Association between Family arrangements and Health behaviors by Gender in Older adults
PURPOSE: This study aims to examine the relationship between family arrangements and health behavior by gender among older people aged 65years and older. METHOD: Data are from the Living Profiles of Older People Survey conducted by the Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs and the Ministry of Health & Welfare in 2011. The number of research subjects totaled 10,674 composed of 4,606 males and 6,068 females. For data analysis, the study conducted a frequency analysis, a cross analysis, and a binomial and multinomial logistic regression analysis using the SPSS 18.0. RESULTS: In this study, there were significant differences at the level of health behavior practice in four items including smoking, drinking, nutrition management, and exercise for Korean elderly people according to their family arrangements. Even after controlling for socio-demographic factors, health condition factors, and social support factors, family arrangements still had a significant effect on health behavior practice. In male elderly people, family arrangements affected nutrition management, appropriate drinking, and regular exercise, whereas for female elderly people it affected nonsmoking, nondrinking, appropriate drinking, nutrition management, regular exercise, and irregular exercise practice. Also, it was found that many more health behavior items were being practiced in other family arrangements compared with a single elderly household. In addition, concerning male elderly people, it was found that elderly people household living with children, elderly couple household, and other elderly household practiced all the four health behavior items at a three times higher level than single elderly household. Meanwhile for female elderly people, it was found that elderly couple household practiced these health behavior items at a nine times higher level than single elderly household. CONCLUSION: From this study, it was discovered that family arrangements worked as the greatest influential factor on the health behavior practice of elderly people. Also, since family arrangements affect health behavior practice differently by gender, the study proposes the need for differentiated approach strategies for enhancing the health behavior practice of elderly people
Family arrangements, Health behaviors, Older adult, Gender
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