Factors affecting Successful Aging among Male Elders in Korea

The purpose of this study was to identify the factors affecting the degree of successful aging among male elders in Korea. The design was a cross sectional study. Respondents of the survey in this study were 181 male elders living in 8 places — C, J, G, and S si (city), B gun (county), J, M, and S myeon (sub-county) in South Korea. Data were collected using face-to-face interviews with a structured questionnaire. The data were analyzed using the SPSS Window 20.0 program for t-test, ANOVA, Pearson’s correlation coefficients, and multiple regression analysis. The average score of successful aging among male elders was 3.51 ± 0.45. There was a strong positive correlation (r=.724) between the degree of self esteem and successful aging. Relationship between the degree of selfefficacy and successful aging was also strongly positive (r=.656). For successful aging of male elders, the statistically significant predictors were self-esteem, self efficacy, and interpersonal relationship with others. The most powerful predictor of the degree of successful aging that explains 52.2% was self-esteem. This variable and two additional variables, self efficacy and interpersonal relationship, had an explanatory power of 62.3% (F=98.42, p < .001). In nursing assessments and interventions for successful aging in Korean male elders, it is necessary to develop nursing programs and apply them considering self esteem, self efficacy and interpersonal relationships of the elderly.