J Korean Acad Community Health Nurs.  2007 Jun;18(2):242-251.

The Effect of Oriental Self-help Group Program for the Living Alone-Aged Inhabiting Rural Region

• Wang MJ
• Park SA
• Myung TO
• Cha NH

Abstract

PURPOSE
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of an Oriental self-help group program on living-alone elders in rural areas. METHOD: A one-group pretest-post test design was used. The subjects of the experimental group participated in the oriental self-help program, health education, feet bathing in hot water, cupping therapy, and foot-reflexology. The obtained data were analyzed using the Wilcoxon signed rank test and Pearson correlation coefficients of SPSS.
RESULTS
1) The level of blood triglyceride, SGOT and glucose decreased significantly in the experimental group compared to the control group. 2) The scores of depression and stress decreased significantly in the experimental group compared to the control group. 3) The score of Yangsaeng increased significantly in the experimental group compared to the control group. 4) Depression was higher when the score of stress was high, and the score of depression and stress were lower when the score of Yangsaeng was high.
CONCLUSION
Considering the results of this research, the program is effective in improving physiological indexes partially, emotional indexes and Yangsaeng. Therefore this program can be implemented as a community-based self-help group program for living-alone elders in rural areas.

Keyword

Self-Help Groups; Aged; Depression; Stress; Health Promotion

MeSH Terms

Aspartate Aminotransferases
Baths
Depression
Foot
Glucose
Health Education
Health Promotion
Self-Help Groups*
Triglycerides
Water
Aspartate Aminotransferases
Glucose
Water