J Nurs Acad Soc.  1991 Dec;21(3):365-382.

A Study of the Health Status of Elderly Residing in Large city, Medium and Small city, Rural areas in Korea

• Choi YH
• Shin YH

Abstract

This study was designed to measure the physical, mental-emotional and social health status of elderlies according to rural areas, medium-small cities, and large city environment. Data collection was done from July 18 to August 17, 1990. The subjects were a convenience sample after their place of residence was stratified into large, medium-small cities and rural areas. Those who attended elderly centers in Seodaemun, Mapo, and Kangnam districts in Seoul were considered to be residents of a large city and interviewed by trained research assistants and student nurses. Elderlies living in Chungju, Jinju, Chuncheon, and Jeonju cities were coded as resident of medium-small cities and were interviewed by professors of nursing college. Rural residents were interviewed by the community health practioners working in community health practioners working in community health clinics in North and South Kyongsang, North and South Jeolla, and Kyonggi provinces. The tool used in this study was the health assessment tool developed by Choi, Young Hee in 1990. This tool was organized into 20 physical health status, 17 mental-emotional health status, and 37 social health status items. Physical health status items consisted of six factors-personal hygiene activity ability, external activity utilizing traffic, mass media, and spare time ability, sexual ability, digestive system related ability, sexual ability, sensory ability, and elimination ability. Mental-emotional health status items consisted of two factors-mental health factor and emotional health factor. Social health status items consisted of seven factors-grandparental role ability, parental role ability, spoused role ability, friendship role ability, kinship role ability. Data Analysis included frequencies, percentage mean, standard deviation, ANOVA, and chi-square test. The results of the analysis are as follows : 1. The mean physical health status score for large city residents was 4.1132, for rural residents 4.0787, and for medium and small city residents 3.9565. There were significant differences according to residential area for personal hygiene activity ability, external activity ability, sexual ability, and digestive system related ability items 2. The mean mental-emotional health status score for rural residents was 3.8291, for medium and small city residents 3.7967, and for large city residents 3.7807. There was a significant difference according to residential area in the mental health ability item. 3. The mean social health status score for medium and small city residents was 3.0000, for rural residents 2.9362, and for large city residents 2.8960. There were significant differences according to residential area for kinship role ability and religious believer role ability items. The following conclusion was derived from the above results : 1. The physical health status of elderlies residing in medium-small cities and in rural areas was lower than that of those residing in Seoul, a large urban area. Therefore, more medical facilities are needed in rural area so as to monitor their health, prevent disease, and promote their health. 2. The mental-emotional status and social health status of elderlies residing in the large city were lower than the of those residing in medium-small cities and rural areas. This may reflect weakening of the strong traditional family bond that may happen with urbanization. Continued support for elderly parents is essential and education should emphasize the traditional cultural norm and value of filial piety. 3. Facilities and programs for elderly are needed so that they may spend their time more valuably in their urban environment.

MeSH Terms

Aged*
Chungcheongbuk-do
Data Collection
Digestive System
Education
Friends
Gangwon-do
Gyeonggi-do
Gyeongsangnam-do
Humans
Hygiene
Jeollabuk-do
Korea*
Mass Media
Mental Health
Nursing
Parents
Role
Seoul
Statistics as Topic
Time
Urbanization