To examine the cognitive function of elderly, the study examined the performance of Korean normal elderly population whose age over 65 using neuropsychological instruments. It was predicted that the performance of the Korean population would be different from the U, S. mainly due to their difference in language, culture, and education. Korean elderly people from the Chungchung and Daejeon Metropolitan city(n=97) participated. Two age scores were developed: below 74 years and over 75 years. The effect of age, gender and education was examined, which yield significant age, gender and education effect. The score of DSF, DSB, TMTA, and TMTB are expected to be utilized for research purposes, such as basic, clinical, epidemiological studies, as well as practice purposes such as diagnosis and assessment of the progression of cognitive decline and dementia with MMSE-K.
Aged* ; Dementia ; Diagnosis ; Education ; Epidemiologic Studies ; Humans

PURPOSE: This study examined the health status of elderly. METHOD: This is a survey using cross-sectional design. The subject were 122 elders who were 65 and over in Daejeon. Instrumental activity of daily living, nutrition and Body mass index for physical health status, social engagement for social health status, and depression and loneliness for emotional health status were measured. RESULTS: Independent level was medium, and nutrition and BMI were normal level. Social engagement score was 2.38 which means low. Mean depression level was 7.71 and mean loneliness level was 56.77, which means high. The risk factors for vulnerable health status were no spouse, lower pocket money, living at institution, poor subjective health status. CONCLUSION: This finding indicates that the elderly subjects were in normal physical health status, but social and emotional health status were poor.
Aged* ; Body Mass Index ; Depression ; Humans ; Loneliness ; Risk Factors ; Spouses

PURPOSE: As population of elderly people continues to grow, successful aging has risen to the top of the nursing science agenda. The successful aging includes maintenance of the cognitive and physical functions, as well as emotional well-beings. This study was carried out to evaluate effects of the environmental enrichments on cognition of institutionalized elderly. METHOD: The population was selected among the elderly aging over 65 residing at two of institutions. A quasi experimental design was used with non-equivalent control group. Study subjects were thirteen for each group. For the experimental group, physical, social and symbolic environmental enrichment program was provided for six weeks. The data were analyzed by repeated measure ANOVA and repeated measure ANCOVA using SPSS Win 11.0. RESULT: Compared to control group, the experimental group showed a significant difference on DSF(F=3.29, p=.046), and TMTA(F=4.76, p=.013) of cognitive function, and depression (F=5.56, p=.007) of emotional distress after 1 and 12 weeks of environmental enrichment program. CONCLUSION: Findings indicate that physical, social, and symbolic environmental enrichment was effective to partially prevent from cognitive decline, and to decrease emotional distress of elderly. As a nursing intervention, environmental enrichment program for elderly should be expanded for nursing practice to promote healthy aging and to offer support to the growing population of elderly. Further research should be conducted to evaluate the effect on the community elderly.
Aged* ; Aging ; Cognition ; Depression ; Humans ; Nursing ; Research Design

PURPOSE: This study was performed to assess the degree of cognitive function of elderly by MMSE-K performances and of that effect. METHOD: The subjects were 185 aged over 65 in Daejeon Metropolitan city. Data were collected through personal interview using the questionnaire from 10 to 31, Jan.. 2003. The measures were Korean version of Mini-Mental State Examination(MMSE-K). RESULTS: The mean score of MMSE-K was 22.60+/-5.39. The prevalence of cognitive impairment was estimated as 48.6% by MMSE-K < or =23 and significantly age, gender, and education effect. The subtype score of MMSE-K were significantly lower in female group in each items : orientation in time and place, attention/calculation, language except registration and recall. And the scores were significantly lower in the older group and non-educated group in the all items of MMSE-K. CONCLUSION: Gender, age, and education showed significant effects on total and subtype MMSE-K score. Cognitive function decline were higher in female, older age group, and non-educated group. Therefore, those three factors are thought to be one of important risk factors for development of dementia, also it is assumed to be affected by other variables than age, gender, education effect.
Aged* ; Dementia ; Education ; Female ; Humans ; Prevalence ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Risk Factors

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to explore the relationship between powerlessness, sense of belonging and nutritional status of the elderly. METHOD: The study sample was 100 living at home and institutions. Data were collected by interview from Oct. to Dec. in 2003. The instruments were helplessness scale developed by Jung (1998), sense of belonging scale SOBI-A and nutritional initial screening. RESULT: The mean score of powerlessness was 2.71+/-.30, sense of belonging was 2.87+/-.19, and nutritional status was 4.42+/-.34. There was a statistically significant differences in powerlessness according to age (F=3.185, p=0.027), health status (F=6.945, P=0.002), religion (F=5.941, P=0.001), current spouse (t=-0.384, p=0.026), in sense of belonging according to age (F=4.40, P=0.006), length of education (F=10.64, P=<.0001) and in nutritional status according to age (F=3.34, P= 0.022), health status (F=2.86, P=0.027). There was a statistically significant correlation between powerlessness and nutritional status (r=0.219, p=0.029). CONCLUSION: Nurses are able to decrease powerlessness or increase sense of belonging and nutritional status of the elderly by developing the health promotion program, improving perceived health status and empowering social interaction of the elderly specifically living at institutions.
Aged ; Health Promotion ; Humans ; Interpersonal Relations ; Mass Screening ; Nutritional Status ; Spouses

PURPOSE: The purpose was to identify the effects of a Tai Chi exercise program on physical fitness, fall related perception and health status among institutionalized elderly. METHODS: A quasi-experimental research was carried out with a nonequivalent control group pretest-posttest design. There were 23 subjects in the experimental group and 24 in the control group. The data was gathered by structured questionnaires about fall related perception, and health status. Physical fitness was measured by an exercise therapist with a blind principle. RESULTS: At the completion of the 12 weeks Tai Chi exercise program, flexibility (F=4.50, p=.00), and ability to balance (F=3.27, p=.00) had increased significantly. Fall related perception showed significant improvement in the fear of falling (F=-3.52, p=.00). Physical functioning (F=3.38, p=.00), role limitationphysical (F=2.67, p=.01), role limitation-emotional (F=2.47, p=.02). and general health (F=3.88, p=.00) in health status showed significant differences between the two groups. CONCLUSION: The study findings revealed Tai Chi exercise as a useful nursing intervention for elderly that enhances flexibility and balance, decreases fall related perception and also increases the health status. Further research is warranted to compare the potential effects of Tai Chi exercise and its health benefits from other types of exercise or martial arts.
Accidental Falls/*prevention & control ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Community Health Centers ; Female ; Health Behavior ; *Health Status ; Humans ; Male ; *Physical Fitness ; Pliability ; Program Development ; Questionnaires ; Range of Motion, Articular ; *Tai Ji

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify from the International Classification of Functioning model, factors influencing quality of life in elderly persons and to describe the concrete pathway of influence and the power of each variable. METHODS: The sample included 334 elders who lived in 5 districts of D Metropolitan City. A structured questionnaire was used and the collected data were analyzed for fitness, using the AMOS 18.0 program. RESULTS: This model was concise and extensive in predicting the quality of life of elders. The research verified the factors influencing quality of life for elders as direct factors such as activity of daily living (ADL) (beta=.13, t=2.47), leisure activity (beta=.55, t=5.04), social disengagement (beta=-.25, t=-2.25), and depression (beta=-.62, t=-10.86). Indirect factors including economic status (gamma=.17, p=.009), type of residence (gamma=.19, p=.004), ADL (gamma=.12, p=.027) were important factors in predicting quality of life for elders. These variables explained 75.6% of variance in the prediction model. CONCLUSION: The findings indicate a need for the nursing scientific community to develop intervention programs considering these variables to improve the quality of life for elders.
Activities of Daily Living ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Depression ; Female ; Humans ; Leisure Activities ; Male ; *Models, Psychological ; *Quality of Life ; Questionnaires ; Socioeconomic Factors

PURPOSE: This study examined the effects of a nutrition education program on self-efficacy, diet behavior pattern and cardiovascular risk factors for patients with cardiovascular disease (CVD). METHOD: Sixty-four CVD subjects (37 experimental, 27 control) were recruited from a cardiac center, at a university hospital located in D city, Korea. All subjects attended a first heart camp where pretest measures were performed, and a second heart camp at 6 months for the posttest measures. During the 6 month study period, the experimental group was required to attend five monthly nutrition education sessions, while the control group received only routine outpatient follow-ups. Data were analyzed by chi-square-test and independent t-test using the SPSSWIN 11.5 program. RESULT: Group comparisons revealed that the experimental group had significantly more improved self-efficacy, frequency of food selection, gustation of salt, systolic blood pressure, and serum total-cholesterol compared to the control group. CONCLUSION: A nutrition education program may be effective in improving self-efficacy, diet behavior pattern and cardiovascular risk factors for patients with cardiovascular disease.
Adaptation, Psychological ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Cardiovascular Diseases/*diet therapy ; Chi-Square Distribution ; Counseling ; Diet ; Female ; Food Habits/*psychology ; Health Promotion ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Patient Education as Topic ; Program Evaluation ; Risk Factors ; *Self Efficacy

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effects of a follow-up program for breast cancer patients after surgery. METHOD: A quasi-experimental design was used. The subjects were 56 breast cancer patients (experimental group: 27, control group: 29). The subjects of the experimental group participated in the Follow-up program of 7 sessions once a week, during 4 weeks including one telephone visit. The program consisted of health education of breast cancer, exercise, lymph edema prevention, diet education, theraband rehabilitation exercise, laugh therapy, and breast self examination. The obtained data were analysed by using the ANCOVA of SPSS. RESULTS: There was a significant difference in the scores of physical wellbeing, symptom distress and mood state between the two groups. CONCLUSION: Considering these research results, short-term intervention could improve physical and emotional functioning abilities by helping better health. Nurses should establish and manage a proper program to provide multipurpose support and it must apply the program after surgery as soon as possible for breast cancer women.
Breast Neoplasms* ; Breast Self-Examination ; Breast* ; Diet ; Edema ; Education ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies* ; Health Education ; Humans ; Rehabilitation ; Telephone

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify the effects of heating on the non-affected hand on blood flow velocity, wound healing, and pain for hand microsurgery patients. METHODS: This study was designed using the nonequivalent control group pretest-posttest design. Thirty-nine patients were assigned either to the experimental group (20 patients) or control group (19 patients). Data were analyzed with chi2-test, Fisher's exact test, t-test, and repeated measure ANOVA using SPSS/WIN 17.0 program. RESULTS: After treatment in this program, blood flow velocity (F=5.13, p=.008) and wound healing (F=4.11, p=.020) improved significantly in the experimental group compared to the control group. But there was no significant improvement in pain in the experimental group compared to the control group (F=2.40, p=.097). CONCLUSION: Based upon these results, the non-affected side hand heating was recommended as an independent nursing intervention for the patients who need improvement in blood flow velocity and wound healing such as patients who have microsurgery. As the heating was effective even when applied on the non-affected side, it is the applicable to patients who cannot tolerate any therapy on affected side.
Adult ; Blood Flow Velocity/*physiology ; Female ; Hand Injuries/surgery/*therapy ; Humans ; Hyperthermia, Induced ; Male ; *Pain Measurement ; Time Factors ; Wound Healing/*physiology