Journal List > J Korean Acad Community Health Nurs > v.27(3) > 1058426

Kim: Health Promotion Behaviors of Rural Elderly Women Living Alone and Their Life Satisfaction

Abstract

Purpose

This study was conducted to investigate the correlation between degrees of health promotion behaviors and life satisfaction and effects of health promotion behaviors on life satisfaction in rural elderly women living alone.

Methods

A descriptive correlation study was conducted with 189 rural elderly women living alone aged 65 or older in four senior counties in Jeollanam-do. Descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA, Scheffé test, Pearson's correlation, and multiple regression.

Results

The subjects' health promotion behaviors and life satisfaction were significantly positive. Among the factors influencing the subjects' life satisfaction, nutrition and diet showed the greatest positive effects, followed by exercise and activity, and drinking and smoking. Among them, drinking and smoking had significantly negative influence.

Conclusion

Among the health promotion behaviors that influenced life satisfaction, nutrition and diet, exercise and activity, and drinking and smoking were most significant factors. Therefore, this study provided basic data for improving the life satisfaction among rural elderly women living alone.

Figures and Tables

Table 1

General Characteristics of Participants (N=189)

jkachn-27-254-i001
Characteristics Categories n (%)
Age (year) 65~74 88 (46.6)
≥75 101 (53.4)
Education No education 90 (47.6)
Elementary school 70 (37)
≥Middle school 29 (15.3)
Religion (n=187) No religion 50 (26.7)
Buddhist 69 (36.9)
Christian 56 (29.9)
Catholic 12 (6.4)
Marriage Other (not bereaved) 177 (93.7)
Bereaved 12 (6.3)
Number of children Son 1 or none 31 (16.4)
2 79 (41.8)
3 52 (27.5)
4 or more 27 (14.3)
Daughter 1 or none 58 (30.7)
2 55 (29.1)
3 43 (22.8)
4 or more 33 (17.5)
Monthly allowance (10,000 won) <20 30 (15.9)
21~40 84 (44.4)
41~60 53 (28.0)
≥61 22 (11.6)
Economic situation Rich 27 (14.3)
Average 89 (47.1)
Poor 73 (38.6)
Regular Exercise Yes 134 (70.9)
No 55 (29.1)
Health Healthy 38 (20.1)
Average 78 (41.3)
Unhealthy 73 (38.6)
Drinking None 106 (56.1)
Experience 83 (43.9)
Smoking No 183 (96.8)
Experience 6 (3.2)
Table 2

Health Promotion Behavior and Life Satisfaction (N=189)

jkachn-27-254-i002
Variables M±SD
Health promotion behavior 76.58±11.22
 Medical examination and consultation 2.57±0.47
 Nutrition and diet 2.41±0.44
 Daily life management 2.51±0.40
 Exercise and activity 2.36±0.69
 Drinking and smoking 2.83±0.38
 Stress management 2.25±0.50
 Average 2.47±0.36
Life satisfaction 48.66±7.88
 Average 2.43±0.39
Table 3

Health Promotion Behavior and Life Satisfaction according to the General Characteristics of Participants (N=189)

jkachn-27-254-i003
Characteristics Category Health promotion behavior Life satisfaction
M±SD t or F (p) M±SD t or F (p)
Age (year) 65~74 2.52±0.34 1.79
(.074)
2.47±0.35 1.31
(.191)
≥75 2.43±0.38 2.40±0.43
Education No educationa 2.34±0.39 12.13
(<.001)
a<b, c
2.38±0.41 1.89
(.153)
Elementary schoolb 2.57±0.29 2.50±0.40
≥Middle schoolc 2.63±0.29 2.45±0.31
Religion (N=187) No religiona 2.39±0.36 6.18
(.001)
a, b<c
2.36±0.39 2.97
(.033)
Buddhistb 2.39±0.35 2.37±0.38
Christianc 2.62±0.34 2.56±0.40
Catholicd 2.57±0.27 2.41±0.34
Marriage Other (not bereaved) 2.41±0.29 -0.55
(.580)
2.23±0.32 -1.86
(.064)
Bereaved 2.47±0.37 2.45±0.40
Number of children Son 1 or none 2.57±0.34 1.52
(.209)
2.43±0.40 .02
(.994)
2 2.48±0.37 2.44±0.41
3 2.41±0.35 2.42±0.43
4 or more 2.42±0.36 2.44±0.29
Daughter 1 or none 2.53±0.31 0.84
(.471)
2.50±0.38 1.21
(.307)
2 2.46±0.37 2.44±0.39
3 2.45±0.36 2.42±0.39
4 or more 2.41±0.43 2.33±0.42
Monthly allowance (10,000 won) <20a 2.40±0.37 5.09
(.002)
a, b<d
2.34±0.48 2.10
(.101)
21~40b 2.39±0.36 2.39±0.37
41~60c 2.55±0.36 2.49±0.40
≥61d 2.67±0.27 2.56±0.32
Economic situation Richa 2.60±0.36 1.93
(.147)
2.54±0.30 3.88
(.022)
a>b
Averageb 2.45±0.32 2.35±0.36
Poorc 2.44±0.41 2.49±0.44
Regular exercise Yes 2.59±0.31 8.55
(<.001)
2.54±0.37 7.42
(<.001)
No 2.17±0.29 2.16±0.30
Health Healthya 2.64±0.28 11.31
(<.001)
a, b>c
2.53±0.34 7.41
(.001)
a, b>c
Averageb 2.51±0.37 2.51±0.41
Unhealthyc 2.33±0.35 2.30±0.37
Drinking None 2.60±0.33 5.84
(<.001)
2.56±0.38 5.20
(<.001)
Experience 2.31±0.34 2.28±0.36
Smoking No 2.48±0.36 1.35
(.178)
2.44±0.40 1.74
(.082)
Experience 2.27±0.33 2.16±0.21

Scheffé test.

Table 4

Correlation between Health Promotion Behaviors and Life Satisfaction (N=189)

jkachn-27-254-i004
Variables 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
1. Health promotion behaviors 1 .73 .88 .80 .81 .50 .72
 2. Medical examination & counseling 1
 3. Nutrition & diet .61 1
 4. Daily life management .46 .71 1
 5. Exercise & activities .60 .65 .51 1
 6. Drinking & smoking .25 .36 .33 .29 1
 7. Stress management .53 .46 .47 .53 .29 1
8. Life satisfaction .59 .43 .59 .44 .61 .03 .40 1
Table 5

Effects of Health Promotion Behaviors on Life Satisfaction (N=189)

jkachn-27-254-i005
Variables B S β t p
(Constant) 1.67 .18 8.88 <.001
Medical examination & counseling -0.03 .06 -.04 -0.57 .564
Nutrition & diet 0.37 .08 .42 4.66 <.001
Daily life management 0.00 .07 .00 0.05 .954
Exercise & activities 0.21 .04 .37 4.97 <.001
Drinking & smoking -0.26 .06 -.25 -4.37 <.001
Stress management 0.07 .05 .09 1.46 .144
R2=.49, Adj. R2=.48, F=30.10, p<.001

Notes

This article is based on a part of the first author's master's thesis from Ewha womans University.

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