• International Journal of Human Ecology
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.77-93
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• 2011

This study investigates the association between chronic health conditions (CHD) and depression with a focus on the mediating effect of financial strain. We tested if age makes any difference in the effect of CHD and financial strain on depression. The data comes from the 2006 Korea Longitudinal Study of Aging (KLoSA) collected by the Institute of Korean Labor Research. The sample consisted of information from 8,961 individuals ages 45-79. Separate analyses were done for middle-age (45-64) and older-adult groups (65-79). There were significant financial portfolio differences among CHD patients and non-CHD, for both age groups, that may constitute the impact of a health event on financial wellbeing; in addition, the associations of CHD on depressive symptoms were different by age groups. The mediating effect of financial wellbeing on the association between CHD and depressive symptoms was verified; in addition, the role of financial wellbeing on the association was especially strong for the older-adult group. The effect of CHD on depression was contingent on the amount of net assets and annual personal income. Implications are discussed based on the findings.

• 한국노년학
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.527-546
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• 2021

This study examined the effect of past acceptance on suicidal ideation in older adults and verified double mediation effects of attitude to aging and depression. The responses of 329 aged 65 years or older who participate in senior welfare centers in Seoul and Gyeonggi-do were used. As an analysis method, the double mediation effect was confirmed through serial multiple mediation model verification using the SPSS PROCESS macro program. The followings are the results of the study. First, the past acceptance had a significant effect on the aging attitude, the aging attitude on the depression, and the depression on the suicidal ideation, but the direct effect of past acceptance on the suicidal ideation was not significant. Second, double mediation effects of attitude to aging and depression were significant in the relationship between past acceptance and suicidal ideation. Based on these results, practical and policy interventions to prevent suicide in old age were suggested.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.11-21
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• 2015

Background: The objective of this research is to investigate and provide analysis of the economic participatory change affecting the unmet needs of health care in Korean adults. Methods: We used Korea health panel 4th and 5th data of 10,261 adults. The method of investigation is threefold. First, We identified the regional factors affecting unmet needs of health care. Second, we analyzed the effect of economic participatory change as it affects the unmet needs of health care. Third, we also investigated whether there were discernable differences between the age subgroups. Results: It was determined that influencing factors included sex, education, economic level, and health status. And after the subgroup analysis of age, we found that the economic participatory change was associated with the economical unmet needs of health care especially for those over 40 years of age. Also the population are facing unemployment enduring particular economic hardship in meeting their medical needs. Conclusion: This study finds that there are some policy recommendations for the sake of medical service equality. Medical welfare policy for those 40 years of age and older has been identified as an area that needs improvement. And considering that those 40 years of age and older are facing unemployment enduring particular economic hardship in meeting their medical needs, this study finds a need for government sponsored medical stipends or subsidizing of medical premiums, co-payment, and other fees.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.45 no.4
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• pp.576-586
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• 2015

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to develop a self-management program applying Dongsasub training based on self-efficacy theory, and to verify the program effectiveness on self-esteem as well as self-efficacy, self-management behaviors, and blood pressure. Methods: The study design was a non-equivalent, pre-post controlled quasi-experiment study. Thirty-eight patients aged 65 and older from a senior welfare center in Seoul participated in this study (20 patients in the experimental group and 18 patients in the control group). The self-management program applying Dongsasub training consisted of eight sessions. After development was complete the program was used with the experimental group. Outcome variables included self-efficacy, self-esteem, self-management behaviors measured by questionnaires, and blood pressure measured by electronic manometer. Results: Self-efficacy (t=2.42, p=.021), self-esteem (t=2.57, p=.014) and self-management behaviors (t=2.21, p=.034) were significantly higher and systolic blood pressure (t=-2.14, p=.040) was significantly lower in the experimental group compared to the control group. However, diastolic blood pressure (t=-.85, p=.400) was not significantly different between the two groups. Conclusion: The results indicate that the self-management program applying Dongsasub training can be used as a nursing intervention in community settings for improving self-management behaviors for older adults with hypertension.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.15 no.5
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• pp.283-294
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• 2015

The study examines the effect of IT education on on-line social relationship of older adults. The study group composed of 114 older adults who received IT education (computer class, internet class, and smart-phone class) at two community welfare centers in Seoul. In order to compare the effect of IT education of the study group, the control group who did not receive any IT education was recruited (N = 30). Social Capital Scale was used to measure on-line social relationship. The on-line social relationship was composed of social bonding type and social bridging type. Results showed that the study group significantly higher scores than did the control group on three subscales (emotional support, access to scare or limited resources, and out-group antagonism) of social bonding type except one subscale (ability to mobilize solidarity). With regard to social bridging type of social relationship, the study group significantly higher scores that did the control group on all four subscales (outward looking, contact with a broad rage of people, a view of oneself as part of a broader group, and diffuse reciprocity with a broader community). The findings highlight the importance of IT education for older adults to expand and increase social bonding and social bridging of social relationship.

• 한국노년학
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.1083-1101
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• 2011

The purpose of this study is to describe how the structural and functional features of social network change among widowed middle and older adults and to examine the effect of personal predictors of the social network change. Data was obtained from men and women between 45 to 98 years of age(N=118) who were bereaved by the death of their spouse since the first wave survey and participated in the second wave survey of the Korean Longitudinal Study of Ageing(KLoSA). The main findings are as follows: First, their social network after the bereavement was strengthened centered around children; for example, the number of adult children living in proximity to the parent, frequency of contact with children, and the financial and non-financial support from children generally increased. Second, the social network change pattern was categorized into four types such as "overall increased type," "children-centered increased type," "children/close relationship-centered increased type," and "stagnation type." Finally, the health condition of the widowed middle and older adults was a strong predictor of the social network change.

• 한국노년학
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.777-800
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• 2012

This paper aims to estimate the effects of environmental variables on volunteering among older persons and decide relationships between independent and dependent variables. The thesis conceptually points out that the integrated theory of resources too much emphasizes the important roles of human, social and cultural capital, but overlooks the influences of ecological environments in explaining volunteering among the older persons. And the thesis tries to apply the general ecological theory of aging to explaining volunteering of older people together with resource frameworks, and to estimate the effects of ecological environment variables on volunteerism for senior citizens. Using a micro data of 2009 National Social Survey by Statistics Korea, the paper screens out 10,268 subjects who are believed to socially retire and be above 55 years older. The multiple OLS regression and binomial logistic regression techniques are used to estimate the effects of ecological environments and resources on volunteering. The analysis results show that all of environmental and resource variables are related to volunteering at the level of p<.000. This means that environmental variables have independent effects on the volunteerism, controlling for resource variables. This results suggest that both theories have empirical evidences in explaining volunteerism in Korea. Also, at the end of paper, theoretical and policy implications for practices and future studies are discussed.

• 한국노년학
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.1055-1068
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• 2008

Given the central role of sense of control in physical and emotional well-being, the present study examined the determinants of sense of control among Korean elders. We considered sociodemographic characteristics (age, gender, marital status, education, and self-perceived economic status), health-related factors (chronic conditions, functional disability, and sensory impairment), stressful life events, and network-related resources (network of relatives, network of friends, and filial satisfaction) as potential predictors. Sense of control was measured with Pearlin and Schooler's (1978) Mastery Scale. Hierarchical regression analyses with 291 Korean elders aged 60 or older (M age = 69.9) identified lower self-perceived economic status, more chronic conditions, greater functional disability, greater vision impairment, more stressful life events, and lower filial satisfaction as significant risk factors for a diminished sense of control. Because most of the identified risks represent normative experiences during later life, the results underscored the importance of preserving or promoting sense of control for older adults. Implications of the findings and recommendations for future studies are discussed.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.84-90
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• 2007

The purpose of this study was to assess the test-retest reliability of heart rate (HR) and velocity measurements during peak effort and free treadmill walking tests in older patients with gait-impaired chronic hemiparetic stroke and control group. Twenty-two adults (13 men, 9 women; mean age, $73.7{\pm}5.2$ yrs) with chronic hemiparetic stroke are the experimental group. Nineteen elderly people (5 men, 14 women; mean age, $72.3{\pm}3.5$ yrs) were recruited as control group. Patients had mild to moderate chronic hemiparetic gait deficits, making handrail support necessary during treadmill walking. Free and peak effort treadmill walking tests were measured and then repeated at least two days later. Reliability was calculated from HR and walking velocity during free and peak effort treadmill walking test. Among the people who had strokes, HR [ICC(2,1)=.85, r=.86] and velocity [ICC(2,1)=.93, r=.93] were good parameters during free testing. Maximal testing generated good results for HR [ICC(2,1)=.81, r=.82] and velocity [ICC(2,1)=.96, r=.96] with the chronic hemiparetic stroke. In elderly people, HR [ICC(2,1)=.59, r=.62] and velocity [ICC(2,1)=.77, r=.76] were moderately reliable during free testing. Maximal testing produced moderate parameters for HR [ICC(2,1)=.74, r=.74] and velocity [ICC(2,1)=.66, r=.66] in the elderly. This study provides that free and maximal treadmill testing produce highly reliable HR and velocity measurements in adults with chronic hemiplegia using minimal handrail support.

• 한국노년학
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.481-499
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• 2018

The purpose of this study is to examine the impacts of smartphone use on structured social network types in the Korean elderly population. Data was derived from the 2014 survey of living conditions and welfare needs of Korean older persons collected by Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs. A total of 4,180 participants were selected for the Propensity Score Matching (PSM) analysis. Based on propensity score estimates, the 491 smartphone users (treatment group) and 491 featurephone users (control group) were matched. Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) regression analysis was conducted to examine the relationship between smartphone use and structural social network types. The results showed that among retired older adults, people using smartphone had significantly better structured social networks than those using featurephone even after controlling for covariates. Smartphone users had the higher levels of social contact and social activity. These findings suggested empirical evidence that using smartphone positively affects structured social networks, which might be used as the basis for designing intervention programs to promote social networks and social engagement of retired older adults.