Acculturative stress in Korean Americans

摘要

Abstract Background Acculturative stress is known to contribute to chronic diseases among many immigrants and yet this association in Korean Americans remains unclear. Aim The study purpose was to examine the level of acculturative stress in Korean Americans and to determine if correlations existed with personal and physiological factors. Methods An exploratory, cross-sectional, descriptive study was conducted in a sample of 107 Korean American adults. Data on acculturative stress and personal factors were collected using a survey questionnaire in addition to a direct measure of physiological factors (i.e., body mass index and blood pressure). Results All 107 participants were first-generation Koreans. Most participants were women (66.4%), with a mean age of 53.9±10.7, married (88.8%), and with a college education (84.2%). Acculturative stress was associated with a number of personal factors (i.e., arrival age, years of U.S education, years of U.S. residency, English proficiency), and the personal factors of gender, age, employment status, and years of U.S. residency were associated with the physiological factors. No statistically significant associations were found between acculturative stress and physiological factors. Conclusions The mean acculturative stress score in this study was higher than findings from prior studies of Korean immigrants in the United States or Canada, with the rates of obesity and hypertension higher than prior reports of Korean Americans or Koreans residing in Korea. Future study is necessary with a larger sample from a variety of different geographic areas of the United States to examine further the impact of acculturative stress on physiological factors during the process of acculturation. Highlights ? Most participants revealed higher BP and BMI than those of other Korean Americans and Koreans living in their native country. ? Greater length of residency may not always lead to more acculturation to a new country and less acculturative stress. ? Immigrants who arrived to a new country at their older age had higher acculturative stress than those arrived at younger age.