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Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the effects of e-health literacy, parenting stress, maternal role confidence on children’s health-promoting behaviors in mothers of infants and toddlers.Methods: The participants were 175 mothers of infants and toddlers. Data were collected from August 30 to September 24, 2022. The effects of e-health literacy, parenting stress, and maternal role confidence on children’s health-promoting behaviors in mothers of infants and toddlers were analyzed using multiple regression using IBM SPSS Statistics ver. 27.0.Results: Children’s health-promoting behaviors showed a significant positive relationship with e-health literacy and maternal role confidence, and negative relationship with children’s age and parenting stress. The factors affecting children’s health-promoting behaviors were e-health literacy, maternal role confidence, and children’s age, which explained 30.7% of the total variance in children’s health-promoting behaviors.Conclusion: This study suggests including e-health literacy and maternal role confidence for improving children’s health-promoting behaviors in mothers of infants and toddlers.

Purpose: To pool preliminary items based on nine domains as the first phase of developing a preterm birth risk assessment scale (PBRAS).Methods: Item generation was performed using deductive methods, such as literature review and related scales, and inductive methods through in-depth interviews with 11 preterm birth (PTB) women, and ex­perts validated the content. The experts were clinical nurses who worked in delivery rooms, and professors who taught on the subject of women's health nursing. Preliminary survey for 32-item was conducted among 27 women with PTB.Results: After item generation and pooling for the PBRAS, a total of 84 items were developed. A 32-item questionnaire was integrated with rigorous review by experts. Internal consistency of the 32-item PBRAS had a Cronbach alpha of 0.90. The PBRAS was significantly correlated with pregnancy stress (r= 0.77, p

To compare the predictive validity of the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) and other tools for screening depression in pregnant and postpartum women through a systematic review and meta-analysis.An electronic search of MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, and PsycArticles databases was conducted using the following keywords: depression, perinatal-related terms, and EPDS. Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies-2 was used to assess the risk of bias in diagnostic studies.The search identified 823 articles, of which 17 studies met the inclusion criteria. In 1831 pregnant women from nine studies, pooled sensitivity and specificity of the EPDS were 0.81 and 0.87, respectively, with summary receiver operating characteristic (sROC) curve of 0.90. In 515 postpartum women from six studies, pooled sensitivity, specificity, and sROC were 0.79, 0.92, and 0.90, respectively. We then compared the EPDS with other tools using three or more studies. The sROC curve of the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 was 0.74, which was lower than that (0.86) of the EPDS. The sROC curve of the Beck Depression Inventory and the ten-item Kessler Psychological Distress Scale was 0.91, similar to that of the EPDS (0.90 and 0.87). However, in comparison with the Postpartum Depression Screening Scale (0.98), the sROC curve of the EPDS was 0.54.As a tool specialized for screening depression in pregnant and postpartum women, the EPDS showed excellent performance. Thus, the EPDS can be used in preference to other tools to screen for depression in perinatal women at a primary care setting or a midwifery center.

Purpose: This study aimed to perform a psychometric evaluation of the preliminary preterm birth risk assessment scale (PBRAS-K) of 32-item. Method(s): There were 299 subjects, 167 in the exploratory factor analysis (EFA) group and 132 in the confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) group, who delivered before 37+0 weeks after having preterm symptoms and were admitted to high-risk pregnancy maternal-fetal intensive care units (MFICU). After an item reduction process in EFA, the psychometric property scales were assessed using SPSS 26, and CFA was accomplished using AMOS 27. Results: The Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin measure (KMO) and Bartlett’s χ2 test of sphericity confirmed the adequacy of the sample for factor analysis (KMO = .81 (> .80), χ2 = 1841.38, p < .001). The final version of the PBRAS-K was comprised of 23 items within seven dimensions. Factor analysis identified items explaining 65.9% of the total variance. The PBRAS-K had a mean score of 35.58 (±10.35) and showed a high internal consistency and satisfactory reliability with a Cronbach’s alpha of .85. The PBRAS-K had a low correlation with risk scoring of preterm delivery (RPD) for discriminant validity (r = .45, p < .001), a positive, high correlation with the Somatic Awareness Scale with Spontaneous Preterm Labor (SPL-SAS) for criterion validity (r = .65, p < .001), and with pregnant stress for convergent validity (r = .57, p < .001). RPD and SPL-SAS were moderately correlated (r = .53, p < .001). Conclusion(s): The PBRAS-23-K is a valid and reliable instrument for assessing pregnant women’s risk of preterm birth. Clinical nurses are encouraged to apply and obtain information for effective interventions in MFICU. This scale has meaningful results and reflects the voices of women who had a preterm birth. The scale should be evaluated for standardization and cut-off scores using larger subject sizes in the future.

Objective: This study sought to evaluate prediction models for preterm birth (PTB) and to explore predictors frequently used in PTB prediction models. Methods: A systematic review was conducted. We selected studies according to the PRISMA, classified studies according to TRIPOD, appraised studies according to the PROBAST, and extracted and synthesized the data narratively according to the CHARMS. We classified the predictors in the models into socio-economic factors with demographic, psychosocial, biomedical, and health behavioral factors. Results: Twenty-one studies with 27 prediction models were selected for the analysis. Only 16 models (59.3%) defined PTB outcomes as 37 weeks or less, and seven models (25.9%) defined PTB as 32 weeks or less. The PTB rates varied according to whether high-risk pregnant women were included and according to the outcome definition used. The most frequently included predictors were age (among demographic factors), height, weight, body mass index, and chronic disease (among biomedical factors), and smoking (among behavioral factors). Conclusion: When using the PTB prediction model, one must pay attention to the outcome definition and inclusion criteria to select a model that fits the case. Many studies use the sub-categories of PTB; however, some of these sub-categories are not correctly indicated, and they can be misunderstood as PTB (≤ 37 weeks). To develop further PTB prediction models, it is necessary to set the target population and identify the outcomes to predict.

Purpose: This study aimed to identify the components of preterm birth (PTB) through women’s personal narratives and to visualize clinical symptom expressions (CSEs). Methods: The participants were 11 women who gave birth before 37 weeks of gestational age. Personal narratives were collected by interactive unstructured storytelling via individual interviews, from August 8 to December 4, 2019 after receiving approval of the Institutional Review Board. The textual data were converted to PDF and analyzed using the MAXQDA program (VERBI Software). Results: The participants’ mean age was 34.6 (±2.98) years, and five participants had a spontaneous vaginal birth. The following nine components of PTB were identified: obstetric condition, emotional condition, physical condition, medical conditions, hospital environment, life-related stress, pregnancy-related stress, spousal support, and informational support. The top three codes were preterm labor, personal characteristics, and premature rupture of membrane, and the codes found for more than half of the participants were short cervix, fear of PTB, concern about fetal well-being, sleep difficulty, insufficient spousal and informational support, and physical difficulties. The top six CSEs were stress, hydramnios, false labor, concern about fetal wellbeing, true labor pain, and uterine contraction. “Stress” was ranked first in terms of frequency and “uterine contraction” had individual attributes. Conclusion: The text network analysis of narratives from women who gave birth preterm yielded nine PTB components and six CSEs. These nine components should be included when developing a reliable and valid scale for PTB risk and stress. The CSEs can be applied for assessing preterm labor, as well as considered as strategies for students in women health nursing practicum.

Purpose: This study aimed to describe clinical nurses’ lived experiences of workplace verbal violence through qualitative research using descriptive phenomenology. Methods: Six female Korean nurses who had less than 5 years of clinical experience and had experienced verbal violence in the workplace within the past year participated in the study. Data were collected through one-on-one in-depth interviews with the participants and analyzed using Colaizzi’s phenomenological method.Results: A total of 27 codes, eight themes, and four theme clusters were derived from the participants’ statements. The four theme clusters of the clinical nurses’ experiences of verbal violence in the workplace were as follows: “tip of the iceberg,” “beyond me and my control,” “fear and resignation,” and “personal burden.” The participants recognized that nurses experienced verbal violence daily, and that the causes of and responses to verbal violence were determined by external situational factors rather than nurses’ individual problems. This suggests that nurses felt that they had no choice but to personally cope with verbal violence and bear the consequences due to systematic indifference and silence about verbal violence experienced by clinical nurses.Conclusion: The findings show that verbal violence was pervasive and unmerited, yet often endured at the cost of a personal burden to nurses. A clear definition of verbal violence and education for employees are needed, and a reporting system should be established to report all forms of violence regardless of the severity of the incident.

PURPOSE: Maternal Fetal Intensive Care Unit (MFICU), which provides intensive care to high-risk mothers with increasing maternal age and high-risk newborns, has become a new field of nursing work in South Korea. The present study was conducted to identify the educational needs and self-assessing clinical competence of nurses in MFICU. METHODS: The education needs and competencies of MFICU nurses were measured through prepared questionnaires by researchers based on the previous studies on job analysis of nurses in MFICU. Data were collected from January 2019 to March 2019. The study involved 168 nurses working in MFICUs at 12 hospitals nationwide as study subjects. The data were analyzed using the SPSS WIN 23.0 program. RESULTS: The education needs of nurses in MFICU had an average of 4.21 points (±0.50) and their nursing competence was average 3.38 points (±0.60). The items reported as high education needs but low competency by nurses in MFICU were as following: ‘postpartum hemorrhage and shock,’ ‘cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) for neonate,’ ‘CPR during pregnancy,’ ‘disseminated intravascular coagulation,’ ‘sepsis,’ and ‘mechanical ventilation during pregnancy.’ CONCLUSION: Based on these results, it is proposed that a comprehensive education program for nurses in MFICU should be developed by considering low capabilities among MFICU nurses as a priority factor.

The COVID-19 curve seesawed and reached the fourth pandemic in July 2021. Since the first three waves, the focus has been on achieving herd immunity through vaccination while a lot of manpower is used for quarantine. However, we have not been able to prevent the fourth wave. The causes are thought to be related to people who doubt the safety of the vaccine and refuse it or violate quarantine guidelines such as social distancing. This study examined guidelines for preventing and controlling COVID-19, the accuracy of vaccination-related information, and described quarantine measures including for those who completed vaccination. In conclusion, prevention and vaccination are the most effective countermeasures against COVID-19. We recommend people vaccination with self-quarantine. Also, it is necessary to make large investments to protect and support nurses in future pandemics.

Purpose This study aimed at developing a happiness assessment scale for middle-aged women (HAS-MW) in Korea. Methods Preliminary items for the scale were drafted from the results of literature review and personal interviews and open-ended questions with women in the community. The interviews were based on the theory of existence, relatedness, and growth. After validating a preliminary scale, we analyzed the validity and reliability of the new scale items, and model fit. We surveyed 600 women aged 40 years to 64 years for exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Valid data were divided into 352 for EFA and 174 for CFA by multiplies of number 1 to 3. Results Using exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, we extracted four primary factors—self-value, positive thinking, self-care, and family relationship—and with a total of 24 items for HAS-MW. The fit of the final model was evaluated as good showing χ2/df = 2.10, goodness of fit index = .80, comparative fit index = .85, root mean square error of approximation = .08, standardized root mean residual = .05. The HAS-MW had a significant positive correlation with the Oxford Happiness scale and showed a significant negative correlation with the Hwa-Byeong Scale. Cronbach's α for the new scale was .91, and the Spearman-Brown half coefficient was .93. The new scale used a five-point Likert scale with higher scores indicating greater happiness. Conclusion The HAS-MW is a reliable and valid one. It can be used to measure the level of happiness for middle-aged women. In addition, it might be applied to find low women and to evaluate the effect of intervention program related to happiness in woman of middle age.

PURPOSE: To investigate the subjective health and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in Haenyo. METHODS: Subjects were 100 elderly Haenyo in Jeju island who belonged to a fishing-village society. Main variables were activities of daily living (ADL), instrumental ADL (IADL), the HRQoL, subjective health, and depression. Subjective health and differences of HRQoL by variables were analyzed by t-test or ANOVA using IBM SPSS Statistics 23. Hierarchical multiple regression was executed to examine the effects of the major factors on the quality of life. RESULTS: The mean age was 69.9 years, the mean period for diving career was 51.5 years, and work hours per month were 37.8. Comorbidity of diseases was 2.74, and the common health problems were osteoporosis and headache/dizziness. HRQoL was significantly different by age (F=4.52, p=.013), education (F=6.10, p=.003), muljil work years (F=3.93, p=.050), depression (t=-3.04, p=.030), subjective health state (F=30.62, p < .01), and degenerative arthritis (F=-2.38, p=.019). In the final model by hierarchical multiple regression, ADL/IADL (β=.41, p < .001), depression (β=-.29, p < .001), and subjective health (β=.43~.51, p < .001) were significant and explained 63.5% of the total variance of HRQoL. CONCLUSION: Haenyo have specific health problems different from those of elderly women in general. ADL/IADL, depression and subjective health affected their HRQoL. It is clear that Haenyos' health problems need further study to improve their health.

AIM The Community Commitment Scale was developed in Japan to measure communities' ability to prevent older adults' social isolation, including socializing and belonging in the community. We translated the scale into Korean (the Community Commitment Scale-Korean version [CCS-K]), and determined its internal consistency, concurrent validity and construct validity. METHODS Self-report questionnaires were administered to 326 local volunteers (82.8% women, 65.3% aged ≥60 years) in Korea. Internal consistency was analyzed with Cronbach's alpha. To evaluate the concurrent validity of the CCS-K, we used the Brief Sense of Community Index, the revised Generative Concern Scale and ratings of two questions that addressed helping elderly neighbors. RESULTS The Cronbach's alpha coefficient for the CCS-K was 0.68. The correlation coefficients between the CCS-K and Brief Sense of Community Index or Generative Concern Scale, were 0.40 and 0.33 (P < 0.001), respectively. ANOVAs comparing the CCS-K between confidence levels for the two questions that addressed helping elderly neighbors showed large or medium-sized relationships (η2 = 0.14 and η2 = 0.08). A confirmatory factor analysis showed the CCS-K had adequate fit to the data (goodness of fit index = 0.965, adjusted goodness of fit index = 0.934, comparative fit index = 0.956 and root mean square error of approximation = 0.067). CONCLUSIONS The CCS-K has acceptable internal consistency, concurrent validity and construct validity among Korean local volunteers. Thus, we can conclude that the CCS-K can be effectively applied. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2018; 18: 806-812.

Supplemental material, suppl__enquette for Nursing Faculties’ Knowledge of and Attitudes Toward Research Ethics According to Demographic Characteristics and Institutional Environment in Korea by Sukhee Ahn, Geum Hee Jeong, Hye Sook Shin, Jeung-Im Kim, Yunmi Kim, Ju-Eun Song, Sun-Hee Kim, Ju Hee Kim, Yun Jung Lee, Young A. Song, Eun Hee Lee and Myoung-Hee Kim in SAGE Open

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has emerged as a threat to human health and public safety. People of all ages are susceptible to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection. However, the clinical manifestations of this infection differ by age. This study purposes to describe healthcare considerations for special populations, such as children, pregnant and lactating women, and older adults, who may have unique healthcare needs, in the pandemic situation. To realize the research purpose, we conducted a review of the practice guidelines of public documents and qualified studies that were published online/offline during a specific period. The review identified current knowledge on care for newborns, children in schools, pregnant women (from antenatal to postpartum care), and older adults suffering from high-risk conditions. Subsequently, we summarize vaccination guidance for special populations and, finally, discuss the issues currently affecting special populations. Therefore, this current knowledge on care for special populations helps nurses to provide accurate information on vaccinations aimed at preventing COVID-19 and protecting the masses from infection. Currently, the scarcity of information on COVID-19 variants necessitates further research on measures to reduce pandemic spread.

summary Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the health behaviors and risk factors for selfreported depression in Korean working women. Methods: This study adopted a secondary analysis from the fifth Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES-V) for the Health Examination Survey and Health Behavior Survey, using stratified, multi-stage, cluster-sampling design to obtain a nationally representative sample. Data were gathered on extensive information including sociodemographic, occupational characteristics, health behaviors and depression. Multiple logistic regression analysis was employed to compute the odds ratio (OR) between health behaviors and depression to identify the health behaviors and the risk factors for depression with adjustment for the complex sample design of the survey. Results: The prevalence rate of depression was 15.5% among working women. Depression was more common in older female workers and in those with part-time job. Current smokers were significantly more likely to be depression-positive. In a multiple logistic regression analysis, significant variables of depression were marital status (OR ¼ 2.02; 95% CI [1.05, 3.89]), smoking status (OR ¼ 1.55; 95% CI [1.01, 2.38]), stress (OR ¼ 0.20; 95% CI [0.15, 0.26]), employment condition (OR ¼ 1.77; 95% CI [1.34, 2.33]) and health status (OR ¼ 2.10; 95% CI [1.53, 2.87]). Conclusions: Based on the study, factors leading to depression were marital status, current smoking, stress, employment condition and self-reported health status. Further studies are expected to unravel the characteristics of stress. Health care providers for women need to evaluate underreported depression and change their associated health behaviors. Also it is necessary to establish preventive strategies for female workers to control the negative effect of depression in the workplace.

Purpose: This research was aimed at evaluating the differences in depression by skinfold thickness, and the relationship between two variables. Methods: Research design was a non-experimental descriptive survey. Using a caliper, we measured skinfold thickness on the triceps, and then on the suprailiac, and the mid-thigh. Depression was evaluated using the Geriatric Depression ScaleShort Form (GDS-SF). Data were collected for one month from Sept 1st to 30th, 2011. There were 52 subjects, 25 of which were from elderly welfare centers and 27 were hospitalized. Results: Subjects were an average age of 76.4 ± 4.45, and the incidence rate of depression ( ≥ 6) was 36.5% and those who had a sum of 3 skinfolds over 62 mm were 22.7%. The GDS-SF was significantly different in only the suprailiac skinfold thickness (F = 7.25, p < .05). Conclusion: Findings indicate that depression is different based on suprailiac thickness in older adult women at elderly welfare centers and those who were hospitalized in an medical ward. It suggests that the suprailiac skinfold may be an indicator of abdominal obesity when considering depression in elderly women. Further study is needed to evaluate a cutoff score of skinfold thickness in obesity for older adult women.

The Community Commitment Scale was developed in Japan to measure communities' ability to prevent older adults' social isolation, including socializing and belonging in the community. We translated the scale into Korean (the Community Commitment Scale-Korean version [CCS-K]), and determined its internal consistency, concurrent validity and construct validity.Self-report questionnaires were administered to 326 local volunteers (82.8% women, 65.3% aged ≥60 years) in Korea. Internal consistency was analyzed with Cronbach's alpha. To evaluate the concurrent validity of the CCS-K, we used the Brief Sense of Community Index, the revised Generative Concern Scale and ratings of two questions that addressed helping elderly neighbors.The Cronbach's alpha coefficient for the CCS-K was 0.68. The correlation coefficients between the CCS-K and Brief Sense of Community Index or Generative Concern Scale, were 0.40 and 0.33 (P0.001), respectively. ANOVAs comparing the CCS-K between confidence levels for the two questions that addressed helping elderly neighbors showed large or medium-sized relationships (ηThe CCS-K has acceptable internal consistency, concurrent validity and construct validity among Korean local volunteers. Thus, we can conclude that the CCS-K can be effectively applied. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2018; 18: 806-812.

Summary Purpose Physical activity is important for postpartum women. The objective of this study was to evaluate bladder symptoms, fatigue, and physical activity according to time after birth and birth modes. Methods This was a cross-sectional study using web-based questionnaire or one-to-one contact. A total of 290 women after giving birth responded to self-administered questionnaires. Multivariate analysis of variance determined the differences in variables. Results Bladder symptoms were significantly different by time after birth and birth mode; they were the highest in the first week after birth and in Cesarean birth. Postpartum fatigue showed a significant tendency by birth mode, but not by time after birth. Physical activity was significantly different by birth mode. The lowest level of physical activity was found for women who gave Cesarean birth. Moderate physical activity was also significantly different by time after birth, but vigorous physical activity was not significantly different. Conclusion In conclusion, bladder symptoms and physical activity are different by time after birth and birth mode in postpartum women. The first week after giving birth is an important period for postpartum women whose bladder symptoms and physical activity should be of concern.

Purpose The purpose of this study was to analyze articles published in the Journal of the Korean Academy of Nursing (JKAN) between 2010 and 2019, along with those published in three international nursing journals, to improve JKAN's international reputation. Methods The overall characteristics of JKAN's published papers and keywords, study participants, types of nursing interventions and dependent variables, citations, and cited journals were analyzed. Additionally, the keywords and study designs, publication-related characteristics, journal impact factors (JIF), and Eigenfactor scores of International Journal of Nursing Studies (IJNS), International Nursing Review (INR), Nursing & Health Sciences (NHS), and JKAN were analyzed and compared. Results Among the four journals, JKAN's score was the lowest in both the journal impact factor and Eigenfactor score. In particular, while the JIF of INR and NHS has been continuously increasing; JKAN's JIF has remained static for almost 10 years. The journals which had cited JKAN and those which JKAN had cited were mainly published in Korean. Conclusion JKAN still has a low IF and a low ranking among Social Citation Index (E) journals during the past 10 years, as compared to that of four international journals. To enhance JKAN's status as an international journal, it is necessary to consider publishing it in English and to continuously improve the conditions of other publications.

Purpose This year 2020 marks the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Korean Society of Nursing Science (KSNS). This study was aimed to explore development of caring and describe the 50 years of history of KSNS within the sociocultural context of Korea regarding academic footsteps, meanings, and implications for the future. Methods This study used a historical research methodology using a literature review and bibliometric analysis. Relevant literature was reviewed and the published abstracts in the Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing (JKAN) were analyzed using VOSviewer. Results Birth control and family planning in the 1970s was the main research topic. In the 1980s, the development of nursing concepts, theories, and philosophies was the mission of KSNS to extend the disciplinary boundary. In the 1990s, the progress of KSNS to become one of the woman-dominant healthcare professionals was the mission in the given period. Expanding the frontiers of KSNS to the extent of global standards was the undertaking of the nursing scholars in the 2000s. Lastly, in the 2010s, the quality and quantity improvement of KSNS and JKAN is expected to make our future even prosperous. The map visualization of the 50 years of research accumulation showed the comparable opposition of quantitative vs. qualitative research methodologies, equation modeling, and instrument development. Conclusion These clusters of research demonstrates the efforts to make nursing evidence by Korean nursing scholars for the last five decades. The growth in the slope of KSNS and outcomes of JKAN are to carry on to an unimaginable extent in the future.

This study, conducted in the Republic of Korea, analyzed nursing faculty members’ knowledge of and attitudes toward research ethics according to their characteristics and the institutional environment. A survey was conducted from April 24 to July 23, 2017. The participants were 210 nursing professors from 57 universities in Korea. The survey questionnaire gathered information on participants’ characteristics, their knowledge of and attitudes toward research ethics, and their perceived training needs. A relatively low difficulty index was found for knowledge items dealing with conflicts of interest (0.66), copyright (0.65), and plagiarism and duplicate publications (0.17) than for the other six items. Of the 12 items assessing attitudes toward research ethics, use of a plagiarism-checking program and reviewing manuscripts from members of one’s own research group had the lowest scores. The knowledge level of participants whose institutions provided a plagiarism-checking program was higher than those whose institutions did not. Former group also showed better attitudes toward research ethics. High-priority training needs were obtaining institutional review board (IRB) approval, writing informed consent forms, and obtaining informed consent for studies on children and pregnant women. A more intensive training program for nursing faculty is required on specific topics, including conflicts of interest, copyright, plagiarism, duplicate publications, IRB approval, and informed consent. Furthermore, all nursing institutions in Korea should provide a plagiarism-checking program to faculty members.

Acknowledging that changes in sociocultural environment influence health status, the purpose of this study was to compare perceived health, life satisfaction, and cardiovascular health in elderly Korean immigrants and elderly Koreans. In this cross-sectional study, a convenience sample of 88 elderly Korean immigrants and 295 elderly Koreans 65 and older were recruited from Korean communities in the United States and Korea. Respondents’ perceived health was measured by self-assessment; life satisfaction was self-assessed using a dichotomous scale of general satisfaction with life; and cardiovascular health status was surveyed by self-report of major diagnosed cardiovascular risk factors (i.e., hypertension, hyperlipidemia, diabetes mellitus) and body mass index measurement for obesity. Despite having better perceived health and life satisfaction, elderly Korean immigrants also had higher prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors. The findings provide health care providers with useful information for effective health assessment of minority immigrants.

Purpose This study aimed to examine the relationship between depressive mood and physical and socio-environmental variables of community-dwelling elderly. Methods This study was designed as a cross-sectional descriptive survey. The setting was two elderly welfare centers and two public health centers in Korea. The subjects were recruited by public announcement and participated after giving their written informed consent. A total of 295 participants were included in the final analysis. The Korean version of the short form of Geriatric Depression Scale (SGDS-K), Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology Index of Competence (TMIG-IC) of activities of daily living (ADL) and a socio-demographic questionnaire were administered to participants. Hand-grip strength was measured with a hand dynamometer. Results The prevalence of depression among the subjects was 63%. Of the elderly, 21% had severe depressive symptoms. The mean depression score was 6.21 (SD = 3.83) and it was higher in women than in men. In the regression analysis, perceived health status alone had an accountability of 17.3% to depression. When TMIG-IC was added, this increased to 22.6%. Additionally, when hand-grip strength and social activities were input, it increased to 25.2%. Therefore, perceived health status was a significant and powerful factor explaining depression among the Korean elderly. Conclusion In this research, perceived health status was the most powerful predictor of elderly depression. TMIG-IC, hand-grip strength and social activities also predicted Korean elderly depression. These factors should be considered when the program is developed for elderly people with depression. [Asian Nursing Research 2009;3(3):121–129]

Immigration to a foreign country has a significant impact on a person’s health status and health management behavior. The purpose of this pilot study was to examine body composition (body mass index and muscle area of the mid-upper arm and mid-calf), handgrip strength, functional capacity, and physical activity in elderly Koreans and Korean immigrants. In this cross-sectional study, a convenience sample of 87 elderly Korean immigrants and 294 elderly Koreans were recruited from senior centers and senior apartments in the United States and Korea. Compared with elderly Koreans, elderly Korean immigrants had higher mid-calf muscle area (p = 0.06), handgrip strength (p = 0.01), and functional capacity (p = 0.01) and less physical activity (p < 0.01). Older men were more physically active and had more muscle areas, greater handgrip strength, and better functional capacity than older women, whereas older women had higher BMI scores than older men. This study provides motives for the development of health promotion intervention studies (e.g., culturally relevant exercise programs incorporating strength training). Future studies could identify culturally relevant strategies to promote physical activity in elderly Korean immigrants and especially elderly Korean women in both groups.