PURPOSE: The study was done to identify factors influencing the sleep of elderly women. METHODS: Data were collected by questionnaires from 203 elderly women in Seoul and Gyeong-gi province. Measures were physical health state, family support, life satisfaction, sleep, depression, and quality of life. Data were analyzed using Pearson correlation coefficients, t-test, ANOVA, and stepwise multiple regression with SPSS/WIN 13.0 version. RESULTS: The mean score for sleep for elderly women was 39.04. Sleep for elderly women according to religion, education level, spouses, and monthly income showed significant differences. Sleep for elderly women showed significantly positive correlations to physical health state, family support, life satisfaction, and quality of life. The significant factors influencing sleep of elderly women were physical health state, family support, depression, and quality of life, which explained about 70.4% of the variance. The strongest factors influencing the sleep was physical health state. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that in developing nursing interventions and practice for sleep pattern of elderly women spouses and family support should be considered.
Activities of Daily Living ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Depression ; Family Relations ; Female ; Health Status ; Humans ; Quality of Life ; *Sleep ; Women/*psychology

PURPOSE: This study was designed to explore and compare the self efficacy, social support, and quality of life between middle-aged Korean and Chinese women. METHODS: The sample included 430 (Korean: 220, Chinese: 210) middle-aged women. Study instruments were the Self Efficacy Scale developed by Shere et al (1982), the Social Support Scale modified and based on Interpersonal Support Evaluation List (ISEL) developed by Cohen and Hoberman (1983), and The Quality of Life Scale (SF-36) developed by Ware and Book (1981). Data were analyzed by SPSS/WIN 16 version. RESULTS: Korean women reported more self efficacy and better quality of life than the Chinese women. The quality of life scores between middle-aged Korean and Chinese women showed a statistical significant difference. Self efficacy and quality of life scores reported by middle-aged Korean and Chinese women were below the reported standards of the instruments. In contrast to the other scores, Chinese women reported more social support than Korean women. CONCLUSION: The findings add to the body of literature about Chinese and Korean middle aged women. Additional research is needed to explain the differences among the two groups but the findings can inform the practicing nurse who works with these populations.
Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Female ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Quality of Life ; Self Efficacy ; Surveys and Questionnaires

PURPOSE: This study was done to compare factors influencing children's self-esteem between two parent families and single parent families. METHODS: The participants were 692 children aged 11 to 13 yr (388 in two parent families and 304 in single parent families) recruited from 20 community agencies and 5 elementary schools in Gyeonggi Province and Seoul City, South Korea. Data were collected from May to July, 2007 using a survey questionnaire containing items on self-esteem, internal control, problematic behavior, school record, family hardiness, parent-child communication and social support. The data were analyzed using SPSS 15.0 program and factors affecting children's self-esteem were analyzed by stepwise multiple regression. RESULTS: Scores for the study variables were significantly different between the two groups. The factors influencing children's self-esteem were also different according to family type. For two parent families, internal control, problematic behavior, school record, and parent-child communication significantly predicted the level of self-esteem (adjusted R2=.505, p<.001). For single parent families, social support, family hardiness, internal control, problematic behavior, school record, and parent-child communication significantly predicted the level of self-esteem (adjusted R2=.444, p<.001). CONCLUSION: Nurse working with children should consider family type-specific factors influencing their self-esteem.
Adolescent ; Adolescent Behavior ; *Adolescent Psychology ; Child ; Child Behavior ; Communication ; Educational Status ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Parent-Child Relations ; Questionnaires ; *Self Concept ; *Single-Parent Family ; Social Support

PURPOSE: In this study differences in levels of performance and importance of nursing jobs were explored in relation to levels of work experience. METHOD: The sample was chosen by convenient sampling (N=363) and a cross-sectional study design was used. Frequencies and percentages were used for descriptive statistics. ANOVA was utilized to examine differences in performance and importance of nursing jobs among three groups of nurses, divided based on levels of work experience (less than 1 year, 1 to 4 years, and 5 or more years). RESULTS: Regarding performance of nursing jobs, novice nurses provided more support for patients, but provided less assessment of patients (i.e., investigation of levels of nutrition and exercise, and observation of verbal, and non-verbal behavior, and levels of cognition). Regarding the importance of nursing jobs, nursing linked to exercise and activities, and post-operative and excretion care were considered to be less important among novice nurses than among experienced nurses. CONCLUSION: Different training programs should be developed and provided to nurses according to levels of work experience. By doing so, it will be feasible to minimize differences in quality of nursing care triggered by different levels of work experience.
Cross-Sectional Studies ; Employee Performance Appraisal ; Hospitals, General ; Humans ; Nursing Care ; Nursing Staff

PURPOSE: This study was to compare and examine the effects of auricular acupressure therapy on insomnia in the elderly by Sasangin constitution. METHODS: This study was designed to compare three groups according to Sasangin constitution (Tae Yin In, So Yang In, and So Yin In) in terms of the changeful effects of auricular acupressure therapy on insomnia in the elderly. The subjects were 81 (Tae Yin In: 28, So Yang In: 26, and So Yin In: 27) persons aged over 65 years who were living in Seoul or Gyunggi Province. Data were collected from May, 2007 to July, 2008, and analyzed by SPSS/WIN 16.0. RESULTS: 1. The effect of auricular acupressure on insomnia in Tae Yin In was higher than that in So Yang In, and its effect in So Yang In was higher than that in So Yin In. 2. The effect was highest after the 4th treatment in Tae Yin In, after the 5th treatment in So Yang In, and after the 6th treatment in So Yin In. CONCLUSIONS: The use of auricular acupressure therapy in consideration of individual elders' Sasangin constitution can maximize its effect to relieve insomnia in the elderly.
Acupressure* ; Acupuncture ; Aged* ; Constitution and Bylaws* ; Humans ; Seoul ; Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders*

PURPOSE: The study was a survey study to identify the Activities of Daily Living (ADL) and nursing needs of the elderly in the nursing home and derive the fundamental data for offering the better quality of nursing service to them. METHODS: The subjects were the 111 elderly aged over sixty five living in the nursing home located in Seoul. Measures were the nursing needs scale and ADL scale. The data were analyzed by SAS 11.0. RESULTS: First, with regard to the nursing needs, the general need was scored average 3.0, and the emotional d social need was 3.7, and the physical need was 3.1, and the informational need was 2.7. Second, the ADL was scored at the average of 2.7, bathing 1.9, eating 3.1. Third, In correlation between the nursing needs by area, the informational nursing needs showed the sheer correlation with the physical nursing needs, emotional.social nursing needs. The physical nursing needs showed the sheer correlation with the informational.social nursing needs, and the inverse correlation with the ADL. CONCLUSION: It is necessary that it should improve the service to meet the emotional and social nursing needs and develop the extensive nursing programs satisfying their desires based on the general traits of the elderly.
Activities of Daily Living* ; Aged* ; Baths ; Eating ; Humans ; Nursing Homes* ; Nursing Services ; Nursing* ; Seoul

PURPOSE: This study was to compare and examine the factors influencing burden of primary family caregivers according to the severity of illness of elderly patients admitted in an intensive care unit. METHODS: Subjects were the families of elderly patients in intensive care units of K, S and Y hospitals in Seoul. Data were collected from March to October 2007. Subjects were 108 persons over age 65. Data were analyzed by SAS statistics. RESULTS: First, groups 5 and 3 showed higher burden than that of group 4. Second, high correlation was found between stress and burden, stress and anxiety, and burden and anxiety. Third, factors influencing family burden were found to be stress for group 5, stress, anxiety, and monthly income for group 4, and stress and patient age for group 3. CONCLUSION: Specific nursing interventions to decrease the stress of primary family caregivers of serious ill elderly patients in an intensive care unit are needed. Additionally, more effective and systematic activation of a long-term medical insurance system for seriously ill seniors is considered necessary to mediate the burden of primary family caregivers.
Aged ; Anxiety ; Caregivers ; Humans ; Insurance ; Critical Care ; Intensive Care Units ; Phenothiazines

PURPOSE: This study was to examine factors related to depression of the elderly, and using them, to lay the ground for the development of nursing intervention. METHODS: This was a descriptive correlation study. The subjects were 581 elders aged over 65 from senior centers in Seoul and Gyeonggi-do. Data were analyzed by descriptive statistics, Pearson's correlation coefficients, and multiple regression with SAS. RESULTS: The predictors of depression in the elderly were quality of life, moral, life satisfaction, self-esteem, loneliness, nonformal support, and perceived health state. Among them, quality of life was the most significant predictor in the elderly. These factors explained 72.2% of the total variance. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest the need to develop nursing strategies for decreasing depression in the elderly. To decrease the depression of the elderly, the above-mentioned major influencing factors should be considered.
Aged* ; Depression* ; Gyeonggi-do ; Humans ; Loneliness ; Nursing ; Quality of Life ; Senior Centers ; Seoul ; Statistics as Topic

PURPOSE: The study was to get basic data on the well-being of middle-aged people concerning their preparation for their upcoming old age and their quality of life. METHODS: The subjects were 440 people aged between 40 and 59 living in Seoul and Gyeonggi-do. RESULTS: First, physical preparation for old age was affected by religion, children, health, monthly income, and economical status, and these factors were shown statistically significant. Emotional preparation and spiritual preparation were also related to the above-mentioned factors. Secondly, in the subjects' mental picture, a nursing home was a place for the aged without anyone who is going to take care of them and without abilities to care of themselves. Preference for nursing home was based on two factors, i.e., nursing and treatment care, and the cost was about one million won per month. Also they wanted that the government should pay a certain amount for private users. CONCLUSION: Therefore, people should lead a life of good health-related habits along with economical preparation for their old age.
Child ; Gyeonggi-do ; Humans ; Long-Term Care* ; Nursing ; Nursing Homes ; Quality of Life ; Seoul

PURPOSE: This study was to compare and analyze sleep patterns, satisfaction of sleep, and sleep enhancement behaviors between hospitalized and non-hospitalized elderly. METHODS: Subjects were 201 older adults, who were hospitalized patients or living in U-city, Gyung-gi province. Data was collected from June 10 to August 25, 2007, and was analyzed by the SAS program. RESULTS: 1) Non-hospitalized elderly had better sleep patterns than hospitalized elderly patients. 2) There was a strong positive correlation between sleep patterns and satisfaction of sleep in both groups. 3) In hospitalized elderly, there were significant differences in sleep patterns and satisfaction of sleep by month. 4) In non-hospitalized elderly, there was a significant difference in sleep patterns by presence or absence of spouses. There was a significant difference in satisfaction of sleep by those living with others. There were significant differences in sleep enhancement behaviors by age, religion, length of time, and sponsors. CONCLUSION: To relieve sleep disturbances of elderly, comprehension of sleep of the aged by nursing care givers should be obtained. Also, improving environments and elder's selfesteem with religious consideration and preparation of financial conditions are needed to promote the sleep of hospitalized and non-hospitalized elderly.
Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; *Behavior ; Data Interpretation, Statistical ; Female ; Humans ; Inpatients/*psychology ; Interviews as Topic ; Male ; Outpatients/*psychology ; Patient Satisfaction ; *Sleep ; Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders/*psychology