• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
• /
• v.23 no.2
• /
• pp.144-154
• /
• 2012

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the characteristics of problem behaviors, cultural identity and acculturation of North Korean (NK) refugee youth and to suggest an appropriate approach for helping them to adjust to our society based on these findings. Methods: The subjects were 117 NK adolescent refugees in Hanawon. Data were collected by a demographic questionnaire, Youth Self Report (YSR), the South-North Korean cultural identity. Results: Problem behaviors of NK refugee youth were the highest in anxiety/depression and withdrawal behavior and were followed by internalized behavior, aggressiveness, overall problem behavior, externalized behavior, delinquency and positive behavior in that order. Acculturation was the highest in 'separation' followed by 'integration', 'assimilation' and 'marginalization' in that order. No significant relationship was found between acculturation types and problem behaviors except positive behavior. Conclusion: This study provides some important information that we have to develop specific strategies and interventions primarily focused on withdrawal, anxiety/depression, and internalization for the adjustment and mental health of NK refugee youth. It is necessary to explore further research related to cultural identity, acculturation processes, and the correlation between acculturation types and problem behaviors.

• Korean Journal of Child Studies
• /
• v.35 no.4
• /
• pp.103-122
• /
• 2014

The purpose of this study was to identify the variables affecting parenting efficacy of North Korean refugee mothers. The selected variables were marital satisfaction, social support, and acculturation. The participants consisted of 105 mothers who had defected from North Korea with preschool children living in Seoul, Gwangmyeong-si, and Gyeongsangnam-do provinces. The data thus collected were analyzed by descriptive statistics, t-tests, correlation, and multiple regression analysis. The results indicated that the marital satisfaction and social support had meaningfully positive effects on the parenting efficacy of North Korean refugee mothers. However, marginalization was found to be a predictor of competence-anxiety in parenting. The selected variables derived from the environmental systems in maternal parenting were significant factors in the parenting efficacy of North Korean refugee mothers and furthermore, their sociocultural environments were also important in parenting. These findings clearly showed that marital satisfaction and social support were the most significant variables of parenting efficacy of North Korean refugee mothers. The results of this study appear to have a great deal of utility as preliminary data to improve the parenting efficacy of North Korean refugee mothers.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
• /
• v.43 no.4
• /
• pp.478-485
• /
• 2013

Purpose: This study was conducted to develop a health education program for preschoolers who have defected from North Korea with their mothers, and to evaluate the effects on health knowledge and behavior. Methods: A non-equivalent control group pre-post test design was used with 58 preschoolers who were assigned to either the experimental or control group (29 for each group). The program was composed of five sessions in health education and contracts. To test the effectiveness of the intervention, health knowledge and behaviors, and total bacterial colony counts on hands were measured at one pretest and two post tests (1 week and 4 weeks after the intervention ended). Data were analyzed using the SAS program. Results: Health knowledge and behavior in the experimental group increased significantly compared to the control group. The effects of the intervention were evident even at 4 weeks after the intervention ended. Total bacterial colony counts in the experimental group decreased significantly at the 1 and 4 week posttest intervention compared to the control group. Conclusion: Results indicate that this program is effective in improving health knowledge and behavior in these children and therefore can be utilized to ensure efficient management their health care.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
• /
• v.60 no.3
• /
• pp.285-289
• /
• 2006

Background : North Korea's economic and public health problems began in the early 1990s as a result of the gradual loss of economic support from its communist allies, combined with an inordinate number of natural disasters. The decline in public health has increased the incidence of tuberculosis in North Koreans and refugees. This study investigated tuberculosis situation in North Korean refugees in order to prepare for the future impact of tuberculosis control in Korea. Material and Methods : From 2001 to 2005, tuberculosis patients among North Korean refugees who were diagnosed before or after arriving in South Korea, based on the official records of OO hospital, were enrolled in this study. The demographic and clinical data of the cases were evaluated retrospectively. Results : A total of 42 TB cases were reviewed during the study period. Of these, 37 (88.1%) cases were pulmonary TB. based on the cases identified among the number of North Korean refugees' arriving each year, the annual incidence of pulmonary TB were 900 per 100,000 in 2004, 700 in 2003, The number of smear-positive patients was 20 (47.6%) and the number of culture-positive patients was 18 (42.9%). Of the M. tuberculosis isolates, 2 cases were found to be susceptible to all anti-TB drugs available, 4 were resistant to isoniazid, and 3 were multi-drug resistant. Conclusion : The prevalence of pulmonary TB in North Korean Refugees is high. In addition, North Korean refugees suffer from more severe tuberculosis in bacteriological and radiological aspects.

• Korean Journal of Social Welfare
• /
• v.61 no.4
• /
• pp.191-215
• /
• 2009

The purposes of this study were to investigate the factors that influence the school drop-out of North Korean refugee youth and to generate recommendations for social work practice and the resettlement policies of the government to ameliorate the high school drop-out rate among North Korean refugee youth. This study examined the effects of the environmental factors such as the quality of parenting practice, peer attachment and the kind of school a youngster attends, and personal characteristics such as self-respect and acculturation stress level, and academic efficacy on the school drop-out intention. Gender, duration of stay in Korea, family economic status were established as control variables. The drop-out intention was used as a proxy for drop-out behavior. The study findings indicate that the personal characteristics such as gender, self-respect and acculturation stress, academic efficacy were the significant influencing factors, whereas environmental factors such as quality of parenting, peer attachment did not exert any statistically significant effect on the drop-out intention. At the conclusion, the implications of the study findings for research, social work practice and the government policies were discussed.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
• /
• v.18 no.9
• /
• pp.63-70
• /
• 2020

This study examines whether citizen's satisfaction with police response to their victimization has an effect on the trust in the police. The data (N = 214) were collected from the North Koreans refugees residing in South Korea. One key finding shows that the North Koreans who were dissatisfied with policemen's response to their crime victimization cases report lower trust in the South Korean police. Also, the people who had ever reported a crime to the police increase their trust in the police. However, sex, education experience, car ownership, household victimization preventive measures, crime trends decrease their trust in the police. The implications and limitations were discussed for the future research.

• 보건세계
• /
• v.58 no.1
• /
• pp.14-17
• /
• 2011

<보건세계> 원고 부탁을 받고 하나원에서 간호사로 12년 넘게 근무하면서 만났던 북한이탈주민들 중 간호했던 한 결핵환자와의 인연을 떠올리게 되었습니다. '지금 그녀는 어떻게 살고 있을까?' 그들 가운데 가장 기억에 남는 K에 관한 얘기를 기억 속에서 꺼내보려 합니다. 이 글은 북한사회의 경제적 어려움 때문에 결핵 진단을 받고도 약을 구할 수 없어 치료를 방치하다 결핵균이 뇌막염을 일으켜 하반신 마비라는 영원한 장애를 갖게 된 이야기입니다. 영화 갈이 멀기만 한 이야기가 바로 오늘 우리와 함께 사는 탈북민의 이야기이며, 우리가 그들과 함께 더불어 살아야하는 이유입니다.

• Journal of the Korean association of regional geographers
• /
• v.22 no.1
• /
• pp.168-179
• /
• 2016

This study attempted to analyze the relationship between school life satisfaction and acculturation of elementary students of north Korean refugees in Daegu and Gyeongbuk region. The socio-demographic characteristics of elementary students in Daegu and Gyeongbuk were different from in capital territory or other parts of Korea. The acculturation of students living in Daegu and Gyeongbuk was distinctive. The proportion of assimilation was slightly higher than that of integration. However, 42 percent of students belonging to separation and marginalization passively accepted south Korean culture, so that they would have a difficult time in adjusting to new culture. Students getting older and being used to school life strongly inclined to accept south Korean culture; while, students born in north Korea tended to resist acceptance of south Korean culture. Most students were satisfied with school life. The satisfaction level was high in the relationship with teachers and school environment; while, the satisfaction level in learning activity was relatively low. In the relationship between school satisfaction and types of acculturation, students actively accepting new culture were relatively highly satisfied with their school life. A standardized short-term education oriented program for north Korean adolescents refugees living in south Korea should be shifted into the long-term support policy reflected in class and attribute in terms of acculturation.

• Korean Journal of Human Ecology
• /
• v.23 no.2
• /
• pp.175-191
• /
• 2014

The purpose of this study was to acquire in-depth understanding regarding teachers' experiences with North Korean defectors' young children during their initial settlement period at Pyeonghwa Kindergarten. The participants of this study included 2 kindergarten teachers and 15 North Korean defectors' young children along with 3 local classmates. Qualitative data was collected via interviews and in-class observations. The study results show that (1) teachers witnessed that North Korean defectors' young children came from diverse backgrounds and struggled with emotional insecurity while local classmates were being excluded by them, (2) teachers had difficulties to communicate and make a consensus with their parents while teachers' efforts to communicate were being paid off gradually, and (3) teachers felt that kindergarten education was de-prioritized administratively to elementary education, and many programs were cancelled due to lack of understanding of in-charge staff.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
• /
• v.23 no.1
• /
• pp.82-90
• /
• 2012

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to provide base data for preparing plans that North Korean (NK) Refugees can adjust themselves to our society with a healthy mind after they get over their health problems using the Health Belief Model, knowing the relationship between individual characteristics and health beliefs, and health behavior. Methods: The subjects were 304 NK adult refugees in Hanawon. Data were collected by demographic questionnaire, health behavior scale, self-efficacy scale, perceived benefit scale, perceived barrier scale, perceived seriousness, perceived sensibility, and individual characteristics. Results: The factors influencing the health behavior of NK refugees were perceived benefits, self-efficacy, the period in the third country and experience in being expelled to NK, and these variables were describing 31.4% of the health behaviors of refugees. Conclusion: The perceived benefits and self-efficacy of health belief and specific experiences related to refugee affected NK refugees' health behavior.