Elderly Korean Women Research Articles

Life Satisfaction Of Korean Elderly Parents According To Offspring Gender: A Kangwha Cohort Study

Background: The aging population trend is increasing globally and raises social concerns regarding life satisfaction of elderly people. Offspring are perceived to be a significant factor for Korean elderly people. This study identified whether elderly life satisfaction was related to offspring gender. Methods: This cross-sectional study consisted of 2,875 respondents (male, 7,176; female, 1,699) aged 65 years or older from the Kang- wha Cohort Study. Analysis of variance and linear regression model were used to analyze the association between offspring gender and life satisfaction. The variables related to life satisfaction were controlled for in the present study. Results: Elderly Korean women who had son(s) and daughter(s) scored on average 6.491 points (p = 0.000) higher on the Life Satisfac- tion Index (LSI) than women with no children. Parents who were 75-84 years old and had only son(s) scored on average 6.166 points (p = 0.034) higher on the LSI than parents of the same age with no children after adjusting for age, marital status, occupation, education, chronic disease, smoking, and alcohol consumption. Conclusion: Life satisfaction of elderly Korean parents varied according to offspring gender. The results may be related to ideology of the nuclear family, tradition of male child preference, importance of social support, and vulnerability of the social security system as Korean social cultural characteristics.

Cardiac and pulmonary benefits of forest walking versus city walking in elderly women: A randomised, controlled, open-label trial

IntroductionInterest increases in the role of the natural environment providing health benefits. This study compared forest and city walking on arterial stiffness and pulmonary function. MethodsA single-centre, parallel, randomised, and controlled, open-label trial was conducted. Seventy women >60 years were recruited into the study. The forest-walking group walked around a forested area for 1h. The city-walking group walked around an urban area for 1h. Blood pressure, arterial stiffness (CAVI), and pulmonary function (FEV1, FEV6) were assessed before and 30min after the walking activity. ResultsOf the 70 women randomly assigned to the forest walking (n=50) or city walking (n=20) groups. Eight participants were excluded from analysis due to early dropout leaving43 participants in the forest-walking group and 19 in the city-walking group. One hour of forest walking significantly improved CAVI (p<0.01), FEV1 (p<0.01) and FEV6 (p<0.01). No significant change was observed in the city-walking group. There were significant differences in changes of CAVI (p<0.01), FEV1 (p=0.02), and FEV6 (p=0.04), between the city-walking and the forest-walking groups. No significant side effects were reported. ConclusionOur results showed that forest walking improved arterial stiffness and pulmonary function in 61 elderly Korean women. Further large scale and long-term studies are needed to better understand the clinical significance of these findings. Clinical trial registered with www.cris.org (KCT0000631).

Social Activities and Health of Korean Elderly Women by Age Groups

The objective of this study was to examine the extent to which the association between different types of social activities and multiple dimensions of health outcomes varies by age groups among Korean elderly. This study employed regression models with data from the Korean Longitudinal Study of Ageing. Social activities were associated with various dimensions of health status of adult women after adjusting for background variables. The association between social activities and health status does not show a great difference between adults of ages 45–64 and of those aged over 65 years. Compared to informal family relationships, involvement in social activities was positively associated with various health outcomes. While previous studies emphasized the importance of informal family relationships among the elderly, which increase with age, this study showed that social activities have a significant influence on the health of elderly females. This influence is equally significant for adults older than 65 years of age as well as 45- to 64-year-old adults. This finding suggests that social policy to get older females more involved in a wide array of social activities helps keep them in good health status.

노인여성에서 신체구성과 혈류동태 지표들의 관련성 및 공통성

The main purpose of this study is to find the relations and common factors regarding the body composition and hemodynamic variables. The subjects were 257 elderly Korean women (mean age 69.32 years). Body composition measurement items were minerals, muscle mass(MM), fat mass(FM), body fat percentage(BFP), waist-hip ratio(WHR) and body mass index(BMI). Hemodynamic factors were systolic blood pressure(SBP), diastolic blood pressure(DBP), resting heart rate(HR), pulse wave korotkoff sound systolic time(TP-KS), pressure rate product(PRP), stroke volume(SV), cardiac output(CO), cardiac index(CI) and total peripheral resistance(TPR). Data assessment for Pearson`s correlations and common factors was analyzed using SPSS (ver. 19.0). The results are as follows. First, there was no significant correlations between body compositions and hemodynamic variables in elderly Korean women. Second, MM and WHR were significantly related to all of body compositions. There were statistically significant positive relationships between MM and obesity. Third, hemodynamic variables such as SBP, HR, PRP, CO were TPR modulators which affect blood circulations throughout whole-body. Fourth, arteriosclerosis index(TP-KS) displayed a negative relationship with HR, however there were no any significant correlations between TP-KS, body compositions and hemodynamic variables. Fifth, measuring body compositions and hemodynamic items such as FM, minerals, CO, DBP, HR can be used to help figure out most of the body composition and hemodynamic conditions in elderly Korean women. In summary, the relationships between body compositions and hemodynamic variables were no significance, which suggests that the body compositions and hemodynamic elements in elderly Korean women should be interpreted and took care of as a independent factor for elderly health management. Controling muscle mass and abdominal obesity would be helpful for managing all of body composition and elderly health. Mild obesity in elderly Korean women may have positive effects on keeping muscle mass and expanding lifespan. Senile arteriosclerosis may be more affected by other components than body compositions and hemodynamic variables.

Hearts of Pine: Songs in the Lives of Three Korean Survivors of the Japanese “Comfort Women.” by Joshua D. Pilzer (review)

Reviewed by: Hearts of Pine: Songs in the Lives of Three Korean Survivors of the Japanese “Comfort Women.” by Joshua D. Pilzer Ruth Mueller Hearts of Pine: Songs in the Lives of Three Korean Survivors of the Japanese “Comfort Women.” By Joshua D. Pilzer. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2012. [xix, 216 p. ISBN 9780199759569 (hardcover), $99; ISBN 9780199759576 (paperback), $25.] Illustrations, companion Web site, bibliography, discography, index. Joshua D. Pilzer’s Hearts of Pine, a continuation and refinement of his dissertation (University of Chicago, 2006), follows the story of three victims of Japanese sexual slavery, as well as that of Pilzer as he undertakes fieldwork spanning a decade. He develops relationships with three survivors of the “comfort women” system: Pak Duri, Mun Pilgi, and Bae Chunhui. Pilzer places himself within the story and shows how his perspective is, at times, advantageous and somewhat limited. Through the voice of these three women, he explores their position between the public expectations of the “comfort woman grandmother” and their own voices as individuals with a range of life experiences and perspectives. Pilzer’s own experience as a researcher, slowly gaining the trust of his informants over time, clearly exemplifies this dichotomy between these public and private roles. His book aims at giving voice to these women, who are held in time by the social expectation of the “preservation of the wound” whereby they are “asked for infinite encores of the performance of suffering” (p. 59). Therefore, the song, privately an act of healing, entails a constant reopening of the wound in public. “Comfort women” under the Japanese imperial system do not constitute a new area of study, nor is the description of such women’s lives without precedent. Other researchers such as Howard and Kim-Gibson (Keith Howard, True Stories of the Korean Comfort Women: Testimonies [London: Cassell, 1995]; Dai Sil Kim-Gibson, Silence Broken: Korean Comfort Women [Parkers burg, IA: Mid-Prairie Books, 1999]) tell the stories within the system of sexual slavery or life during this period. Sarah Soh goes beyond life in “comfort stations” to explain how women heal, using snippets of different women’s experiences (C. Sarah Soh, The Comfort Women: Sexual Violence and Post-colonial Memory in Korean and Japan [Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 2008]). Pilzer’s book looks at the lives of three women as a whole, showing the process of healing within the scope of a life-span. Hearts of Pine, when combined with the companion Web site (http://www.oup.com/us/companion.websites/9780199759576/, accessed 15 March 2013), gives an individual voice to women often depersonalized and desexualized as symbols of the national suffering. Hearing the voices of these women in combination with photos reveals them as far more than their role as “comfort women grandmothers.” There are understandably questions of perspective between the researcher, a young American male, and the subjects, elderly Korean women, when undertaking this kind of research project. Pilzer shows great sensitivity, humility, and intelligence towards this complex issue; however, this same sensitivity seems overly cautious and almost defensive at points. His language is almost poetic and shows great respect for the women. His relationship with each of them shows them to be complete women rather than victims, which seems to be the purpose of his work. Hearts of Pine looks at how song functions in the lives of the three women. While the three sections do give information about each woman’s life and, in various degrees of detail, her time as a “comfort woman,” the primary focus seems to be on the present moment in company with Pilzer at the House of Sharing, a rest home for victims of Japanese sexual slavery. He focuses on how these women have come to be as they are late in life. In the first section on Pak Duri, he explores how she uses song and wit, often changing words to traditional and popular songs, to sexualize herself to reclaim the part of her that is assumed to have been destroyed through sexual violence. This section also talks about Pak Duri’s role in the weekly protests outside of the Japanese embassy as well as her struggle between the public...

Higher mortality in metabolically obese normal‐weight people than in metabolically healthy obese subjects in elderly Koreans

The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of body mass index (BMI) and the presence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) on all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in elderly Korean men and women, and especially to compare metabolically obese normal-weight (MONW) and metabolically healthy obese (MHO) subjects. A total of 2317 elderly people (over 60 years of age) were studied using follow-up data from the South-West Seoul (SWS) Study, a prospective cohort study. Mortality from all causes and cardiovascular disease (CVD) were evaluated according to the combination of the presence or absence of MetS and Asian-specific body mass index (BMI) criteria (BMI <23 kg/m²; normal weight, BMI 23-24·9 kg/m²; overweight, BMI ≥25 kg/m²; obesity). During a median follow-up of 10·3 years, 393 subjects died, including 126 from CVD. Among subjects with MetS, all-cause and CVD mortality were significantly higher in normal-weight subjects than overweight or obese individuals in Cox proportional-hazard models adjusted for confounding factors. Furthermore, among six groups with various MetS/BMI combinations, MONW individuals had the highest risk, whereas overweight subjects without MetS had the lowest risk of death from all causes and CVD [HR = 2·2 (95% CI = 1·4-3·4), HR = 3·0 (95% CI = 1·4-6·6) respectively]. Interestingly, all-cause mortality was significantly higher in MONW than MHO individuals. In contrast to MHO subjects, elderly individuals with the MONW phenotype exhibited greater all-cause mortality during 10 years of follow-up.

Leukocyte telomere length is independently associated with gait speed in elderly women

ObjectivesDeclining gait speed is common in the elderly population and is associated with age-related conditions. Because telomere length is a reflection of aging and known to affect degenerative changes in organ systems, gait speed may be associated with telomere length. We therefore investigated the relationship between gait speed and leukocyte telomere length in elderly Korean women. Study designCross-sectional study. Main outcome measuresA total of 117 Korean elderly women participated. Metabolic variables were assessed along with gait speed calculated as walking distance (6m) divided by time. Leukocyte telomere length was measured by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction. ResultsGait speed correlated with telomere length (r=0.38, p<0.01), fasting insulin (r=−0.19, p=0.04), homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance index (HOMA-IR; r=−0.22, p=0.02), triglyceride (r=−0.20, p=0.03), and Korean Mini-Mental State Examination (K-MMSE; r=0.20, p=0.03) after adjusting for age. On step-wise multiple regression analysis, telomere length (β=0.35, p<0.01), K-MMSE (β=0.16, p=0.02), age (β=−0.23, p=0.01), and HOMA-IR (β=−0.19, p=0.03) were identified as independent variables associated with gait speed. ConclusionsThis study suggested that telomere length may have a role in maintaining overall health status as well as preserving gait speed in the elderly population. Further studies are required to better understand the significance of our findings.

The Relevances of Metabolic Syndrome with Dietary Habit and Lifestyle in Korean middle‐aged Women

The aim of this study was to research the relationship of metabolic syndrome (MS) with dietary habit and lifestyle in 45–60 years aged Korean women who visited the Changwon Hanheart hospital for medical examination from July to September, 2012(IRB 2012–1, Hanheart hospital) using SPSS statistics version 20.0 program. The subjects were divided into the following two groups: MS group (≥ 3 among 5 indices: waist circumference, triglyceride, HDL‐cholesterol, glucose and blood pressure) and none MS group (&lt; 3 among 5 indices). Fourteen subjects 117 participants had metabolic syndrome (12%). BMI (p&lt;0.05) and smoking ratio (p&lt;0.01) in MS group were significantly higher, but self‐rated health status was significantly lower (p&lt;0.05) than in none MS group. The subjects having MS showed a significantly negative correlation with ‘meal regularity’ (p&lt;0.01), ‘constant food intake’ (p&lt;0.05), ‘having enough meal time’ ( p&lt;0.01), ‘fruits intake frequency’ (p&lt;0.05), ‘adequate energy intake’ (p&lt;0.05), ‘total dietary habit score’ (p&lt;0.001), but showed a significantly positive correlation with ‘frequency of meats intake’ (p&lt;0.01), ‘frequency of high cholesterol foods intake’ (p&lt;0.001) and ‘frequency of salty foods intake’ (p&lt;0.01). In conclusion, the risk of the metabolic syndrome is substantially lower in individuals who have healthful dietary habit.This research was supported by Basic Science Research Program through the National Research Foundation of Korea funded by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology(2012–0004233)

Productive Activity and Life Satisfaction in Korean Elderly Women

The purpose of this study is to explain the effect of participation in productive activities on life satisfaction and its implications for social evaluation of productive aging. This study uses data collected from 1,250 elderly women living in urban areas. The regression model was used to examine the influence of elderly women's participation in productive activities on their life satisfaction. Elderly women who participate in volunteer work, learning, and social group activities commonly recognized their activities as meaningful, feeling like worthwhile members of society, and evaluated such activities as very positive. In contrast, elderly women who participated in household chores and family care activities expressed a negative life satisfaction. The difference in life satisfaction regarding productive activities stems not only from the physical and environmental differences but also from the gap between the official social value underpinned by the recognition of surrounding people, their support, and the value of productive activities.

Hearts of Pine: Songs in the Lives of Three Korean Survivors of the Japanese “Comfort Women.” by Joshua D. Pilzer (review)

Reviewed by: Hearts of Pine: Songs in the Lives of Three Korean Survivors of the Japanese “Comfort Women.” by Joshua D. Pilzer Jessica Payette (bio) Hearts of Pine: Songs in the Lives of Three Korean Survivors of the Japanese “Comfort Women.” By Joshua D. Pilzer. New York: Oxford University Press, 2012. 168pp. Presented in conjunction with a companion website, http://www.oup.com/us/companion.websites/9780199759576. From Angry Anthems to Tragic Teuroteu: Listening to the Recalibration of Selfhood in Songs of Korean Sexual Trauma Survivors On December 14, 2011, activists for the Korean Council for the Women Drafted for Sexual Slavery by Japan (henceforth abbreviated as the Korean Council), in Seoul, and the Washington Coalition for Comfort Women Issues, as well as an assortment of other human rights advocacy organizations, gathered in front of Japanese embassies around the globe to hold their 1,000th Wednesday demonstration protesting the refusal of the Japanese government to offer a public apology and legal reparations to the survivors of the military sexual slavery system that was implemented during the Asia-Pacific War (1930–45). During this period an estimated 50,000 to 200,000 women were falsely promised education or stable employment by the Japanese military; they were abducted or voluntarily left their homes with no inkling of the horrors that they would face as “comfort women” (ianfu in Japanese). Imprisoned in “comfort stations,” they were forced to have sex with soldiers and affiliated civilians or face brutal [End Page 81] beatings if they refused.1 While some women were the private sexual slaves of high-ranking officers, others were confined to tiny rooms where they had no choice but to submit to the demands of many soldiers per day. Many of these women died or committed suicide after being liberated in 1945, and the ones who lived faced societal pressure to remain silent about their experiences. For over four decades, former “comfort women” who suddenly found themselves deposited back into mainstream society in Korea and elsewhere did not openly acknowledge their past or receive therapy; they existed as an anonymous conglomerate whose nondescript story was guarded as a national secret. The terrible memories that vividly haunted survivors in their dreams could only be verbally expressed through metaphor, which is why many of them were drawn to the expressive medium of song. In 1991, encouraged by a spirit of growing nationalism and critical reevaluation of Japanese colonization that propelled the gradual democratization of South Korea, survivor Kim Haksun delivered the first public testimony, in which she spoke about being maltreated and witnessing the deaths of other women. This prompted the organization of the first Wednesday demonstration, for the 1992 Korean visit of Japan’s prime minister, Miyazawa, and the filing of a petition to the United Nations Commission on Human Rights, which brought global attention to the issue. In addition to serving as a constant reminder that Japan has not yet complied with international mandates, the Wednesday demonstrations also continue to provide a forum for survivors to interact with each other and the public as they strive to educate younger generations whose history books fail to expose them to the thousands of women who continue to be deprived of basic human rights upon being taken captive by sexual slavery systems. In 2001 ethnomusicologist Joshua Pilzer nervously attended a Wednesday demonstration in Seoul, hoping to establish a connection with survivors despite feeling that he was “tailor-made to the worst possible subject position from which to take on the project, radically separated from these elderly Korean women survivors of sexual violence and war by gender, generation, culture, class, and experience” (ix). His knowledge of the Korean language and traditional folk songs helped him to gradually form bonds with some of the Korean survivors, who welcomed him to the House of Sharing—a rest home and museum for survivors founded by monks and followers of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism—and granted him the opportunity to listen to and record cherished songs that were sung in public and private settings. When the House of Sharing moved from Seoul to a more spacious suburban site in 1995, it was designed [End Page 82] to be...

Gender-specific combined effects of smoking and hypertension on cardiovascular disease mortality in elderly Koreans: The Kangwha Cohort Study

ObjectiveWe examined gender-specific combined effects of smoking and hypertension on risk of mortality from cardiovascular disease in elderly Korean men and women. Study designThis study followed a cohort of 6097 residents (2593 men, 3504 women) in the general population of Kangwha County, aged ≥55 years in March 1985 and examined their cause-specific mortality for 20.8 years, up to December 31, 2005. All participants were followed up more than once after the 1985 survey. Main outcome measuresWe calculated hazard ratios for mortality for the combined sets of smoking habits and blood pressure levels using the Cox proportional-hazard model. The set of non-smokers with normal blood pressure served as a reference group. ResultsDuring the 20.8 years of follow-up, 759 people died from cardiovascular disease. The risk of mortality from cardiovascular disease and stroke according to smoking or hypertension was not different between men and women. However, the risk among smokers combined with hypertension was higher in men than in women; the multivariable-adjusted hazard ratios (95% CI) for mortality from cardiovascular disease and stroke were 4.52 (1.67–12.21) and 6.37 (1.57–25.85) in men and 2.11 (1.37–3.24) and 2.41 (1.44–4.01) in women, respectively. ConclusionsThe magnitude of the joint effects of smoking and hypertension on cardiovascular disease and stroke mortality was different between men and women. This study suggests that combining quitting smoking with lowering blood pressure could contribute to preventing cardiovascular disease and stroke, especially in men.

Smoking After Age 65 Years and Mortality: The Kangwha Cohort Study

The relationship between smoking and mortality in elderly people, especially in women, is unclear. The present paper examines the association between smoking and the risk of mortality due to all causes of death with a special focus on cardiovascular disease in elderly Korean men and women. This study followed a cohort of 2201 residents (934 males and 1267 females) in Kangwha county who were ≥ 65 years of age. All patients were followed from March 1994 through December 31, 2005 (11.8 years) in order to determine cause-specific mortality. We calculated the hazard ratio of mortality according to smoking status using the Cox proportional hazard model. During the 11.8 years of the study duration, 529 men and 498 women died. Current female smokers also demonstrated higher levels of cognitive impairment than nonsmokers. Current female smokers demonstrated significantly increased risks of mortality from deaths due to all causes and total cardiovascular disease in comparison with female nonsmokers. The hazard ratio (95% confidence interval) of mortality was 1.32 (1.05–1.66) for all causes and 1.76 (1.10–2.82) for total cardiovascular disease. Current male smokers also demonstrated an increased risk of mortality due to all causes in comparison with male nonsmokers, but this outcome was not statistically significant. The results of this study suggest that smoking has a harmful effect on the risk of mortality due to cardiovascular diseases in elderly Korean women. However, these findings need to be confirmed by further studies.

Seeking “A Place Where One Belongs”

The study examined the subjective life experiences of elderly first-generation Korean women living in Japan and investigated their adjustment to the local Japanese community. The study group comprised 14 elderly Korean women residents at a Korean-oriented, insurance-based, day services center in midwestern Japan. They were interviewed in depth, and the data were analyzed using the modified grounded theory approach. The study designated the core category as "conservation of ethnic identity" and identified five subcategories: (a) loneliness, (b) returning to one's homeland culture, (c) physical decline as a result of aging, (d) family ties, and (e) a place where one belongs. The results elucidated that although the participants had adapted to Japanese culture, they were strongly influenced by the memories of their hometowns and wished to return to their homeland. The study suggests that elderly immigrants need day care support that provides an environment where they can enjoy their culture.

Factors Associated with the Use of Uterine Cervical Cancer Screening Services in Korean Elderly Women

BackgroundThe Papanicolaou (Pap) smear test is an effective screening test for the early detection of uterine cervical cancer. The Pap test still plays an important role in Korean elderly women, as uterine cervical cancer remains a frequent form of cancer and an important cause of death. However, the participation rate and other factors related to the Pap test in Korean elderly women have been studied insufficiently.MethodsThis study included 654 individuals aged 65 and over who completed a cervical cancer screening questionnaire from the Third Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2005. Using multiple logistic regression, odds ratios and confidence intervals for the association between attendance of the Pap test and sociodemographic or health-related factors were calculated.ResultsOne hundred and eleven individuals (17.0%) of the study population showed compliance with Pap testing within the previous 2 years. We recognized that the most elderly women (75 years and over) or those with lower levels of education were less likely to have had the test.ConclusionPrimary health care providers need to make efforts to improve attendance rates of Pap smear screening in Korean elderly women, individually taking into account previous Pap results, life expectancy, risk factors for cervical cancer, and preferences. More attention will especially be needed among the eldest elderly or less educated elderly women.

Indoor Physical Activity Reduces All-Cause and Cardiovascular Disease Mortality Among Elderly Women

ObjectivesThe aim of this study was to investigate whether a medium to high degree of total physical activity and indoor physical activity were associated with reduced all-cause and cardiovascular mortality among elderly Korean women.MethodsA prospective cohort study was done to evaluate the association between physical activity and mortality. The cohort was made up of elderly (≥65 years of age) subjects. Baseline information was collected with a self-administered questionnaire and linked to death certificates retrieved from a database. Cox proportional hazard models were used to estimate the hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence interval (CI) levels.ResultsWomen who did not suffer from stroke, cancer, or ischemic heart disease were followed for a median of 8 years (n=5079). A total of 1798 all-cause deaths were recorded, of which 607 (33.8%) were due to cardiovascular disease. The group with the highest level of total physical activity and indoor physical activity was significantly associated to a reduced all-cause mortality (HR, 0.60; 95% CI, 0.51 to 0.71 and HR, 0.58; 95% CI, 0.50 to 0.67, respectively) compared to the group with the lowest level of total physical activity and indoor physical activity. Additionally, the group with the highest level of total physical activity and indoor physical activity was significantly associated to a lower cardiovascular disease mortality (HR, 0.53; 95% CI, 0.40 to 0.71 and HR, 0.51; 95% CI, 0.39 to 0.67, respectively) compared to the group with the lowest level of total physical activity and indoor physical activity.ConclusionsOur study showed that regular indoor physical activity among elderly Korean women has healthy benefits.

20-30대 명품 핸드백 소유자를 대상으로 라이프스타일과 연령에 따른 구매행동 및 디자인 선호도 분석

Abstract : The purpose of this study was to observe premium handbag users who are 20 to 30 year old of age, to deter-mine purchase behavior and design preference of handbags by lifestyle and age variable to help market segmentation. Asurvey instrument was used. A sample was selected by quota sampling method from 20 to 30 aged Korean women, andreliable 538 data were analyzed by SPSS. Cluster type towards lifestyle and age were independent variable. There aretwo types of lifestyle clusters toward luxury handbags; Strongly favored and weakly favored group toward luxury hand-bags. Strongly favored group of luxury goods considered more brand, country of origin, and trend, while young people con-sidered more new arrival of design in purchase of products. Preferred design type of hand bag was statistically associatedwith age variable. 20s consumers preferred shopper bag style and big size of handbags. Leather was preferred by thegroup of the strongly favored luxury goods. Through this research finding, we hope handbag brand market segmentation willbe based on lifestyle and age variable to reflect customer's demand.Key words:luxury handbag, lifestyle, purchase behavior, design preference

Association of obesity with osteoarthritis in elderly Korean women

ObjectiveOsteoarthritis (OA) is one of the most common sources of pain and disability among elderly people. Many genetic, demographic, and personal characteristics are involved in the risk of OA, of which obesity is one of the most important. This study evaluated the association between obesity and the prevalence of OA in elderly Korean women. MethodsWe recruited participants (n=3750) aged 50 years or older using stratified random sampling of Korean census blocks. Demographic and personal characteristics and a medical history of OA were collected from the participants by questionnaire. ResultsWe found that demographic variables, including age, education level, income, and personal characteristics (such as regular exercise), were important covariates associated with the prevalence of OA. In this study, body mass index (BMI) was an important demographic variable affecting the prevalence of OA. After adjusting for age, BMI was positively associated with the prevalence of OA [odds ratio (OR), obese vs. normal=2.15; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.82–2.54; p for trend <0.001]. This association persisted after adjusting for other demographic covariates (OR, obese vs. normal=2.09; 95% CI, 1.76–2.47; p for trend <0.001). ConclusionsThe results indicated that obesity and OA prevalence vary across groups with different demographic characteristics, and increased BMI was related to the risk of OA in elderly women.

Gender and Prevalence of Knee Osteoarthritis Types in Elderly Koreans

We undertook to document sex differences in the prevalence of knee osteoarthritis (OA) at different disease stages in an elderly Korean population. Prevalence of 3 stages of knee OA (radiographic OA, severe radiographic OA, and candidacy for total knee arthroplasty [TKA]) was investigated in 696 elderly (≥65 years old) Korean subjects. Multivariate logistic regression was performed to evaluate associations between the risk factors of OA at these 3 disease stages. The overall prevalence of knee OA was 38.1% for radiographic OA, 26.4% for severe radiographic OA, and 6.5% for advanced OA warranting TKA. Women had much higher prevalence for all 3 stages. Female sex was found to be the strongest predictor for all 3 disease stages, but this was most remarkable for TKA candidates. This study documents that knee OA is highly prevalent among Korean elderly and that elderly Korean women are at much greater risk of requiring TKA.

Serum calcium level is associated with metabolic syndrome in elderly women

Objective To investigate the association between serum calcium level and metabolic syndrome, defined using the National Cholesterol Education Program-Adult Treatment Panel III (NCEP-ATP III) definition, in Korean elderly women. Study design We conducted a cross-sectional study of 1941 elderly women (mean age: 65.16 ± 4.58 years) who participated in annual health examinations at Korea university Medical Center between January 1, 2006 and December 31, 2009 and had normal serum calcium levels. Results Women with metabolic syndrome had higher serum calcium levels than those without metabolic syndrome (9.26 ± 0.35 vs. 9.20 ± 0.33, P < 0.001). In multiple logistic regression analysis, serum calcium level within normal range was positively associated with the risk of having metabolic syndrome (odds ratio 2.12, 95% confidence interval 1.50–2.98). With regard to components of metabolic syndrome, serum calcium level was also positively associated with the risk of having high triglyceride, and high glucose, whereas it was inversely associated with the risk of having low high density lipoprotein. However, there was no association of serum calcium level with abdominal obesity or high blood pressure. Conclusions The higher was the level of calcium within normal range, the greater were the odds of metabolic syndrome in healthy and elderly women. Prospective studies are needed to investigate the role of calcium in the development of metabolic syndrome in the future.

The Effect of Physical Performance and Physical Activity on Quality of Life in Old People: The Korean Longitudinal Study on Health and Aging

Background: To investigate the physical function of elderly people in Korea using quantitative and objective tools and to assess the impact of declined physical function on their quality of life. Methods: The Korean Longitudinal Study on Health and Aging was designed as a population-based prospective cohort study on the health and aging of the elderly people in Korea aged 65 years and older. Within one city's central metro- politan area, 1,000 subjects including a simple random sample and an oldest-old subpopulation participated in a base- line study for one year. We evaluated the isokinetic peak torque of the knee extensors and flexors, grip force, and Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) and surveyed their daily physical activities and quality of life using the 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36). Results: Overall, 676 subjects completed the evaluations of physical function and activity. The isokinetic torque of the knee extensors and flexors declined with age in both men and women. The women in the old-old (75-84 years) group showed lower SPPB and physical activity than women in the young-old (65-74 years) group, but these measures were main- tained till age 85 in the men. SPPB and physical activity were significantly associated with the physical component scale (PCS) of the SF-36 in both men and women, while isokinetic torque was associated with PCS in women only. Conclusion: Physical performance and activity declined differently in Korean elderly men and women. Both these meas- ures showed to be the main factors associated with quality of life.