Hyunsook Yoon

Korea: Balancing Economic Growth and Social Protection for Older Adults

Population aging in Korea is projected to be the most rapid among Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries between 2000 and 2050. However, social spending in Korea remains low, reflecting Koreas relatively young population, limited health and long-term care insurance coverage, and immaturity of its pension system. As these factors evolve in coming years, social spending in Korea is likely to rise toward the OECD average. Sustaining economic growth requires policies to mitigate the impact of rapid population aging by providing social protection for the elderly population. Korea confronts difficult challenges in balancing economic growth and social protection for the elderly population, whereas also ensuring efficiency in social spending.

Factors affecting quality of life of the Korean aged stroke patients

Among the most prevalent disabling diseases of old age, stroke is the leading chronic condition in Korea. The physical and psychosocial complications of a stroke can result in serious limitations on all aspects of ones life that affect overall quality of life. This study examines the relative importance of and interactions among factors which affect the quality of life of 119 stroke patients aged sixty-five and older in Korea. The model uses family support, personality (specifically hardiness), economic status, and physical functioning as independent variables, and quality of life as a dependent variable. The results of this study suggest that physical functioning and physical care by the family are important factors influencing quality of life of the aged stroke patients. Hardy personality is negatively associated with financial support and physical care by the family. These findings have several implications for policy development, clinical practice, and future research in this area.

Body-Mind-Spirit Practice for Healthy Aging

This community-based, health promotion intervention for seniors provided a comprehensive review of the effect of body-mind-spirit (BMS) interventions on health behaviors. The 12-week curriculum offered sessions on exercise, nutrition, sexuality, leisure, stress management, cognitive behavioral therapy, forgiveness, and happiness. Gerontological experts carefully reviewed the adequacy of the programs objectives and instructional methods to meet the needs of older adults in South Korea. Seventy community-dwelling older adults were recruited at two community welfare centers and assigned to experimental (n = 32) and control (n = 38) groups. Extensive evaluations found that participation in the BMS program contributed to better outcomes in both physical and spiritual dimensions of health.

Factors affecting quality of life of older adults with cancer in Korea

The main objective of the present study was to examine the quality of life of older adults with cancer and investigate factors associated with it. Some practical problems experienced by older adults with cancer are introduced, such as changes in work situation, availability of caregivers and financial difficulties relative to medical expenditures.

The Effect of Widowhood on Parent–Child Relationships in Korea: Do Parents’ Filial Expectations and Geographic Proximity to Children Matter?

Although previous research based on data from the U.S. suggests that parents’ widowhood is associated with increased emotional support from children, little is known about the impact of late-life widowhood on intergenerational relationships in other cultures. Using data of Korean older adults, this paper examined: (1) the effect of widowhood on both positive and negative aspects of parent–child relationships and (2) whether these effects are moderated by older adults’ expectations about children’s filial responsibilities and the geographic proximity to their children. Analyses are based on data from the Hallym Aging Study, a stratified multi-stage probability sample of older adults living in the cities of Seoul and Chuncheon in Korea. Compared to married older adults, widowed persons in this sample reported higher levels of ambivalence, lower levels of positive interactions, and higher levels of negative interactions with their children. Parents’ notion about filial responsibilities did not have a significant moderating effect, whereas geographic proximity to children was a significant moderator. Findings suggest that widowhood is associated with greater strain in intergenerational relationships in Korea. Helping widowed older adults forge constructive relationships with their children may enhance both bereaved older adults’ and their children’s well-being in this cultural milieu.

Quality of life of older adults with cancer in Korea

ABSTRACT This study examines the quality of life (QoL) of older adults with cancer (N = 176), by comparing them with age- and gender-matched groups without cancer (N = 176), and investigates factors associated with their QoL. The results of Medical Outcome Study Short Form-36 (MOS SF-36) showed that the study group had significantly lower scores than the noncancer group on all eight scales and on the Physical Component Summary and the Mental Component Summary. Comparison with gender and age groups revealed some differences. Optimism and social support were positively related to QoL while comorbidity, cancer-related concerns, and financial worries were inversely related.

Longitudinal follow-up of quality of life in gastrointestinal cancer patients after curative surgery in South Korea.

697 Background: Early detection of cancer and improved treatment have led to higher survival rates and an increasing number of long-term survivors in oncology practice. But there are few longitudinal Quality of Life (QoL) studies in patients who experienced cancer surgery. To investigate the longitudinal change in QoL of elderly gastrointestinal cancer patients, we designed prospective study for QoL in resected gastrointestinal cancer patients. Methods: A prospective longitudinal cohort study was designed. Patients from Hallym, Ajou, and Samsung medical center in South Korea were enrolled consecutively from February to September of 2012. Patients over 55 years old who received curative resection due to gastrointestinal cancer were included. They were given questionnaires every 6 months since then, and we’ve been using EORTC QLQ C-30 as quality of life scale. We selected patients using propensity score matching(PSM). The mean scores of the patients completing the interview at the 3 time points were compare...