PURPOSE: This study examined the mood state, activities of daily living, and attitude toward aging in the elderly according to the existence of a spouse and investigated the relation between these factors. METHOD: The subjects consisted of 190 elderly people, who were classified into two groups: those with and without a spouse. The data was collected from March to December 2004 using a structured questionnaire that included general characteristics, mood states, instrumental activities of daily living (IADL), and an attitude toward aging scale. The collected data was analyzed using the program SPSS, including descriptive statistics, chi2-test, ANOVA, Scheff's test, and the Pearson correlation coefficient. RESULT: 1. There were significant differences between the two groups in mood state (t=-3.349, p=.001), anxiety-depression (t=-3.350, p=.001), and anger (t=p=.003) in the mood state subscales, and in attitude toward aging (t=2.514, p=.013). 2. There was a significant positive correlation between vigor and IADL (r=.253, p=.012) in the elderly with a spouse. 3. When there was a spouse, there was a significant difference according to gender (t=2.587, p=.012) in IADL. Without a spouse, there were significant differences in mood states according to education level (F=3.315, p=.023), in anxiety-depression according to the presence of illness (t=2.156, p=.033), in vigor according to age (F=3.439, p=.020) and education level (F=5.285, p=.002), and in IADL according to monthly income (F=3.322, p=.023) and the presence of illness (t=2.172, p=.032). CONCLUSION: An individualized approach is needed for elderly people that considers living arrangements and the existence of a spouse.
Activities of Daily Living* ; Aged ; Aging* ; Anger ; Education ; Humans ; Residence Characteristics ; Spouses* ; Surveys and Questionnaires

PURPOSE: This study aims to identify factors that influence middle-aged men's attitude towards death. METHODS: The study enrolled 204 middle-aged (range=40~59 years) male residents of Daegu in Korea. Using a structured questionnaire, data were collected in October 4~30, 2010. For data analysis, we used descriptive statistics, t-test, one-way ANOVA, Scheffe's test, Pearson correlation coefficient, and stepwise multiple regression with SPSS WIN 14.0. RESULTS: Participants' attitude towards death significantly differed according to educational level, religion, volunteer activities, and perceived health status. Moreover, their attitude towards death was negatively correlated with life stress and depression and positively correlated with self-esteem, life satisfaction, and coping behavior. The factors influencing the attitude towards death were life satisfaction, daily stress, religion, and depression, which explained approximately 25.7% of the total variance. CONCLUSION: Middle-aged men perform a crucial role in our society, and their attitude toward death affects how they cope with a situational crisis such as a terminal cancer or withdrawal of life sustaining treatment. Therefore, it is necessary to develop and implement a support program for middle-aged men, which offers them with various strategies to better manage their daily stress and improve their life satisfaction and coping skills.
Adaptation, Psychological ; Attitude to Death ; Depression ; Humans ; Korea ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Stress, Psychological

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to develop a web-based senescence preparation education program to promote successful aging. METHODS: This program was developed based on Network-Based Instructional System Design (NBISD) model, using the following 5 processes: analysis, design, development, implementation, and evaluation. The program was operated for 10 weeks from March 17 to May 25, 2008. RESULTS: There were 4 menu bars, introduction, related data, lecture room, and communication on the main page. In the operation of this program, HTML, ASP, JAVA Script, Namo web editor, Edit Plus, Front Page and multimedia technology were applied. The program content consisted of understanding elderly people, physical health, activity & exercise, nutrition, medication use, psychological health, intellectual health, understanding death, welfare system and leisure activity. CONCLUSION: This program could be a useful means to provide senescence preparation information to middle-aged adults. Also, it is expected to offer individualized learning opportunities to many learners in various settings. Nurses should further develop and facilitate various learning strategies including web- based programs for elder care.
Adult ; Aging/*psychology ; *Computer-Assisted Instruction ; Female ; Health Education ; Health Promotion ; Humans ; *Internet ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Questionnaires ; Software

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to compare the degree of attitude toward elders, cognitive level, and mood state by living arrangements of the elderly. METHOD: The subjects consisted of 238 elderly who divided by living arrangements(living alone, living with spouse, living with children). The data were collected by structured questionnaire that included general characteristics, attitude toward elders, MMSE-K and mood state scale, from March to December, 2005. The collected data were analyzed by Windows SPSS program including descriptive statistics, chi-square-test, Fisher's exact test, ANCOVA, Scheffe test and Pearson Correlation Coefficient. RESULTS: In MMSE-K and mood state, there were statistically significant differences among the three groups. In depression and anxiety factor of mood state, the living alone group showed higher scores than the other two groups. There was a positive correlation between attitude toward elders and MMSE-K in the elderly living with a spouse group and a negative correlation between MMSE-K and mood state in all three groups. CONCLUSION: It is necessary to develop a supportive program for decreasing the risk of health in the elderly and perform a differential approach according to their living arrangementa. Especially, more concern and intervention are needed to be performed for the elderly living in solitude.
Aged* ; Anxiety ; Cognition ; Depression ; Humans ; Residence Characteristics* ; Spouses ; Surveys and Questionnaires

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to compare the degree of attitude toward elders, cognitive level, and mood state by living arrangements of the elderly. METHOD: The subjects consisted of 238 elderly who divided by living arrangements(living alone, living with spouse, living with children). The data were collected by structured questionnaire that included general characteristics, attitude toward elders, MMSE-K and mood state scale, from March to December, 2005. The collected data were analyzed by Windows SPSS program including descriptive statistics, chi-square-test, Fisher's exact test, ANCOVA, Scheffe test and Pearson Correlation Coefficient. RESULTS: In MMSE-K and mood state, there were statistically significant differences among the three groups. In depression and anxiety factor of mood state, the living alone group showed higher scores than the other two groups. There was a positive correlation between attitude toward elders and MMSE-K in the elderly living with a spouse group and a negative correlation between MMSE-K and mood state in all three groups. CONCLUSION: It is necessary to develop a supportive program for decreasing the risk of health in the elderly and perform a differential approach according to their living arrangementa. Especially, more concern and intervention are needed to be performed for the elderly living in solitude.
Aged* ; Anxiety ; Cognition ; Depression ; Humans ; Residence Characteristics* ; Spouses ; Surveys and Questionnaires

PURPOSE: Posttraumatic growth (PTG) is defined as 'positive psychological change experienced as a result of a struggle with highly challenging life circumstances'. The purpose of this study was to identify the level of PTG and its correlates in Korean patients with breast cancer. METHODS: A sample of 120 participants was recruited from outpatients, who had successfully completed primary treatment of breast cancer at a university hospital., Data were collected from June to December, 2014 using Posttraumatic Growth Inventory, lllness Intrusiveness Rating Scale, Cancer Coping Questionnaire, Revised Life Orientation Test and The Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support. RESULTS: Total score for the PTG was 79.18±17.54 in patients surviving breast cancer. Bivariate analyses indicated that PTG was positively associated with having a religion, perceived social support, greater optimism, cancer coping, and illness intrusiveness. Results of the regression analysis showed that cancer coping (β=.29, p=.001), optimism (β=0.28, p=.001) and illness intrusiveness (β=0.17, p=.037) were statistically significant in patients' PTG. CONCLUSION: The research findings show that the variables of cancer coping, optimism and illness intrusiveness significantly explain PTG and these psychological variables can be used to provide improvement in PTG for patients with breast cancer
Adaptation, Psychological ; Breast Neoplasms* ; Breast* ; Humans ; Optimism ; Outpatients ; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic ; Survivors*

PURPOSE: This study was done to investigate factors associated with depression and quality of life (QoL) among the community-dwelling elderly. METHODS: This study used a descriptive correlational research design. The subjects were 730 elders aged over 65 living in D district of Daegu. Data were collected using questionnaires for 30 days in April, 2007. The research instruments utilized in this study were a physical function scale of long-term care insurance system, Geriatric Depression Scale Short Form Korea Version (GDSSF-K), and Korean Quality of Life Scale (KoQoLs). The collected data were analyzed by descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA, Duncan, stepwise multiple regression, and Spearman correlation. RESULTS: The mean age of the subjects was 72.6, and 68.8% and 57.9% of subjects were, respectively, female and living alone. 12.3% of variance in depression was explained by age, education, economic status, subjective health, alcohol consumption, condition of teeth, and fall experience. 18.2% of variance in QoL was explained by economic status, number of diseases, condition of teeth, incontinence, paralysis, and IADL. Economic status and condition of teeth were contributing factors to depression and QoL of the elderly. CONCLUSION: Findings of this study may be useful in understanding the health status of the community-dwelling elderly and developing more regionally specific health promotion strategies.
Aged ; Alcohol Drinking ; Daegu ; Depression* ; Education ; Female ; Health Promotion ; Humans ; Insurance, Long-Term Care ; Korea ; Paralysis ; Quality of Life* ; Research Design ; Tooth ; Surveys and Questionnaires

Although radiotherapy (RT) is used for the treatment of cancers, including liver cancer, radiation-induced liver disease (RILD) has emerged as a major limitation of RT. Radiation-induced toxicities in nontumorous liver tissues are associated with the development of numerous symptoms that may limit the course of therapy or have serious chronic side effects, including late fibrosis. Although the clinical characteristics of RILD patients have been relatively well described, the understanding of RILD pathogenesis has been hampered by a lack of reliable animal models for RILD. Despite efforts to develop suitable experimental animal models for RILD, current animal models rarely present hepatic veno-occlusive disease, the pathological hallmark of human RILD patients, resulting in highly variable results in RILD-related studies. Therefore, we introduce the concept and clinical characteristics of RILD and propose a feasible explanation for RILD pathogenesis. In addition, currently available animal models of RILD are reviewed, focusing on similarities with human RILD and clues to understanding the mechanisms of RILD progression. Based on these findings from RILD research, we present potential therapeutic strategies for RILD and prospects for future RILD studies. Therefore, this review helps broaden our understanding for developing effective treatment strategies for RILD.
Fibrosis ; Hepatic Veno-Occlusive Disease ; Humans ; Liver Diseases* ; Liver Neoplasms ; Liver* ; Models, Animal ; Radiotherapy

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to compare functional status and the level of health care needs in elderly Koreans in health care institutions. METHODS: Data were collected from 2,521 elderly patients admitted in 50 health care institutions (hospitals, oriental hospitals, geriatric hospitals, and health care facilities) selected through proportional stratified sampling in 2008. We used a long-term care (LTC) assessment tool developed by the government, which consists of 52 items with 5 subscales. RESULTS: Statistically significant differences were detected in functional status and the level of health care needs among the subjects in different health care institutions. Of the sample population in geriatric hospitals, 48.9% were eligible for LTC Category 1, 20.9% for Category 2, and 17.2% for Category 3, and 13.1% of the subjects were not eligible for any of the categories. Of the sample population in health care facilities, 29.9% were eligible for LTC Category 1, 20.5% for Category 2, and 21.8% for Category 3, and 27.0% of the subjects were not eligible for any of the categories. CONCLUSION: The findings of this study indicate the necessity of the development of an evaluation system that helps determine whether a subject is eligible for LTC.
Aged* ; Delivery of Health Care* ; Health Status* ; Humans ; Institutionalization ; Long-Term Care