• Journal of Korean Public Health Nursing
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.225-237
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• 2020

Purpose: This descriptive correlational study examined the acculturation, health literacy, and factors affecting the health literacy of Vietnamese and Chinese female marriage immigrants. Methods: The sample consisted of 90 Vietnamese and 89 Chinese female marriage immigrants who participated in Multicultural Family Support Centers' programs in metropolitan city A. The health literacy was measured by HLI-FMI (Health Literacy Index for Female Marriage Immigrants), acculturation was measured using the Acculturation Index for female marriage immigrants. Descriptive statistics, t-test, Chi-square, one-way ANOVA, Scheffé test, Pearson correlation coefficient, and multiple linear regression were performed for data analysis. Results: The Chinese group (M=9.80±2.72) showed a significantly higher health literacy than the Vietnamese group (M=8.07±3.57). The factors affecting health literacy among Chinese were the length of residence (β=.442 p<.001), and adaptation to Korean culture (β=.381, p=.007). Conclusion: To develope graded education programs for promoting the health literacy of Chinese and Vietnamese female marriage immigrants, the length of residence can be considered. Continuously providing a support system to help them adapt to Korean culture can also have a positive effect on health literacy.

• Journal of the East Asian Society of Dietary Life
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.234-245
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• 2015

This study aimed to investigate factors related to Chinese female marriage immigrants' dietary adaptation. An in-person survey was conducted by a research institute on Chinese female marriage immigrants married to Korean men, having one child or more aged 1~6 years old, and having resided in Korea for at least 1 year before the survey. Data were collected from 309 respondents comprising 151 Han Chinese and 158 Korean-Chinese during the summer of 2013. About two-thirds of respondents were in their 30s and had resided in Korea for 5 to 10 years. Based on the overall mean score for dietary adaptation level (3.50 out of 5 points), the respondents were classified into two groups: low dietary adaptation group (mean score 3.11) and high dietary adaptation group (mean score 3.81). The results of comparative analysis between the two groups showed that the levels of acculturation (p<0.01) and healthy dietary behavior (p<0.01) for the high dietary adaptation group were significantly higher than those of low dietary adaptation group. The number of respondents of the high dietary adaptation group reporting increased food diversity (p<0.01) and decreased frequency of skipping meals (p<0.01) was significantly higher compare to the low dietary adaptation group. Multiple regression analysis was conducted to identify factors related to dietary adaptation. General characteristics, levels of acculturation, and healthy dietary behavior were included as independent variables. As a result, levels of acculturation and healthy dietary behavior as well as education level, monthly household income, and length of residence in Korea were associated with dietary adaptation. In conclusion, Chinese female marriage immigrants showing acculturated and healthy dietary behaviors adapted well to Korean dietary life. The results from this study suggest that diet-related adaptation support programs for Chinese female marriage immigrants may positively affect their acculturation and dietary behaviors.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.317-327
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• 2014

Objectives: This study was conducted to investigate Chinese female marriage immigrants' dietary life after immigration to Korea, focusing on comparison between Han-Chinese (traditional Chinese) and Korean-Chinese (Chinese of Korean descent). Methods: An in-person survey was conducted with women married to Korean men, having one child or more aged 1-6 years old, and having resided in Korea for at least one year before the survey. The data were collected from the 309 respondents comprising 151 Han-Chinese and 158 Korean-Chinese in the summer of 2013. Results: Overall, there was no significant difference in dietary practice, dietary acculturation, dietary behavior, dietary habits, and food intake between the Han-Chinese and the Korean-Chinese respondents. Over 50% of the respondents ate Korean food every day. The overall level of dietary acculturation was about 3.5 out of 5 points. The average score of healthy dietary behavior was a little bit higher than 3 out of 5 points. Approximately 3/4 of the respondents showed increasing frequency of eating out. The respondents reporting increase food diversity were over 70%. Decreased frequency of skipping meal was about 60% of the respondents. Over 50% of the respondents showed increasing consumption of Kimchi, vegetables, fruit, and meat. Conclusions: Dietary life of Korean-Chinese female marriage immigrants was similar to that of Han-Chinese female marriage immigrants after immigration to Korea. The results from this study suggest that not only Han-Chinese but also Korean-Chinese should be targeted in various diet-related acculturation support programs as important multicultural populations in Korea.

• Journal of Korean Public Health Nursing
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.518-531
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• 2012

Purpose: This study was conducted in order to develop and test a measurement for assessment of stress of female marriage immigrants in Korea. Methods: Forty four preliminary items were initially developed based on literature review and focus group interviews. Those items were evaluated by experts for content validity, resulting in six factors and 26 items. The 26 items were translated into Chinese, Vietnamese, and English by professional translators and were reviewed by native speakers of each language who are fluent in Korean. For testing validity and reliability, data were collected from 323 female marriage immigrants residing in five regions in Korea. Results: As a result of item analysis, 25 items were selected. Factor analysis yielded 21 items in four factors, including 1) household economic 2) parenting and discrimination 3) cultural and 4) emotional stressors, explaining 61.3% of the total variance of stress of female marriage immigrants in Korea. The Cronbach's alpha reliability coefficient was .903 for the overall instrument and .692-.892 for four factors. Conclusion: Measurement of stress for female marriage immigrants in Korea has high validity and reliability. Therefore, this measurement may be utilized for systematic assessment of stress and for identification of areas of support for female marriage immigrants in Korea.

• Journal of the Korean Home Economics Association
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• v.48 no.7
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• pp.1-13
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• 2010

This study investigated how the characteristics of female international marriage immigrants, their husbands, their children, and their families affected their parenting self-efficacy, using a sample of 187 female international marriage immigrants, from China, the Philippines, or Vietnam, now living in Pusan and Gyungnam, Korea. We used questionnaires were based on the studies by Choe & Chung (2001), Shin (1997), Lee (1996), and Lee & Song (1991), and with the addition of demographic characteristics. Analysis results showed that the mother's parenting self-efficacy subscales correlated positively with mother's educational level, social support, and Korean language level; husband's educational level; and family income, and negatively with mother's depression, husband's age, and mother's acculturative stress. Multiple regressions indicated that husband's support was the strongest predictor of female international marriage immigrants' parenting self-efficacy.