A long life is the desire of many people. The purpose of this study was to describe the thoughts that are held by elderly people about long life as the elderly are approaching the end of life. The research was conducted using an ethnographic method to add understanding to this subject. The field work for this study was done from July, 1991 to August, 1993 in third phases in Chun Buk province. The results of the present study show the following: The thoughts of the elderly about chang su showed three important concepts; In Myoung Sae Chun(lived as life), Su Cheuk Dah Yok(long life is a disgrace), and Transcendence of life. In Myoung Sae Chun showed the thought of limitation of man's life and realistic thought about the life through free oneself from death and life. Su Cheuk Dah Yok meant experience of physical difficulty, experience of sons and daughter's death ahead one's own self. Senility was the most afraid problem for the elderly. Transcendence of life showed pursuit of a continuing life through connected with sons and the family. The conditions promoting chang su were described as clear water, fresh air, adequate eating, deep sleeping, gender (female). In addition it showed that ecological and environmental conditions (heavy work, starvation, vegetable food, physical environmet, respection for the elderly). These results showed that the elderly was recognized one's own self as living being rather than adhered to the life, and will promote understanding the elderly's desire for long life. Also, suggested to nursing practice that should maintain self-esteem and respect for the elderly. Therefore, these results can be used nursing practice for the elderly.

Although everyone grows old, perception about the aging process and aging as measured physiologically vary widely. Perceptions of aging have psychologically influence on pysical aging. This study was to examine the relationships between, self-cencept, perception of aging, and physical aging in the elderly and to contribute to the theory development which may direct nursing intervention to promote well-being of the aged. Subjects were 70 women residents of a nursing home for the elderly in Seoul. Data collection was done from May 15 to June 15, 1988 using interview schedules and mechanical instruments. The instruments were selected items from the Health Self Concept Scale developed by Jacox and Stewart for self concept, and Secord and Jourad's Body Cathexis Scale and Osgood's Semantic Differential Scale for perception of aging. Physcial aging was measured by mechanical instru ments, inspection, questions, and palpation. The data were analysed for mean, t-test, ANOVA, and Pearson Correlation Coefficient using an S.P.S.S computerized program. The results of the analysis were as follows. 1. The mean level of self concept for the subject group was 16.97(SD=+/-6.17)in a range from 6-30. The mean level of perception of aging was 39.6. (SD= +/-6.51) in a range from 13-65. The mean level of physical aging was 14.09 (SD= +/-2.05)in a range from 8-40. 2. Relationships among self- concept, perception of aging, and physical aging. 1) There was a positive relationship between self--concept and perception of aging(r=0.4461, p =0.000). 2) There was a negative relationship between physical aging and perception of aging(r=- 0.2975, p-0.006). 3) There was a tendancy toward a negative relationship between physical aging and self-concept, but not a significant relationship (r=-0.1033, p=0.197). 3. 1) No general charcteristic variables were related to self concept. 2) The general characteristic variable related to the level of perception of aging was religion (t=4. 17, p=0.001). 3) The general characteristic variable related to the level of physical aging was age (F=12.008, p=0. 000). There was a significant relationship between self? -cencept and perception of aging, and between physical aging and perception of aging. Therefore nursing intervention should focus on promoting a positive perception of aging and strengthening self-concept during the phyacal aging process.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the factors influencing health perception in the elderly, to provide the basic data for health behavior program and nursing intervention. The subjects of this study were 240 elderly person over the age 60, living in Seoul and Kangnung. They were conveniently sampled for this study and the data was collected from June 1999 to September 1999. The instruments for this study were the Health Perception Questionaire developed by Ware(1979), the OARS Functional Assessment Questionaire (Duke University 1978), and Multidimensional Health Locus of Control by Wallston, Wallston, and De Vills(1978). The data were analyzed by using SPSS Win computer Program. The results are as follows; 1. The total mean score of the health perception was 52.02(S.D=+/-7.07) in a range of 33 to 69, and the mean score of the functional status was 27.02 (SD=+/-2.75) in a range of zero to 28 and the mean score of the health locus of control was 65.66(S.D=+/-8.68) in a range of 43 to 90. And The mean scores on the HLOC subscales were HLOC-I: 23.73+/-4.56 (range: 6-30), HLOC-P: 23.07+/-4.74 (range: 6-30), HLOC-C: 18.55+/-4.03 (range: 11-30). 2. There was a significant positive correlation between health perception and functional status(r=.216, p=.001), and health perception and the health locus of control(HLOC) were not correlated at the level of statistical significance. However, the HLOC-I and health perception were correlated positively(r=.328, p=.000), and the HLOC-P were correlated negatively (r=-.129, p=.046). 3. There was a significant difference statistically in the degree of health perception according to the age(F=3.351, p=.002), spouse(t=2.232, p=.021), education level(F=7.373, p=.001), disease(t=3.639, p=.000), group activity (t=2.458, p=.015). drink(t=2.327, p=.021). 4. Stepwise multiple regression analysis revealed that the most powerful predictor of health perception was internal health locus of control. A combination of HOLC-I, functional status, HLOC-P, group activity explained 17.9% of the variance for health perception in the elderly. In conclusion, the results of this study show that internal health locus of control factor is very important in explaining the health perception for the elderly. Therefore, it will be considered internal health locus of control factor in nursing intervention and program in order to enforce the health behavior for elderly people.

This study was to find out the perception of toward death and caring behavior of lay parsons in one community : One Island in Pusan County, Chonbuk. The methodology of this study was ethnography. For this study, The fieldwork was conducted from October 1997 to July 1998. Data collected by in-depth interview and participant observations. The participants consisted of were 17 persons of both sexes. The key informants were four specific people. The result of this study is as follows; The people perceived two different kinds of death. Normal death, which means death from old age. The person was respected as an ancestor God and was believed to exist forever with their offspring. Abnormal death was regarded as negative, many had fears toward this king of death. The causes of abnormal death were supernatural phenomena and had absolute holy meanings. Whether death was good or bad, The death was not personal, but collective events as family or community affairs and was interpreted as death and birth for their offsprings. Funeral rites were family-centered and/or community-centered. The did normal procedures for normal deaths for abnormal deaths, there were many protective ceremonies(BuJungmagi : the prevention of the taboo of uncleanliness) for the remaining people. These ceremonies combined confucism and shamanism. Caring behavior for dying persons was ruled as community-centered, reciprocal and reality-centered principles.