Journal of muscle and joint health (근관절건강학회지)

Korean Society of Muscle and Joint Health (대한근관절건강학회)
권호 표지
DOI QR코드

DOI QR Code

Korean-American Women's Experience of Cancer Prevention in the U.S.

재미 한인 여성의 암 예방 경험

  • Received : 2022.04.06
  • Accepted : 2022.08.26
  • Published : 2022.08.31
Download PDF
⟨ Previous Next ⟩

Abstract

Purpose: This study is a qualitative analysis of Korean-American (K-A) women's cancer prevention in the US. Methods: Qualitative research was conducted. Fifteen K-A women in four states were interviewed. Content theme analysis was used to analyze verbatim transcriptions of interviews. Results: Participants experienced difficulties in utilizing cancer screening programs. Factors include unfamiliarity with the US health care system, high health care costs or lack of health insurance, language barriers, and irregular and sporadic cancer screening participation. Participants also actively pursued non-institutional approaches to cancer prevention. They engaged in word-of-mouth informational exchanges in K-A communities, sought cancer screening in hospitals in Korea, conducted internet searches, autonomously decided on their health issues, and adopted healthy practices including better diets, physical exercise, and spiritual practices. Conclusion: It is necessary to implement measures to increase K-A women's utilization of the US cancer screening services and to encourage their active engagement in hands-on cancer prevention practices. K-A women should be empowered through increased familiarity with US cancer screening services and through the establishment of improved K-A community social services.

Keywords

Acknowledgement

이 논문은 2013년도 정부(교육부)의 재원으로 한국연구재단의 지원을 받아 수행된 기초연구사업임(NRF-2013R1A1A2011994)

References

  1. Academy of Korean Studies. (n.d.). Koryo Health Foundation. In Encyclopeida of overseas Korean culture. Sungnam: Academy of Korean Studies.
  2. Center for Disease Control and Prevention. (2019). Health equity: Leading causes of death - females - non-hispanic asian or pacific islander - United States, 2017. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/women/lcod/2017/nonhispanic-asian-or-islander/index.htm
  3. Choi, E., Lee, Y. Y., Suh, M., Lee, E. Y., Mai, T. T. X., Ki, M., et al. (2018). Socioeconomic inequalities in cervical and breast cancer screening among women in Korea, 2005-2015. Yonsei Medical Journal, 59(9), 1026-1033. https://doi.org/10.3349/ymj.2018.59.9.1026
  4. Fang, C. Y., Ma, G. X., Handorf, E. A., Feng, Z., Tan, Y., Rhee, J., et al. (2017). Addressing multilevel barriers to cervical cancer screening in Korean American women: A randomized trial of a community-based intervention. Cancer, 123(6), 1018-1026. https://doi.org/10.1002/cncr.30391
  5. Jin, H., Pinheiro, P. S., Xu, J., & Amei, A. (2016). Cancer incidence among Asian American populations in the United States, 2009-2011. International Journal of Cancer, 138(9), 2136-2145. https://doi.org/10.1002/ijc.29958
  6. Kim, S. J. (2008). Korean community and Korean immigrants' lives in a small and medium city of America-focusing on old-timers in Indianapolis. Unpublished doctoral thesis. Seoul: Hankuk University of Foreign Studies.
  7. Kwok, C., Lee, M.-J., & Lee, C. F. (2019). Breast cancer perceptions and screening behaviours among Korean women in Australia. Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health, 22(1), 126-133. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10903-019-00876-8
  8. Lee, J., Demissie, K., Lu, S.-E., & Rhoads, G. G. (2007). Cancer incidence among Korean- American immigrants in the United States and native Koreans in South Korea. Cancer Control: Journal of the Moffitt Cancer Center, 14(1), 78. https://doi.org/10.1177/107327480701400111
  9. Lee, M. H., & Schwartz, A. J. (2021). Barriers to breast cancer screening and coping strategies in Korean American women. Journal of Transcultural Nursing, 32(1), 6-13. https://doi.org/10.1177/1043659619881482
  10. Lee, M. H., Merighi, J. R., & Lee, H. Y. (2019). Factors associated with mammogram use in Korean American immigrant women. American Journal of Health Behavior, 43(6), 1075-1085. https://doi.org/10.5993/AJHB.43.6.6
  11. Lee, R. J., Madan, R. A., Kim, J., Posadas, E. M., & Yu, E. Y. (2021). Disparities in cancer care and the Asian American population. The Oncologist, 26(6), 453-460. https://doi.org/10.1002/onco.13748
  12. Lee, S. Y. (2015). Cultural factors associated with breast and cervical cancer screening in Korean American women in the US: An integrative literature review. Asian Nursing Research, 9(2):81-90. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anr.2015.05.003
  13. National Cancer Institute. (2020). ACS's updated cervical cancer screening guidelines explained. Retrieved from https://www.cancer.gov/news-events/cancer-currents-blog/2020/cervical-cancer-screening-hpv-test-guideline#:~:text=Widely%used%guidelines%on%screening%women%for%cervical,preventing%cervical%cancer%and%deaths%from%the%disease
  14. Nwosu, C., & Batalova, J. (2014). Immigrants from the Dominican Republic in the United States. Retrieved from https://www.migrationpolicy.org/article/immigrants-dominican-republic-united-states-2012
  15. Park, H., & Park, M. (2014). Cancer information-seeking behaviors and information needs among Korean Americans in the online community. Journal of Community Health, 39(2), 213-220. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10900-013-9784-8
  16. Roblain, A., Azzi, A., & Licata, L. (2016). Why do majority members prefer immigrants who adopt the host culture? The role of perceived identification with the host nation. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 55, 44-54. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijintrel.2016.08.001
  17. Sandelowski, M. (2010). What's in a name? Qualitative description revisited. Research in Nursing & Health, 33(1), 77-84. https://doi.org/10.1002/nur.20362
  18. Sin, M.-K., Ha, A., & Taylor, V. (2016). Sociocultural barriers to lung cancer screening among Korean immigrant men. Journal of Community Health, 41(4), 790-797. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10900-016-0154-1
  19. Son, J. (2013). Assimilation and health service utilization of Korean immigrant women. Qualitative Health Research, 23(11), 1528-1540. https://doi.org/10.1177/1049732313507142
  20. Statistics Korea. (2021). Causes of death statistics in 2020. Retrieved from http://kostat.go.kr/portal/korea/kor_nw/1/6/2/index.board?bmode=read&bSeq=&aSeq=403046&pageNo=1&rowNum=10&navCount=10&currPg=&searchInfo=&sTarget=title&sTxt=
  21. Statistics Korea. (n.d.). Statistics of emigration. Retrieved from https://index.go.kr/potal/main/EachDtlPageDetail.do?idx_cd=1684
  22. Suh, E. E. (2008). The sociocultural context of breast cancer screening among Korean immigrant women. Cancer Nursing, 31(4), E1-E10. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.NCC.0000305742.56829.fc
  23. Tran, A. T. N., Hwang, J. H., Choi, E., Lee, Y. Y., Suh, M., Lee, C. W., et al. (2021). Impact of awareness of breast density on perceived risk, worry, and intentions for future breast cancer screening among Korean women. Cancer Research and Treatment, 53(1), 55-64. https://doi.org/10.4143/crt.2020.495
  24. Tung, W. C. (2010). Asian American's confucianism-based health-seeking behavior and decision-making process. Home Health Care Management & Practice, 22(7), 536-538. https://doi.org/10.1177/1084822310376610
  25. U.S. Census Bureau. (2021). Selected population profile in the United States: 2019-American community survey. Retrieved from https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=Korean%population&t=Populations%and%People&d=ACS%1-Year%Estimates%Selected%Population%Profiles
  26. USA FACTS. (2021a). Immigration & immigration enforcement. Retrieved from https://usafacts.org/data/topics/people-society/immigration/immigration-and-immigration-enforcement/persons-removed-or-returned/
  27. USA FACTS. (2021b). Which jobs have the highest representation of Asian Americans. Retrieved from https://usafacts.org/articles/the-diverse-demographics-of-asian-americans/
  28. Yoon, E. J., Kim, S. K., Seo, Y. O., Lee, E. N., Seok, S. H., Lee, E. N., et al. (2021). Medical-surgical nursing (9th ed., revised). Paju: Soomoonsa.