were obtained through interview. The education level and economic status of the subjects in this study were very low and education level(p<0.001), occupation(p<0.001), marital status(p<0.001), family size(p<0.05) and smoking habit(p<0.05) were significantly different among different age groups. The nutrient intakes of all age groups were not adequate to RDA level-specially, micronutrient intakes were lower in those in their sixties compared to those in their fifties. Important factors associated with variation in nutrient intakes of subjects were beef preference, regular eating habits, and education level. Therefore it is necessary to focus on subjects with low education levels and low income in order to improve the health and nutritional atatus of the elderly in rural areas. It is necessary to prepare a nutritional education program to establish and maintain good eating habits of the elderly in rural areas.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
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• v.17 no.9
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• pp.487-493
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• 2019

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of the Happy Village Convergence Program on the depression, meaning of life and suicidal ideation in rural elderly women. The participants of this study were 25 elderly women aged 65 years or older in G province (12 experimental group and 13 control group). The data collected from January 10, 2019 to March 14, 2019. The experimental group participated in the 10-session program, once a week for 60 minutes. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, ${\chi}^2-test$, and t-test. There were significant differences in depression (t = -2.195, p <.05) and meaning of life (t = 2.757, p <.05) in the experimental group compared to the control group. Therefore, the program was effective in rural women. We propose further study to confirm the usefulness of the program by expanding the gender and area.