Health Problems during Compulsory Military Service Predict Disability Retirement: A Register-Based Study on Secular Trends during 40 Years of Follow-Up

Factors influencing coping skills of middle-aged adults in COVID-19, South Korea

Background

In light of the persistent COVID-19 pandemic, there is a compelling imperative to enhance the COVID-19 coping capacity among middle-aged adults within the South Korean population. Consequently, there is a need for further research endeavors in this area.

Objective

This study aims to explore and identify the factors influencing the coping skills of middle-aged adults in COVID-19, South Korea.

Methods

This study used a cross-sectional descriptive design. Participants were 147 middle-aged adults living in Seoul, Geounggi-do, and Chungchung-do in South Korea. Data included demographics, coping skills, the impact of the event, perceived health status, psychological wellbeing, and family support. The data were analyzed using the SPSS Statistics 25.0 program. Data were collected from March to July 2020.

Results

The regression model was significant (F = 13.56, p < 0.001), and the adjusted R-squared representing the explanatory power of the model was 0.63. The strongest predictor was perceived health status (β = 0.34), followed by family support (β = 0.31), impact of event (β = -0.24), underlying disease (β = -0.13), and economic status (β = 0.11).

Conclusion

This study suggests that to improve the coping skills of middle-aged adults with COVID-19, their perceived health status and family support should be strengthened, and the impact of the event should be decreased. Also, it needs that underlying diseases are managed and economic status is improved. Nurses need to pay more attention to the influencing factors to improve the coping skills of middle-aged adults in COVID-19, South Korea.

Predictors of Yangsaeng (Health Management) Among Korean Middle-Aged Adults

This study aimed to examine and identify the predictors of Yangsaeng (health management) among Korean middle-aged adults. A cross-sectional descriptive design was employed. Study participants consisted of 150 middle-aged adults in S and G cities, South Korea. Measures included the Yangsaeng scale, the perceived health state scale, the self-efficacy scale, the Beck Depression Inventory, and the family support scale. The analyses showed that the prediction model for Yangsaeng (health management) among Korean middle-aged adults was significant. The value of the adjusted R was 0.635, which corresponded to the explanatory power of 63.5%. The predictor with the most influence on Yangsaeng (health management) among Korean middle-aged adults was family support, followed by perceived health state, leisure activity, self-efficacy, and religion, respectively. This study provided preliminary evidence that family support is a major and primary predictor of Yangsaeng (health management) among Korean middle-aged adults. Concrete interventions and strategies to improve the Yangsaeng (health management) of Korean middle-aged adults were necessary.

Early Retirement: A Meta-Analysis of Its Antecedent and Subsequent Correlates

Early or voluntary retirement (ER) can be defined as the full exit from an organizational job or career path of long duration, decided by individuals of a certain age at the mid or late career before mandatory retirement age, with the aim of reducing their attachment to work and closing a process of gradual psychological disengagement from working life. Given the swinging movements that characterize employment policies, the potential effects of ER-both for individuals and society-are still controversial. This meta-analysis examined the relationships between ER and its antecedent and subsequent correlates. Our review of the literature was generated with 151 empirical studies, containing a total number of 706,937 participants, with a wide range of sample sizes (from N = 27 to N = 127,384 participants) and 380 independent effect sizes (ESs), which included 171 independent samples. A negligible ES value for antecedent correlates of early retirement (family pull, job stress, job satisfaction, and income) was obtained (which ranged from r = -0.13 to 0.19), while a fair ES was obtained for workplace timing for retirement, organizational pressures, financial security, and poor physical and mental health, (ranging from r = 0.28 to 0.25). Regarding ER subsequent correlates, poor ESs were obtained, ranging from r = 0.08 to 0.18 for the relationships with subsequent correlates, and fair ESs only for social engagement (r = -0.25). Examination of the potential moderator variables has been conducted. Only a reduced percentage of variability of primary studies has been explained by moderators. Although potential moderator factors were examined, there are several unknown or not measurable factors which contribute to ER and about which there are very little data available. The discussion is aimed to offer theoretical and empirical implications suggestion in order to improve employee's well-being.