Background: This paper examines whether various types of internet use mediated or moderated the relationship between age and cognitive function. Methods: Using 2020 National Survey of Older Koreans, the data of 8,639 adults aged 65 or over were analyzed by complex sample analysis using chi-square test, t-test, multiple regression analysis, and Sobel’s test. Results: All types of internet use were significantly associated with cognitive function and played a significant mediating effect in the relationship between age and cognitive function. Internet use for information searching was the most protective for cognitive function (β=1.902, P<0.001), while Internet use for interpersonal communication exhibited the greatest mediating effect in the relationship between age and cognitive function (Age: β=–0.131, P<0.001→ β=–0.079, P<0.001). The influence of age on cognitive function moderated by all types of internet use. Conclusions This underscores the need to consider various types of internet use when creating nonpharmacological interventions aimed at delaying age-associated cognitive decline in community-dwelling older adults.

No abstract available.
Calcium* ; Calcium, Dietary ; Dietary Proteins* ; Female ; Humans ; Iron* ; Zinc

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate homebound status and significant related factors for community-dwelling female elders according to age. METHODS: The participants were female elders over 65 years of age registered in public health centers. Data were collected by interviewing the elders, who voluntarily completed the entire survey. For data analysis, descriptive statistics and multiple logistic regression were performed using SPSS version 18.0. RESULTS: There were statistically significant differences in homeboundness and related factors between the young-old (65 to 74 years of age) and the old-old (75 years of age or older). The level of homeboundness of the old-old was higher than that of the young-old. Multiple logistic regression showed, timed "up and go", depression, and fear of falling as significantly associated with homebound status of the young-old, while hand grip strength (right), timed "up and go", static balance ability, severity of urinary incontinence, and fear of falling as significant for the old-old. CONCLUSION: The findings of this study indicate that homebound status and related factors for elders are different according to age, and therefore, interventions to prevent and help homebound elders get over being homebound should be developed according to age.
Accidental Falls ; Activities of Daily Living ; Age Factors ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Depression ; Fear ; Female ; Hand Strength ; Health Status ; Homebound Persons/*psychology ; Humans ; Interviews as Topic ; Logistic Models ; Residence Characteristics ; Urinary Incontinence

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to examine the relationships between depressive symptoms, stigma and social support in hospitalized PTB (pulmonary tuberculosis) patients. METHODS: Participants were 256 patients with PTB who were admitted in two national tuberculosis hospitals. RESULTS: Higher levels of stigma were significantly related to depressive symptoms in patients with PTB. Self-reports of social support by medical staff were negatively associated with depressive symptoms in patients with PTB. Stigma and social support by medical staff were found to be significant predictors of depressive symptoms after controlling for potential confounders. CONCLUSION: Findings suggest that intervention for depressive symptoms be incorporated into treatment for patients with PTB, and strategies to decrease TB-related stigma and increase social support by medical staff be provided to prevent depressive symptoms.
Depression* ; Hospitals, Chronic Disease ; Humans ; Medical Staff ; Social Stigma ; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary*

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to review and identify the meaning and components of the concept, Frailty. METHOD: We conducted literature review of studies that concluded the word of 'frail' or 'frailty' between 1980 and 2008, and used MEDLINE, CINAHL database to select the articles. RESULTS: Frailty is defined as a concept with multidomains, which are physical, cognitive, psychological, social. Critical characteristics of Frailty include multidominal deficiency, combined accumulation, diminished ability to keep up the independence of daily living, states beyond one's reserve capacity, dynamic relativity, proximity to adverse health outcome, aggregated symptoms. Frailty is caused by decreased physical activity, loss of sensory function, Chronic symptoms or signs, relationship with Caregiver, social isolation. Moreover, Frail elderly is at risk of falls and institutionalization. CONCLUSION: Frailty is very useful concept, because it has the potential to identify the elderly population at risk of adverse health outcomes. Based on this results, the appropriate tool for screening Korean Frail elderly and Nursing intervention for them needs to be developed.
Aged ; Caregivers ; Frail Elderly ; Humans ; Institutionalization ; Mass Screening ; Motor Activity ; Population Characteristics ; Sensation ; Social Isolation

The Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey is a nationwide health survey in Korea. This survey is composed of three parts: the Health Interview Survey, the Health Examination Survey, and the Nutrition Survey. The aim of this study was to refine the nutrition survey system in the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES). Based on the literature review, we summarized international survey systems and the limitations of the current system in Korea and proposed an improved system. We suggested the following: 1) A government agency which will be exclusively responsible for KNHANES overall is needed. 2) The current short-term nutrition survey should be a year-round survey. 3) The objectives of this survey should be written with more clarity and detail. 4) Biochemical measures in relation to nutritional status should be added. 5) The budget to set up various databases in the nutrition survey should be increased. 6) Various other issues should be addressed, including the definition of raw data (i.e., whether nutrient intake data per day is raw data), ethical issues in survey techniques, and strategies to produce evidence for the public using this survey data. Not all suggestions could be adopted in the short-term, but should be integrated into long-term goals for survey system improvement.
Budgets ; Ethics ; Government Agencies ; Health Surveys ; Korea ; Nutrition Surveys* ; Nutritional Status

Purpose: This study explored the contribution of social support resources to the explanation of socioeconomic inequalities in depressive symptoms of older Korean men and women. Methods: Data were derived from Living Profiles of Older People Survey (LPOPS), which comprises a nationally representative sample of non-institutionalized Korean older adults living in the community. The data were analyzed by using multiple logistic regression. The sample consisted of 4,046 men and 6,036 women aged ≥65 years. The Korean version of the Geriatric Depression Scale-Short form (SGDS-K) was employed as an outcome variable. Results: Compared to the older men and women who were in higher socioeconomic status, those in lower socioeconomic status had significantly higher risk of depressive symptoms after adjusting for other covariates. When social support resources were individually included in the base model, each factor contributed to inequalities in depressive symptoms. Social networks explained about 20% of the differential impact of education and 10% to 15% of the differential impact of household income for depressive symptoms in men. Among women, it mitigated 23.6% to 39.0% of education and household income inequalities for depressive symptoms. Social participation contributed to buffer depressive symptom inequalities of 24.0% to 46.3% among men and those of 11.7% to 45.3% among women. Conclusion Our findings suggest community care nurses acknowledge the value of social support resources to alleviate socioeconomic inequality in depressive symptoms among older men and women.

PURPOSE: Recently, laparoscopic appendectomy (LA) has been widely performed in developed countries. In addition, minimally invasive surgery such as LA is a challenge to surgical residents. The aim of this study is to evaluate learning curve of residents in comparison to that of experienced surgeons. METHODS: Fifty cases of LA that were performed by experienced surgeons (group A) and forty-seven cases of LA that were performed by 8 residents (group B) were reviewed retrospectively. RESULTS: Operative time was longer in group B (50.8+/-12 vs. 82.8+/-40 min. P<0.001). Hospital days of group B was shorter (4.8+/-2.4 vs. 3.7+/-2.1 days P=0.021). No other parameters were statistically significant. In group A, wound infection developed in 1 case. In group B, wound infection developed in 4 cases, intraabdominal abscess in 1, subcutaneous emphysema in 1. CONCLUSION: Inexperienced surgeons can perform laparoscopic appendectomy easily in the early days of individual laparoscopic training course.
Abscess ; Appendectomy ; Developed Countries ; Learning Curve ; Operative Time ; Retrospective Studies ; Subcutaneous Emphysema ; Wound Infection

PURPOSE: Despite the reduced incidence and mortality of gastric cancer, this illness still remains the second leading cause of cancer death in Korea. Various adjuvant chemotherapies have been proposed for patients with advanced gastric cancer. Randomized trials comparing chemotherapies with best supportive care have consistently shown that cytotoxic treatment is of some benefit. Nevertheless, there has been no major improvement in the overall prognosis of advanced gastric cancer. METHODS: We have examined the chemotherapy sensitivity of advanced gastric cancer specimens by using an ex vivo ATP based chemosensitivity assay (ATP-TCA). A variety of chemotherapeutic agents were tested. The one hundred and forty specimens we tested were from resection specimens. RESULTS: The histological tumor classification, lymphatic invasion, neural invasion and venous invasion affected the chemosensitivity of some drugs. 5-FU was a more potent drug than cisplatin, doxorubicin, iriontecan and methotrexate. The chemosensitivity of differentiated cancer was different compared to that of undifferentiated cancer. Doxorubicin and iriontecan were more effective in poorly differentiated, signet ring cell and diffuse type cancers. The manner of tumor invasion affected the chemosensitivity to some drugs. CONCLUSISON: Further study is necessary to assess the effectiveness of some chemotherapy drugs on advanced gastric cancer, including their effect on tumor recurrence and patient survival.
Adenosine Triphosphate ; Cisplatin ; Doxorubicin ; Fluorouracil ; Humans ; Incidence ; Korea ; Methotrexate ; Prognosis ; Recurrence ; Stomach Neoplasms