PURPOSE: The goal of this study was to examine the association between perceived racial discrimination and substance use and the potential moderating effect of perceived parental affection between the two variables. METHODS: A total of 101 Korean American adolescents participated in this cross-sectional study utilized an online survey. Descriptive statistics were used to describe for means and frequencies and the patterns of substance use. Logistic regression analysis was also used to examine the association between perceived discrimination and substance use. RESULTS: Ninety percent of the participants reported perceiving racial discrimination, and 21% had used at least one kind of substance in the month prior to taking the survey. The most frequently used substance was alcohol, followed by marijuana and tobacco products. Logistic regression analysis revealed a link between perceived racial discrimination and substance use (OR = 1.74, 95% CI = 1.01, 3.00). However, parental affection did not moderate between racial discrimination and substance use. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that perceived racial discrimination is positively associated with substance use among Korean American adolescents, and health care providers, counselors, and school nurses should screen for discrimination-related stress and substance use in this population.
Adolescent* ; Asian Americans* ; Cannabis ; Counseling ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Discrimination (Psychology) ; Health Personnel ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Parents ; Racism* ; Tobacco Products

PURPOSE: This cross-sectional survey was undertaken to examine the differences of BSE (breast-self examination) performance and health beliefs between Korean and Korean-American women and to identify which factors influence the BSE based on the HBM variables. METHOD: The study subjects were recruited from both Korea(189 women) and Cleveland in Ohio, USA(146 women). The HBM variables were measured using a reliable and valid Health Belief Model Scale. The subjects were also asked whether or not they did a BSE in the last year. RESULT: The Korean-American women who performed the BSE was statistically higher than that of Korean women. Regarding to the BSE-related health belief, the scores of benefits, confidence, and health motivation was significantly higher in Korean-American. After controlling for living places, age, education, and job, barriers and confidence variables significantly explained the BSE performance of Korean and Korean-American women. CONCLUSION: There was a differences in BSE-related health belief and performance between Korean and Korean-American women. Among health belief variables, barriers and confidence were core variables predicting the BSE performance of Korean and Korean-American women together.
Adult ; Aged ; Asian Americans/*psychology ; Attitude to Health/*ethnology ; Breast Neoplasms/*psychology ; Breast Self-Examination/*psychology ; Female ; Humans ; Korea/ethnology ; Middle Aged

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to explore and describe Khmer mothers' understanding of HBV and HPV prevention as well as their perception of parenting on health and health education of their daughters in the US. METHODS: The qualitative pilot study guided by the revised Network Episode Model and informed by ethnographic analysis and community-based purposive sampling method were used. Face-to-face audiotaped interviews with eight Khmer mothers were conducted by bilingual female middle-aged community health leaders who spoke Khmer. RESULTS: The findings revealed that Khmer mothers clearly lacked knowledge about HBV and HPV infection prevention and had difficulty understanding and educating their daughters about health behavior, especially on sex-related topics. The findings showed that histo-sociocultural factors are integrated with the individual factor, and these factors influenced the HBV and HPV knowledge and perspective of Khmer mothers' parenting. CONCLUSIONS: The study suggests that situation-specific conceptual and methodological approaches that take into account the uniqueness of the sociocultural context of CAs is a novel method for identifying factors that are significant in shaping the perception of Khmer mothers' health education related to HBV and HPV prevention among their daughters. The communication between mother and daughter about sex and the risk involved in contracting HBV and HPV has been limited, partly because it is seen as a "taboo subject" and partly because mothers think that schools educate their children regarding sexuality and health.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Asian Americans/psychology ; Cambodia/ethnology ; Child ; Child Rearing/*psychology ; Communication ; Female ; *Health Education ; *Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Mothers/*psychology ; Nuclear Family ; Papillomavirus Infections/*prevention & control ; Parenting/*psychology ; Pilot Projects ; Qualitative Research ; United States ; Young Adult

PURPOSE: This ethnography was done to explore the meaning of illness in Korean Americans with chronic hepatitis B. METHODS: The participants were 6 patients with chronic hepatitis B and 6 general informants who could provide relevant data. Data were collected from iterative fieldwork with ethnographic interviews within Korean communities in two cities in the United States. Data were analyzed using causal chain analysis developed by Wolcott. RESULTS: The analyses revealed three meanings for the illness: hidden disease, intentionally hidden disease, and inevitably hidden disease. The contexts of meaning of illness included characteristics of the illness, social stigma, structure of health care system and communication patterns and discourse between health care providers and clients. CONCLUSION: The meaning of illness was based on folk illness concepts and constructed in the sociocultural context. Folk etiology, pathology and interpretation of one's symptoms were factors influencing illness behavior. These findings could be a cornerstone for culture specific care for Korean Americans with chronic hepatitis B.
Aged ; *Asian Americans ; Delivery of Health Care ; Female ; Health Personnel ; Hepatitis B, Chronic/*ethnology/etiology/psychology ; Humans ; Interviews as Topic ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Republic of Korea/ethnology ; Social Stigma

PURPOSE: The purpose of this review is to explore cultural influences on the experiences of Korean, Korean American, and Caucasian American family caregivers caring for frail older adults in terms of the selection of a primary caregiver, caregiving motivation, support/help-seeking, and negative emotional responses(depression and burden). METHODS: Seven electronic databases were searched to retrieve studies from 1966 to 2005. Thirty-two studies were identified. RESULTS: This review supported cultural influences on the selection of primary caregiver, caregiving motivation, and support/help-seeking among the three caregiver groups. In Korean caregivers, the major primary caregivers were daughters-in-law while among Korean American and Caucasian American caregivers, the major primary caregivers were daughters or spouses. As a major caregiving motivation, Caucasian American caregivers reported filial affection while Korean caregivers and Korean American caregivers reported filial obligation. Korean caregivers reported higher extended family support, while Caucasian American caregivers reported higher utilization of formal support. Korean caregivers showed the highest levels of depression followed by Korean American caregivers and Caucasian American caregivers. CONCLUSION: In order to develop culturally appropriate interventions and policies, more research is needed to further explain these differences among the three groups, especially regarding support/help-seeking and negative emotional responses.
Adaptation, Psychological ; Aged ; Asian Americans ; *Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; *Caregivers/psychology ; *Cross-Cultural Comparison ; Decision Making ; *European Continental Ancestry Group ; *Frail Elderly ; Humans ; Korea/ethnology ; Motivation ; Social Support ; United States

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to report the instrument modification and validation processes to make existing health belief model scales culturally appropriate for Korean Americans (KAs) regarding colorectal cancer (CRC) screening utilization. METHODS: Instrument translation, individual interviews using cognitive interviewing, and expert reviews were conducted during the instrument modification phase, and a pilot test and a cross-sectional survey were conducted during the instrument validation phase. Data analyses of the cross-sectional survey included internal consistency and construct validity using exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis. RESULTS: The main issues identified during the instrument modification phase were (a) cultural and linguistic translation issues and (b) newly developed items reflecting Korean cultural barriers. Cross-sectional survey analyses during the instrument validation phase revealed that all scales demonstrate good internal consistency reliability (Cronbach's alpha=.72~.88). Exploratory factor analysis showed that susceptibility and severity loaded on the same factor, which may indicate a threat variable. Items with low factor loadings in the confirmatory factor analysis may relate to (a) lack of knowledge about fecal occult blood testing and (b) multiple dimensions of the subscales. CONCLUSION: Methodological, sequential processes of instrument modification and validation, including translation, individual interviews, expert reviews, pilot testing and a cross-sectional survey, were provided in this study. The findings indicate that existing instruments need to be examined for CRC screening research involving KAs.
Aged ; Asian Americans/*psychology ; Colorectal Neoplasms/*pathology ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Female ; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice ; Humans ; Interviews as Topic ; Male ; Mass Screening ; Middle Aged ; Occult Blood ; Pilot Projects ; Republic of Korea ; Self Efficacy ; Surveys and Questionnaires

PURPOSE: Korean American women have twice the rate of cervical cancer than white women and demonstrate low rates in participation in cervical cancer screening. This study was to describe the perceptions about cervical cancer and factors related to cervical cancer screening among Korean American women. METHOD: Focus group methods. RESULT: Five themes emerged. First, knowledge about cervical cancer; misconceptions about cervical cancer, its causes, reproductive anatomy and the treatment Second, perceived meanings of having cervical cancer; most of the women felt that cervical cancer represented a loss of femininity and existential value of womanhood. Third, knowledge about cervical cancer screening ; regular medical check-ups were necessary for early detection and prevention of cervical cancer. Forth, experiences and perceived meanings of cervical cancer screening; the participants expressed their feelings; embarrassment, fear, shame and shyness. Fifth, practices of cervical cancer screening; various intervals in participating in cervical cancer screening. But they mentioned several deterrents, language, insurance, time constraint, embarrassment, fear of the screening results, misbelief about susceptibility, lack of health prevention behavior, and lack of information written in Korean. CONCLUSION: Results emphasize the critical need for culturally appropriate health education to encourage participation of Korean American women in cervical cancer screening.
Adult ; Aged ; *Asian Americans/education/ethnology/statistics & numerical data ; Communication Barriers ; Existentialism/psychology ; Fear/psychology ; Female ; Focus Groups ; Gender Identity ; *Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice ; Humans ; Korea/ethnology ; *Mass Screening/psychology/utilization ; Middle Aged ; Needs Assessment ; Nursing Methodology Research ; Patient Acceptance of Health Care/*ethnology/statistics & numerical data ; Patient Education as Topic/standards ; Qualitative Research ; Questionnaires ; Shame ; Shyness ; Socioeconomic Factors ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms/*diagnosis/ethnology ; *Vaginal Smears/psychology/utilization ; Washington/epidemiology