The Moderating Role of Social Activity on Age Norms and Subjective Health Status of Older Adults: A Two-Stage Cluster Korea National Survey

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to examine how social activity (SA) moderates the relationship between age norms (AN) and subjective health status (SHS) among older adults in Korea. Based on the theories of age-integrated structure and active aging, the proposed hypotheses were that SHS has a positive association with attitudes towards AN, and with the interactions between different types of AN and SA. METHODS: Cross-sectional data from a Korean national survey of older adults were analyzed. Participants were older adults N = 10,451, of whom 10,280 were used in the study sample. Multivariate linear regression including interaction terms, was used to examine the associations among SHS, AN, and SA. RESULTS: The results of multivariate linear regression examining learning (ß = 0.066, p < 0.001), working (ß = 0.063, p < 0.001), and remarriage (ß = 0.036, p < 0.001) showed that those who perceived AN more positively, were more likely to have a high SHS. With interaction terms, those who had a positive attitude towards AN for learning and volunteering (ß = 0.025, p < 0.05), and remarriage and engaged in friendship groups (ß = 0.032, p < 0.05) were more likely to have a high SHS. CONCLUSION: SA serves as a great moderator between AN and SHS.

The Status of Nutritional Supplements Nutritional Supplements and Factors affecting Health Promotion Behaviors in Pregnant Women

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify the relationships among nutritional supplement intake, subjective health status, health control level and health promotion behaviors and to investigate factors affecting health promotion behaviors in pregnant women. METHODS: A total of 153 pregnant women was recruited from a university hospital in J city in Korea. Data were collected using self-reported questionnaires. RESULTS: Most participants (91.5%) took nutritional supplements. Health promotion behavior had positive correlations with subjective health status (r=0.313, p < 0.001), internal control (r=0.229, p=0.004), powerful others locus of control (r=0.162, p=0.046), and doctors locus of control (r=0.215, p=0.008). There was a negative correlation between health promotion behavior and chance locus of control (r=−0.273, p=0.001). Health status (β=0.25, p=0.001), chance locus of control (β=−0.28, p < 0.001), doctors locus of control (β=0.20, p=0.009), and powerful others locus of control (β=0.16, p=0.033) were significant predictors for health promotion behavior. These variables explained 25.8% of the variance in health promotion behavior. CONCLUSION: The study results indicate that it is necessary to develop a nutrition education program and nursing intervention in order to promote health for pregnant women.

Risk Factors Associated with the Fear of Falling in Community-Living Elderly People in Korea: Role of Psychological Factors

Little is known about the risk factors for the fear of falling in elderly Korean individuals. Thus, the present study aimed to investigate the risk factors for fear of falling in a representative elderly population of over 10,000 individuals aged 65 years and older. A multivariate multinomial analysis revealed that the risk factors associated with a severe fear of falling were being female [odds ratio (OR)=4.396], older age (OR=5.550 for those aged ≥85 years), lower level of education (OR=0.719 for those with ≥13 years of schooling), chronic illness (OR=2.788 for those with more than three chronic illnesses), poor subjective health (OR=6.268), functional impairments (OR=2.340), a history of falling (OR=7.062), and depression (OR=1.774). The ORs for each of these risk factors were particularly high in participants with a severe fear of falling. Particularly, a history of falling and/or poor subjective health status had strong independent associations with the fear of falling. The present findings may help health care professionals identify individuals that would benefit from interventions aimed at reducing the fear of falling.

Self-rated Subjective Health Status Is Strongly Associated with Sociodemographic Factors, Lifestyle, Nutrient Intakes, and Biochemical Indices, but Not Smoking Status: KNHANES 2007-2012

Despite advertised health warnings regarding the deadly hazards of smoking, many people have not heeded recommendations to quit smoking. We examined factors that affect self-rated subjective health status (SRH) scores among lifestyle, nutrient intake and biochemical parameters, and the association of SRH scores and smoking status in a large Korean adult population. Adjusted odd ratios for SRH were calculated for smoking status, selected biochemical data, and food and nutrient intake obtained using the 24-hr recall method after covariate adjustment in the 2007-2012 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (27,534 men and women aged > or = 20 yr). Age, sex, income, education, drinking, exercise and stress levels were associated with SRH scores, regardless of smoking status (P < 0.001). Interestingly, people in any smoking status groups considered the well-known indicators for metabolic diseases (HDL cholesterol, glucose, aspartate aminotransferase, and alanine aminotransferase in the circulation), and the intake of fiber, total vitamins A, and vitamin C as indicators of SRH. Especially in current smokers, higher intake of nutritious food groups such as grains (OR = 1.227), vegetables (OR = 1.944), and milk (OR = 2.26) significantly increased the adjusted odds ratio of SRH. However, smoking status was not associated with SRH scores. In conclusion, SRH is affected by the indices related to health but not smoking status in Korean adults. The development of a new indicator of the direct adverse effects of smoking at regular health check-ups might be required to modulate the SRH in smokers and a nutritional education should not include the possible attenuation of adverse effects of smoking by good nutrition.

An investigation of the factors related to the intention of nurses to leave their profession: based on a survey of nurses working in palliative care units

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationships among the intention of palliative care nurses to leave their profession and work-life balance, organizational climate, and health status with the objective of exploring the factors that prompt nurses to leave their profession. A cross-sectional survey of 105 palliative care unit nurses working in 7 facilities in prefecture A was conducted using an anonymous, self-completed questionnaire between March and April 2010. Data on eighty-three respondents (response rate, 79.0%) were used. The results were analyzed using a multiple regression analysis with ‘intention to leave profession’ as the dependent variable. The results of the analysis revealed that the organizational climate, the evaluation scores for work and life, and the degree of fatigue were significantly related to the intention of nurses to leave their profession. These results suggest that to reduce the intentions of nurses to leave their profession, improving autonomy within organizational climates and reducing fatigue and low estimates of work-life balance are important. Palliat Care Res 2011; 6(1): 126-132