Needs for home care nursing in the vulnerable elderly.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to determine the subjects' health status according to the needs of visiting health and the function of the family in home care nursing.


METHODS
The data collection period was from 07/01/04 to 10/31/04 and the subjects were 488 of those above 60 years of age staying at home or living alone who registered at a visiting health service of public health center at an urban area in Korea. This survey was carried out by visiting health nurses and participation was agreed on by the elderly people.


RESULTS
The extent of the subjects' total health status to the general characteristics had differences according to the age, sex, monthly income, perceived health status, known functional disorder, and yes-or-no for disease. At all health status domains, visiting health need care in the group I was very lower than one in II, III, or IV groups. Also the severe dysfunctional family was lower than lightly dysfunctional family and normal functional family in all health status domains.


CONCLUSIONS
Nurses must provide their characteristics considered nursing intervention for the elderly who have high visiting health needs and severe dysfunctional family with vulnerable health care.
Lee
Ji Hyun
JH
College of Nursing, Kosin University, Busan, South Korea. jihyunlee@kosin.ac.kr
Jeong
Younhee
Y
Park
Geum Ja
GJ
Kwon
Sook Hee
SH
D000368:Aged; D003152:Community Health Nursing; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006299:Health Services for the Aged; D006304:Health Status; D006699:Home Care Services; D006801:Humans; D007723:Korea; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020380:Needs Assessment; D035862:Vulnerable Populations