• Yonsei Medical Journal
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• v.59 no.9
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• pp.1072-1078
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• 2018

Purpose: The Korean society has moved rapidly toward becoming a multicultural society. This study aimed to estimate the seroprevalence of hepatitis viruses and investigate hepatitis B virus (HBV) genotypic diversity in female marriage immigrants. Materials and Methods: Screening program was conducted at support centers for multicultural families in 21 administrative districts in Korea between July 2011 and January 2017. A total of 963 female marriage immigrants were included in this study. Blood samples were tested for hepatitis viral markers and HBV genotype. Results: Subjects' median age was 33 years (20-40 years), and they originated from nine countries including Vietnam (n=422, 43.8%), China (n=311, 32.3%), the Philippines (n=85, 8.8%), Cambodia (n=58, 6.0%), and Japan (n=39, 4.0%). About 30% (n=288) of subjects required hepatitis A vaccination. HBsAg positive rate was 5.4% (n=52). Positive HBsAg results were the highest in subjects from Southeast Asia (6.6%, n=38). Anti-HBs positive rate was 60.4% (n=582). About 34% (n=329) of subjects who were negative for anti-HBs and HBsAg required HBV vaccinations. Genotypes B and C were found in 54.6% (n=12) and 45.4% (n=10) of the 22 subjects with HBV, in whom genotypes were tested. Eight (0.8%) subjects were positive for anti-HCV. Positive anti-HCV results were the highest in subjects from Central Asia (7.9%, n=3). Conclusion: Testing for hepatitis viral marker (hepatitis A virus IgG and HBsAg/anti-HBs) is needed for female marriage immigrants. Especially, HBV genotype B is different from genotype C of Koreans. Therefore, interest and attention to vaccination programs for female marriage immigrants are necessary for both clinicians and public health institutes.

• Journal of the East Asian Society of Dietary Life
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• v.25 no.5
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• pp.765-778
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• 2015

The purpose of this study was to investigate Japanese female marriage immigrants' dietary life and health-related characteristics after immigration to Korea. A survey was conducted with Japanese women married to Korean men and having one child or more aged 7 to 18 years old. Data were collected from 243 women during the summer of 2014. A total of 204 questionnaires were analyzed, after excluding 39 questionnaires with a high percentage of incomplete responses (84% analysis rate). Over 85% of respondents were the members of the Unification Church, and over 92% of respondents had stayed in Korea for longer than 10 years. Based on the overall mean score for dietary adaptation level (3.68 out of 5 points), respondents were classified into two groups: low dietary adaptation group (mean score 3.12) and high dietary adaptation group (mean score 4.19). The collected data were compared between the two groups. The high dietary adaptation group reported higher percentages of decreasing consumption in processed food, confectionary, and bread than the low dietary adaptation group after immigration to Korea. A higher percentage of respondents in the high dietary adaptation group perceived their health status as good and reported changes that led to a healthier dietary life after immigration to Korea compared with those in the low dietary adaptation group. In conclusion, Japanese female marriage immigrants well adapted to Korean dietary life tended to eat healthier and perceive health status better compared with those who were not well adapted. The results of this study could be useful for prospecting dietary life and health-related characteristics of immigrant women in the long term after immigration to Korea.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.45 no.2
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• pp.159-169
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• 2012

The purpose of this study was to investigate Korean food adaption, eating behavior and dietary intakes of married female immigrants by age, number of residence years in Korea and level of income. The survey included 67 female marriage immigrants attending the Korean language class at the multicultural family support center within the northern part of Kyonggi province from October 2010 to July 2011. General characteristics, Korean dietary life adaptation, and eating behavior were collected and dietary intakes were assessed using 24-hour recall. The home countries with regards to all subjects were Vietnam (40.3%), China (23.9%), Japan (11.9%), Philippines (7.0%), and Mongolia (3.0%). Total energy intake was 1432.5kcal and there were significant differences in nutritional intake concerning vitamin B1 and vitamin B2 by age (p < 0.05). More than 50% of subjects did not meet estimated average requirements for calcium (56.7%), zinc (52.2%), vitamin C (55.2%), and folic acid (76.1%). Food adaptation scores were significantly correlated with general characteristics (age, residence year, drinking alcohol and acquisition of nationality), total scores of eating behavior, and nutritional intake (energy, protein, fat, fiber, calcium, phosphorus, sodium, potassium, niacin, vitamin E, and zinc). These results might suggest that the better their Korean food adaptation, the more desirable their eating behavior and nutritional status.

• 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.

• Journal of Families and Better Life
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• v.31 no.5
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• pp.125-141
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• 2013

This research aims to integrate study results through a meta-analysis of previous studies on the variables related with social support for female marriage immigrants. Based on the results, this study established the foundation of an integrated social support system for female marriage immigrants which considers both the functional perspective and structural perspective of social support, and suggested plans for an efficient support system. All social support was positively associated with female marriage immigrants marriage life, child-rearing behavior and attitude, reduction of stress and depression and psychological stability. In relation to the effect size of each variable related with all social support, the marriage variable had the biggest relationship with it, followed by the parenting variable, the psychological variable and the stress variable in that order. With reference to the relationship with related variables according to the sub-domain of social support, from the structural perspective, spousale support showed a high relationship with the marriage variable and the stress variable. It was also especially, very highly related with the marriage variable. In addition, a married woman's family support and expert support had an intermediate relationship with the marriage variable, and the husband's family support and friend support had a low relationship with it. From the functional perspective, material support had a very high relationship with the marriage variable, whereas it had a low relationship with the stress variable and the psychological variable. Emotional support was also highly related with marriage variable, but showed an intermediate or low relationship with the psychological variable and the stress variable. On the other hand, informational support displayed an intermediate relationship with the stress variable and the psychological variable, and a high relationship with the marriage variable. Lastly, evaluative support had a high relationship with the marriage variable and the psychological variable. Based on these results, this study proposed plans for an integrated social support system as follows. First, education ought to be provided for the spouses, and support for marital adjustment should be offered. Second, there plans should be made for continuous bonding with the family of origin, and support should be given to address changes in awareness of the relationship with the husband's parents. Third, it is required to revitalize the local community and self-help groups, and provide the female marriage immigrants with opportunities to participate in social activities.

• 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 Fisheries and Marine Sciences Education
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.973-990
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• 2013

On this study, the survey was conducted for the married female immigrants at work living in the district of Pusan, Changwon and Gimhae in order to analyze the level of the key competencies based on the differences of their ages, their final educational background, the period of their staying in Korea, their Korean language competence, jobs and the employment status in their native countries. As the result of the analysis, firstly, depending on their Korean language competence and jobs, there were meaningful differences among the groups in the aspects of the nine key competencies including communication, numeracy, problem solving, self-management and development, resource use, human relationship, information, technology, and organization skills, with the statistical significance level of .05. Secondly, depending on their final educational background, there were meaningful differences among the groups in the other aspects of eight key competencies except problem solving, with the statistical significance level of .05. Thirdly, depending on the employment status in their native countries, there were meaningful differences among the groups in the aspects of the five competencies including communication, numeracy, problem solving, resource use and organizational skills with the statistical significance level of 0.05. Fourthly, depending on the period of staying in Korea, there is difference only in the aspect of communication. Fifthly, depending on their ages, there were no meaningful differences among the groups.

• Journal of Family Resource Management and Policy Review
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.149-175
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• 2012

The purpose of this study is to find out marital conflicts and coping strategies among married female immigrants and Korean men in multicultural families. The data were collected by in.depth interviews with 12 female immigrants and 5 Korean men. The major findings of this study are as follows: Female participants suffered from marital conflicts with their spouses, conflicts with mothers.in.law, stereotyped gender roles as a wife and a daughter.in.law, economic conflicts, and cultural differences between Korea and their country. In addition, male participants reported conflicts from economic support for their wife's family, gender role differences, and cultural differences. Coping strategies used to deal with the conflicts, such as mutual dedication and understanding their spouse's stance, and developing a compromise for the family's happiness were mentioned. A personal positive nature and attitude helped them to meet the marital conflicts. Supports from their husband, parents.in.law, and society also helped female immigrants to adapt to cultural differences. However, some of them used negative coping strategies which did not reduce conflicts, and resulted in separation and divorce. The coping strategies to deal with the conflicts depended on the participants' personal ability. While female participants who had English language skills took advantage to adapt to Korean society, those who did not have any other natural abilities could develop a definite position in their family and society with their diligence and positive attitude. The results showed that female participants who were supported by their family and society tended to cope successfully with conflicts and also showed that multicultural families' marital adjustment was maintained with their efforts as well as by relationships with their relatives and society.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.11 no.5
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• pp.317-327
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• 2011

This study examined with a view to legal system how to get over the adaptation problem as well as protection of human right about the cases of marriage immigration have sharply increased in Korea through Globalization and this brought about serious matters to multi-cultural families : disguise marriage, contract marriage, frequent divorces, especially conflict, violence, maltreatment of couple is guaranteed efficiently include against mankind universal value regardless of race, class, region undergoing farm village female marriage immigrants by cultural difference. This study is when the families of the marriage immigrants are left unattended in the state of the crisis, it definitely seems to be a serious obstacle for social integration and cost vast social expense. Therefore, I suggest the problems of multi-culture family support law and improvement plans for Marriage bureau agency management law and nationality Act through a comparative method about legislation of each country which has dealt with a phenomenon called 'multi-cultural Society' and fact-finding of female marriage immigrants in Gwang-ju Metropolitan City, professing "the city of human right".

• Korean Journal of Social Welfare Studies
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• v.49 no.1
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• pp.133-161
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• 2018

Despite the amount of government budget and resources used for female immigrants who married Korean spouses, it has not been evaluated yet whether the services designed for the immigrants are actually delivered to potential users with social needs. This study is an attempt to identify moderating factors associated with perceived needs and utilizing services of the Multicultural Family Support Centers. The National Survey on Multicultural Families 2015 is used for the analysis. Findings are as follows: the immigrant with better Korean communication skills would use the center services more when they have needs; the immigrants who lack skills were more likely to use center services in spite of the needs. Secondly, the more female spouses satisfied with their marriages, they were less likely to use the services; however, the moderating effect was not significant, On the other hand, Korean male spouses' patriarchal attitude was statistically significant. According to the results, practical and political implications were suggested.