BACKGROUND: Although the suicide rate in Korea is the highest in the world, only limited studies have been done on suicide and its associated factors. In this regard, we studied a conceptual model and the relationships and interactions of activity of daily living (ADL), social support, depression, and suicidal ideation among elderly women in Korea. METHODS: A cross-sectional descriptive study, subjects included 194 community-dwelling elderly women. Their ADL, multi-dimensional scale of perceived social support (MSPSS), depression, and suicidal ideation (SI) were examined. The t-test, ANOVA test, Pearson's correlation coefficient, multiple regression analysis, and structural equation modeling were utilized in data analysis. RESULTS: There were significant correlations between SI and economic status, social support, and depression. Depression was correlated with not only SI but also ADL (r=0.195, P=0.006) and social support (r=-0.337, P<0.001). Absolute fit indices demonstrated that the research model had a good model fit. There were significant factor loading values from depression to SI (standardized estimate=0.157, P=0.023) and from social support to SI (standardized estimate=-0.308, P<0.001). There were two indirect effects from social support to SI and from ADL to SI. The mediating factor of these two indirect effects was depression. CONCLUSIONS: Suicidal ideation in the elderly needs to be prevented; and more attention should be given to this end. Social support programs encouraging family participation are greatly effective in prevention of senior citizens' suicidal ideation.
Activities of Daily Living ; Aged* ; Depression ; Female ; Humans ; Korea ; Negotiating ; Statistics as Topic ; Suicidal Ideation* ; Suicide

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a group intervention program on elderly people with chronic disease(s) living in the community. METHODS: This study was a nonequivalent control group pretest-posttest study. Participants were 101 elderly persons with hypertension and/or diabetes mellitus. The experimental group participated in an intervention program as a group while the control group participated individually, both for 16 weeks. The program involved health education, stretching exercises with thera-band and massage. The experimental group attended this program including group discussions while the control group attended the same program but without group discussions. Data were collected before and after the intervention, which went from September 1 to December 26, 2010. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Spearman's rho and repeated measure analysis of covariance. RESULTS: There were significant differences between the groups for depression (F=49.756, P<0.001) and quality of life (F=7.289, P=0.008) after the intervention program. CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate that intervention programs with a group approach are more effective than an individual approach for community-dwelling elderly with chronic disease. Therefore, a group approach should be considered when planning programs for elders in the community.
Aged ; Chronic Disease ; Depression ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Exercise ; Health Education ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Massage ; Quality of Life

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to analyze the relation between sex perception, sexual life satisfaction, and life satisfaction of the elderly. METHODS: The respondents were 227 elders aged over 65. Data were collected from February 10 to December 15, 2007 by interviews and questionnaires. RESULTS: Of the respondents, 18.8% still had sex life and 25.5% wanted to have a date. The main reason to have a date was to relieve loneliness, and the percentage of those who wanted a date was 58.3. The perception level of sex life was 2.27 (men: 2.51, women: 2.14), the satisfaction level of sex life was 2.74 (men: 2.89, women: 2.64), and the level of life satisfaction was 2.98 (men: 3.10, women: 2.92). There was a positive correlation between the perception level of sex life and the satisfaction level of sex life; a positive correlation between the satisfaction level of sex life and the level of life satisfaction; and no correlation between the perception level of sex life and the level of life satisfaction. CONCLUSION: This study provides a base supporting the usefulness of various nursing intervention programs to enhance the quality of life through making elderly people have a positive perception of sex life.
Aged* ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Female ; Humans ; Loneliness ; Nursing ; Quality of Life ; Sexuality

PURPOSE: This study was conducted to test effects of a cognition activation program on ADL, cognitive functions, depression, and QOL in the institutionalized elderly. METHODS: The subjects were 40 elders who were admitted to a nursing home, with 20 of them in the experimental group and the other 20 in the control group. Data were collected from September 1 to December 17, 2012. The experimental group participated in a 12 week intervention program. ADL, cognitive functions, depression, and QOL were measured before and after the intervention. Data were analyzed by t-test and regression analysis of the SPSS and AMOS programs. RESULTS: ADL (t=2.468, p=.017), depression (t=-2.625, p=012), and QOL (t=2.428, p=.020) were more significantly improved in the experimental group than in the control group, but there were no statistical differences in cognitive function between the two groups. Cognitive functions had positive effects on ADL (CR=-2.263, p=.024) and depression affected QOL (CR=-7.248, p<.001). CONCLUSION: The intervention program had positive effects on ADL, depression, and QOL except cognition. Cognitive functions of elders dramatically decrease after age 85, and it takes too much time to improve it. Therefore the program for the improvement of cognitive functions should be provided as early as possible.
Activities of Daily Living ; Aged ; Cognition* ; Depression ; Humans ; Clinical Trial ; Korea* ; Nursing Homes ; Quality of Life

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify the current urinary incontinence states in women above middle age dwelling in rural areas and their coping with the problems. METHODS: The participants were 261 women above middle age. Data were collected from February to May, 2012 using a structured questionnaire. The data were analyzed with the SPSS/WIN 20 program. RESULTS: The frequency of urinary incontinence in women above middle age was 45.4%. There were significant differences in urinary incontinence due to age, education, job status, frequency of delivery, and menstrual status. And, there were significant relations among urinary symptoms, difficulty of ADL, incontinence stress and depression. Frequently used coping-methods with urinary incontinence were washing frequently in order to avoid awful smell, paying attention to perineal cleaning, and going to restroom frequently. CONCLUSION: Community nurses who are in charge of primary health care ought to assess urinary incontinence and develop a urinary incontinence program that includes psychological and social factors.
Activities of Daily Living ; Adaptation, Psychological ; Depression ; Female ; Humans ; Middle Aged* ; Primary Health Care ; Smell ; Urinary Incontinence* ; Surveys and Questionnaires

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to find the effects of an exercise program on body composition, serum lipids, and menopausal symptoms in Korean menopausal women. METHODS: This research used nonequivalent control group pretest-posttest design. The participants were 30 middle-aged women who were divided into two groups, an experimental group (n=16) who participated in the exercise program and a control group (n=14). The exercise program was composed of gymnastic-ball exercises with RPE 12~13 intensity, 50 minutes' duration and three times a week for 12 weeks from April 1 to June 30, 2008. The dependent variables (body composition, serum lipids, menopause symptoms, self-efficacy, and life satisfaction) were measured before and after exercise program. RESULTS: There were statistically significant difference in weight (F=2.92, p=.049), percent body fat (F=4.22, p=.040), total cholesterol (F=2.63, p=.017) and high density lipoprotein (F=6.74, p=.015) between the two groups. Psychological menopausal symptoms also decreased significantly (F=7.01, p=.014) after the exercise in the experimental group. CONCLUSIONS: Regular gymnastic-ball exercises are helpful for menopausal women. They have positive effects not only on body composition and serum lipids but also on the decrease of menopausal symptoms. The results of this study suggest that gymnastic-ball exercise programs are effective in health promotion of Korean middle-aged women, and thus it is necessary to develop exercise programs for women.
Adipose Tissue ; Body Composition* ; Cholesterol ; Exercise ; Female ; Health Promotion ; Humans ; Lipoproteins ; Menopause

PURPOSE: This study was conducted to survey female Vietnamese marriage immigrants' life stress and to analyze factors influencing their life stress and coping strategies. METHODS: As descriptive correlation research, this study conducted a survey with 182 conveniently sampled subjects. Data were collected in June, 2015, and analyzed with descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA, Pearson's correlation coefficient, and stepwise multiple regression. RESULTS: The subjects' life stress levels were above average, and significantly varied according to their health, and economic status. Stress coping strategies used by the subjects included assistance seeking, problem avoidance, wishful thinking, problem solving, and emotional alleviation in the order of frequency. As a result of the stepwise multiple regression, economic level, economic activity, and health status were found to be the most significant factors influencing the subjects' life stress, and these variables explained 45.1% of the variation in life stress. CONCLUSION: Female marriage immigrants were experiencing above-average life stress, and they were coping with it mainly in terms of assistance seeking or problem avoidance. In order to mitigate their stress, therefore, it is necessary to provide extended employment opportunities and economic activities for them so that they can cultivate their abilities in health management.
Adaptation, Psychological ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group* ; Emigrants and Immigrants* ; Employment ; Female ; Humans ; Marriage ; Problem Solving ; Stress, Psychological* ; Thinking ; Vietnam

PURPOSE: The purposes of this study were to identify the prevalence and influencing factors of fecal incontinence, and to analyze the association between fecal incontinence and depression. METHODS: The subjects of this study were 233 women living in rural areas, and data were collected using questionnaires from February 24 to May 30, 2012. Fecal incontinence was measured with the Continence Grading Score, and depression with the Geriatric Depression Scale. Collected data were analyzed using SPSS through chi2-test, Fisher's exact test, t-test and ANOVA. RESULTS: Of the subjects, 16.7% had fecal incontinence. The prevalence of fecal incontinence was higher in older women (chi2=23.55, p<.001), those with vaginal delivery (chi2=4.81, p=.049), those with parity of 4 or more (chi2=13.47, p=.003), and those with urinary incontinence (chi2=26.36, p<.001). The level of depression was significantly higher in older women (F=19.27, p<.001), those with low academic qualification (F=18.17, p<.001), those with urinary incontinence (F=4.15, p=.043), and those with fecal incontinence (F=14.90, p<.001). CONCLUSION: These results suggest that there should be supports by public health care for fecal incontinence prevention and care programs in order to promote the physical and emotional health of rural women.
Depression* ; Fecal Incontinence* ; Female ; Humans ; Parity ; Prevalence ; Public Health ; Urinary Incontinence ; Surveys and Questionnaires

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to analyze factors influencing the quality of life in Vietnamese married immigrant women in Korea. The factors included socio-demographic characteristics, spouse's support, and social support of Vietnamese married immigrant women. METHODS: A descriptive survey was conducted to collect data from 190 subjects during the period between May and June, 2015. The randomly sampled subjects answered a self-report questionnaire translated into Vietnamese. Collected data were analyzed using SPSS/WIN 21. RESULTS: The subjects' quality of life was found to be influenced by economic level, subjective perception of their own and spouse's health, Korean communication ability, spouse's support, and social support. The most influential factor for the quality of life was spouse's support, and next, subjective perception of their own health, Korean communication ability, and economic level in order of influence. CONCLUSION: The results of this study suggest that social support programs should be customized to the subjects' characteristics in order for married immigrant women to adjust themselves to new Korean environments and to lead a high-qualitylife through the promotion of marital relationship, Korean communication ability, health status, and economic capability.
Asian Continental Ancestry Group* ; Communication ; Emigrants and Immigrants* ; Female ; Humans ; Korea* ; Marriage ; Quality of Life* ; Vietnam

PURPOSE: Purposes of this study were: evaluation of family burden of caring for elders who receive long term care services, and examination of differences in burden before and after the introduction of long term care service in Korea. METHODS: Data were collected by questionnaires from 416 caregivers of elders who were registered with the Long Term Care Insurance Corporation in six cities. Data were collected in September, 2010 and analyzed using descriptive statistics, paired t-test, and ANOVA with the Scheffe test, and stepwise multiple regression. RESULTS: Family burden decreased significantly after long-term care service was initiated. Subjective burden decreased from 2.93 to 2.69 (t=11.78, p<.001), and objective burden, from 3.40 to 3.10 (t=12.73, p<.001). Stepwise multiple regression analysis revealed that factors affecting subjective burden were family relations (F=13.60, p=.003), age (F=5.47, p=.019), job (F=6.98, p=.008), and education (F=4.59, p=.032), and that factors affecting objective burden were living together (F=17.66, p<.001), job (F=13.34, p=.003), monthly income (F=6.61, p=.010), and type of service (F=6.62, p=.010). CONCLUSION: The results of this first study to investigate caregiver burden after the Korean Long-term Care Insurance System was begun provide positive information for the development of strategies to decrease family burden in long term care.
Adaptation, Psychological ; Adult ; Age Factors ; Aged ; Caregivers/*psychology ; Dependency (Psychology) ; Family ; Female ; Humans ; Income ; *Insurance, Long-Term Care ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Questionnaires ; Regression Analysis ; Republic of Korea