• 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.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.5 no.5
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• pp.471-480
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• 2011

Our previous studies have demonstrated the inadequate nutritional status of Vietnamese female marriage immigrants in Korea. Major possible reasons include food insecurity due to economic problems as well as a lack of adjustment to unfamiliar Korean foods and limited access to Vietnamese foods; however, no study has investigated food insecurity among such intermarried couples. This study was performed to investigate the prevalence of food insecurity in Korean-husband-Vietnamese-wife couples and to determine whether they exhibit an intrahousehold discrepancy regarding food insecurity. A cross-sectional analysis of the Cohort of Intermarried Women in Korea study was performed with 84 intermarried couples. Among the 84 Vietnamese immigrants, 48.8% and 41.7% had food insecurity due to economic problems and a lack of foods appealing to their appetite, respectively. There was a marked discrepancy in reporting food insecurity between Vietnamese wives (22.6-38.1%) and their Korean husbands (6.0-15.5%). Vietnamese wives were five and two times more food-insecure due to economic problems and no foods appealing to their appetite, respectively, than their Korean spouses. A follow-up study is needed to investigate the causes of this discrepancy and ways of reducing food insecurity among female marriage immigrants living in low-income, rural communities.

• Journal of the Korean Dietetic Association
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.64-77
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• 2017

This study was conducted to develop a nutritional education program based on the health belief model to improve nutritional status among Vietnamese female marriage immigrants in Korea. The education program was developed through literature review, focus group interviews, expert consultation, and pilot tests. Based on theoretical requirements and needs of beneficiaries, the education program was consisted of 16 sessions with nine topics: 'how to evaluate own dietary habits and nutritional status', 'health problems according to dietary habits and nutritional status', 'understanding six food groups', 'healthy eating plan', 'understanding food cultures of Korea and Vietnam', 'traditional and seasonal Korean foods', 'how to cook Korean food', 'nutrition management of family members', and 'practicing of healthy dietary life'. Program contents in each session consisted of activities that could induce outcome and value expectations, self-efficacy, perceived benefits, and barriers and cues to actions regarding dietary behavior. This nutritional education program based on the health belief model would be helpful to implement healthy diet behaviors in Vietnamese marriage immigrants and their families. Extension of these nutritional education programs to health centers and multicultural family support centers would improve the current poor nutrition status of Vietnamese marriage immigrant women. Further studies are needed to validate our program.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.260-265
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• 2011

The objectives of this study were to develop a food-frequency questionnaire (FFQ) for Vietnamese female immigrants in Korea and to evaluate the validity of the FFQ. A total of 80 food items were selected in developing the FFQ according to consumption frequency, the contribution of energy and other nutrients, and the cooking methods based on one-day 24 hour recall (24HR) from 918 Vietnamese female immigrants between November 2006 and November 2007. The FFQ was validated by comparison with 24HR of 425 Vietnamese female immigrants between November 2008 and August 2009. The absolute nutrient intake calculated from the FFQ was higher than that estimated by 24HR for most nutrients. The correlation coefficients between 24HR and FFQ ranged from 0.10 (vitamin C) - 0.36 (energy) for crude intake, 0.05 (vitamin E) - 0.32 (calcium) for per 1000 kcal, and 0.08 (zinc) - 0.34 (calcium) for energy-adjusted, respectively. More than 70% of subjects were classified into the same or adjacent agreement groups for nutrients other than fiber, sodium, vitamin A, vitamin C, and vitamin E, while less than 10% of subjects were classified into complete disagreement groups. We conclude that the FFQ appears to be an acceptable tool for estimating nutrient intake and dietary patterns of Vietnamese female immigrants in Korea. Future studies to validate the FFQ using various biomarkers or other dietary assessment methods are needed.

• International Journal of Advanced Culture Technology
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.55-66
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• 2022

As the number of immigrants staying in Korea has gradually increased since the mid-1990s, the rate of chronicle migration from certain countries such as China and Vietnam remain high. Registered foreign residents have formed ethnic communities depending on their countries of origin, and the purpose of stay, Korean language literacy, rent, and accessibility have resulted in their self-congregation or forced segregation. This study aims to explore the direction in which immigrants' residential distribution move over time, and whether the ethnic communities show any differences in the level of congregation or segregation. It focuses on identifying the residential distribution of Korean-Chinese, Chinese, and Vietnamese at the city, county, and district level across the country in Korea and examining the congregation and residential changes of three groups over the past decade using centrographic method. Comparing the location as well as the level of residential congregation or dispersion of three groups, which account for the majority of non-professional immigrants in Korea, it will provide a basis for further research on residential congregation or segregation of immigrants in the future.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
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• v.14 no.11
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• pp.427-434
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• 2016

This study aims to examine which factors affect marital satisfaction among Vietnamese marriage immigrants focusing on the demographic background, social support, self-efficacy, and acculturation related variables. Purposive sampling was conducted for the study and 201 Vietnamese marriage immigrants participated in the self-administered questionnaire survey through Seoul, Gyeonggi, and Chungcheong area's social service agencies. The results of 4 step hierarchical multiple regression analysis indicated that the age of woman's husband(${\beta}=-.18$, p<.01), social support(${\beta}=.61$, p<.001), and acculturative stress(${\beta}=-.24$, p<.001) impacted on the woman's marital satisfaction and these variables showed 58.6% explanatory power at the final regression model. Based on these results, social services and social policies for the enhancement of Vietnamese wive's marital satisfaction were discussed.

• Korean Journal of Human Ecology
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.61-73
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• 2007

This study looks into their process to wedding for Vietnamese brides and the motives of their marriage of whom are living in rural areas near an urban city, and the difficulties of their living in Korea. The mist significant motive of their marriage for the Vietnamese brides if financial reasons. They also think that Korean men are well-off and reliable and that the men's occupations or the age are any matter to be considered. As for the Korean men married to Vietnamese brides, the mist significant motive of their marriage is that Vietnamese brides are considered to be good-natured hardworking, sincere and respectful of the elderly. The wedding process usually takes place in 5-6 days through matchmaking, and the background of their Korean man gets inflated by their matchmaking agency. Some of the most significant difficulties for their life in Korea are due to the language barrier, their husbands' incompetence for a living, conceptions before the young brides get adjusted to Korean living. Most significant support networks are their husbands/families, and their neighbors, relatives and friends that can share Korean cultures and Vietnamese cultures with them. At last, the local communities should continuously offer them educational opportunities for Korean language and social/ cultural understanding.

• Journal of Korean Public Health Nursing
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.325-343
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• 2015

Purpose: This study was conducted in order to identify and describe the experiences of health care during pregnancy, birthing, and postpartum period for Vietnamese marriage immigrants. Methods: The participants were 15 Vietnamese married immigrant women who became pregnant and gave birth within the last five years. Data were collected by in-depth interview with Vietnamese women. Data were analyzed using Colaizzi's method of phenomenology. Results: Six theme clusters were extracted as follows: 'being left with no other option in loneliness and longing filled in a limited life', 'continued trials and errors amidst frustration and fear', 'silently following orders despite the quality of medical services that change with each medical care provider', 'compromise by selecting amidst confusion between the Korean way and the way at home', 'depending on family, who is the communication channel, but becoming disappointed', and 'finding the reason for existence and struggling by herself to become a mother amidst doubled confusion'. Conclusion: A program for effective empowerment of Vietnamese immigrant women should be developed. In addition multicultural family centered programs should be developed with emphasis on acceptance of women's culture, respect for her culture, and supports. Medical staffs and nurses should also improve culturally sensitive competence in order to provide care for immigrant women.

• Journal of the Korean association of regional geographers
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.71-85
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• 2012

Marriage Immigrants have greater impact on local communities than migrant workers and foreign students, all the more because their children are relatively more important. Therefore, this study aims to inquire into the fundamental cause on the choice of residential location of marriage immigrants. Residential segregation is often considered to be one of the social problems that intensify locality of residential district. Although migrant workers and foreign students cannot freely decide their residential location at the outset, they could change their residence later on. However marriage immigrants are not free from the residential location choice continuously. The intentional(involuntary) residential segregation brings differential residence of marriage immigrants. The residential segregation of marriage immigrants is concerned with the close relationship of their ethnic background and the community characteristic with focus on Vietnamese and Filipino. The results of this study could be used basic guideline for community development policy for marriage immigrants.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.319-326
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• 2014

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: The immigrant population has grown considerably in South Korea since the early 1990s due to international marriages. Dietary changes in immigrants are an important issue, because they are related to health and disease patterns. This study was conducted to compare changes in dietary intake between baseline and follow-up periods. SUBJECTS/METHODS: Two hundreds thirty three Vietnamese female married immigrants. Baseline data were collected during 2006-2009, and the follow-up data were collected during 2008 and 2010. Food consumption was assessed using a 1-day 24-hour recall. RESULTS: The amount of the total food consumed (P < 0.001) including that of cereals (P = 0.004), vegetables (P = 0.003), and fruits (P = 0.002) decreased at follow-up compared to that at baseline, whereas consumption of milk and dairy products increased (P = 0.004). Accordingly, the overall energy and nutrient intake decreased at follow-up, including carbohydrates (P = 0.012), protein (P = 0.021), fiber (P = 0.008), iron (P = 0.009), zinc (P = 0.006), and folate (P = 0.002). Among various anthropometric and biochemical variables, mean skeletal muscle mass decreased (P = 0.012), plasma high density lipoprotein-cholesterol increased, (P = 0.020) and high sensitivity C-reactive protein decreased at follow-up (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: A long-term follow-up study is needed to investigate the association between changes in food and nutrient intake and anthropometric and biochemical variables in these Vietnamese female marriage immigrants.