• Journal of the East Asian Society of Dietary Life
• /
• v.11 no.2
• /
• pp.140-150
• /
• 2001

This study was conducted to find out the desirable measures for maintenance and development traditional foods when abroad, by investigating the knowledge and actual state of utilization of Americans residing in the Los Angeles on Korean traditional foods. The 308 respondents of questionnaires were taken. 96% of the respondents demonstrated interest in traditional foods. Among kinds of traditional food, the most preferable food was boiled rice(71.4%) and Kimchi(70.9%) , The that traditional foods are used were good taste(45.4%) and familiar taste(41.6%). The reason for avoiding them was, mainly, troublesome cooking methods (46.3% ). Conclusively, the Korean Americans residing in the Los Angeles have made good use of boiled rice and Kimchi a staple common food, but special foods. ceremonial foods and festival foods were hardly used. To maintain Korean traditional foods when abroad, it is necessary that older generations sometimes offer opportunity to meet with them to the coming Korean generations, and Korean food companies develop and export standardized and simplified traditional foods.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
• /
• v.3 no.1
• /
• pp.56-63
• /
• 2009

African Americans in the United States suffer from many health disparities such as obesity, diabetes or hypertension. Lifestyle factors including diet and physical activity play an important role in prevention of these health conditions. The purpose of this research project was to assess beliefs, barriers and self-efficacy of eating a healthy diet and self efficacy of shopping for foods such as whole grains or foods designated as low fat or low sodium. Additionally, the objective was to assess beliefs about healthfulness, appropriate consumption, and protective aspect of specific foods including fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. The assessment was done using a survey instrument developed for this study. Data collection took place at two church locations. Data were obtained from 57 African Americans, mean age 50 years old (SD 12.70) completed the survey. The majority of respondents (58.1%) were females and most (75%) had at least some college education. Generally, benefits of eating healthy foods received considerably higher scores compared to barriers of eating healthy. A belief that healthy foods would help to take care of one's body received the highest mean score while a belief that healthy foods are too expensive had the highest score from all barriers. The results showed high self-efficacy of eating and purchasing healthy foods, high awareness of knowledge regarding foods associated with disease prevention but low awareness of recommendations for fruits and vegetables. The high scores for benefits, self-efficacy and knowledge regarding eating healthy foods did not translate into the perception of intake of such foods. Most participants believed that they do not eat enough of healthy foods. Interventions design to help African Americans make dietary changes should be culturally relevant and should involved working on a community level utilizing messages that are familiar and relevant to African Americans.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.17 no.11
• /
• pp.4885-4892
• /
• 2016

Background: Chinese and Korean Americans have lower colorectal cancer (CRC) screening rates than other racial/ ethnic groups, which may be explained by a low level of CRC knowledge and a high level of misconceptions. This study explores the role of knowledge in CRC screening among these groups. Methods: Chinese (N=59) and Korean (N=61) Americans older than 50 were recruited from the Washington D.C. Metropolitan area. They completed a detailed survey and participated in focus groups to discuss their knowledge on CRC and CRC screening. Seventeen physicians, community leaders, and patient navigators participated in key informant interviews. Using a mixed methods approach, data were analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively. Results: Participants lacked knowledge about CRC and CRC screening. More than half did not know that screening begins at age 50 and there are several types of tests available. More than 30% thought CRC screening was not necessary if there were no symptoms or there was nothing they could do to prevent CRC. Focus group findings suggested understanding about CRC was limited by an inadequate source of linguistically and culturally relevant health information. For example, many participants considered CRC a western condition mainly caused by unhealthy diet. This led to under-estimations about their susceptibility to CRC. Knowledge was positively associated with self-reported screening. Participants who had higher knowledge scores were more likely to report ever having had a colonoscopy and confidence in ability to have CRC screening. Conclusions: Mixed-methods analysis provides multi-faceted perspectives on CRC knowledge and its influence on screening. Study findings can help inform interventions to increase CRC screening among Chinese and Korean Americans.

• Journal of the East Asian Society of Dietary Life
• /
• v.11 no.1
• /
• pp.60-70
• /
• 2001

This study was conducted to investigate the actual state of utilization of Korean traditional foods by Korean Americans residing in L.A. area and to provide come policies, to improve their attitudes for Korean traditional foods. The proper period preparing traditional foods was the occasion of family events(47.0% )and Korean festivals(40.8%). Festival foods were prepared in Sulnal( =New Year's Day), Chusok( =the Korean Thanksgiving Day), Daeborum( =the 15th of January by the lunar calendar), Dongji( =the winter solstice) and Tano( =the 5th day of the 5th by lunar month), respectively. Sixty five percent of all the respondents expressed their wish to hand down the cooking methods of traditional foods. However, only28.6% of the respondents at their twenties replied positively on this matter. To maintain and develop traditional foods abroad, it is necessary that older generations sometimes offer opportunities to meet with them to the coming korean generations to taste traditional foods and that Korean food companies establish special selling agencies abroad and export standardized traditional foods. And furthermore, if tourism corporations and cooking schools hold a food exhibition and or a food-tasting party, occasionally, in conjunction with the embassies and legations abroad, the utilization of traditional foods will increase.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
• /
• v.45 no.1
• /
• pp.129-138
• /
• 2015

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to report the instrument modification and validation processes to make existing health belief model scales culturally appropriate for Korean Americans (KAs) regarding colorectal cancer (CRC) screening utilization. Methods: Instrument translation, individual interviews using cognitive interviewing, and expert reviews were conducted during the instrument modification phase, and a pilot test and a cross-sectional survey were conducted during the instrument validation phase. Data analyses of the cross-sectional survey included internal consistency and construct validity using exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis. Results: The main issues identified during the instrument modification phase were (a) cultural and linguistic translation issues and (b) newly developed items reflecting Korean cultural barriers. Cross-sectional survey analyses during the instrument validation phase revealed that all scales demonstrate good internal consistency reliability (Cronbach's alpha=.72~.88). Exploratory factor analysis showed that susceptibility and severity loaded on the same factor, which may indicate a threat variable. Items with low factor loadings in the confirmatory factor analysis may relate to (a) lack of knowledge about fecal occult blood testing and (b) multiple dimensions of the subscales. Conclusion: Methodological, sequential processes of instrument modification and validation, including translation, individual interviews, expert reviews, pilot testing and a cross-sectional survey, were provided in this study. The findings indicate that existing instruments need to be examined for CRC screening research involving KAs.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
• /
• v.14 no.4
• /
• pp.401-411
• /
• 2020

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: The expansion of menu labeling to restaurants has created a need to study customers' behavior toward nutrition information. Therefore, the purpose of this research was to compare college students' behavior toward nutrition information communication between Korea and the US. This study consisted of three objectives: 1) to compare the frequency of usage as well as degree of trust regarding smartphone-based communication channels in the acquisition of nutrition information among college students between Korea and the US, 2) to compare knowledge-sharing behavior related to nutrition information among college students between Korea and the US, and 3) to identify the role of country in the process of knowledge-sharing behavior. SUBJECTS/METHODS: A survey was distributed via the web to college students in Korea and the US. Data were collected in the 2nd week of March 2017. Completed responses were collected from 423 Koreans and 280 Americans. Differences between Koreans and Americans were evaluated for statistical significance using a t-test. In order to verify the effects of knowledge self-efficacy and transactive memory capability on knowledge-sharing behavior related to nutrition information, a regression analysis was performed. RESULTS: Significant differences were found in the frequency of usage as well as degree of trust in communication channels related to nutrition information between Korean and American college students. While knowledge self-efficacy and tractive memory capability had positive effects on knowledge-sharing behavior related to nutrition information, country had a significant effect on the process. CONCLUSIONS: This study is the first to compare customer behavior toward nutrition information acquisition and sharing between Korea and the US. Comparative research on nutrition information revealed differences among the different countries. Therefore, this study contributes to the body of knowledge on the nutrition information research, in particular, by providing a comparison study between countries.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
• /
• v.44 no.1
• /
• pp.86-96
• /
• 2014

Purpose: This study was conducted to examine and compare satisfaction with Korean health care services for Americans, Chinese and Russians who resided in Korea. Methods: A questionnaire was distributed to 252 participants (81 Americans, 89 Chinese, 82 Russians). Three focus group interviews were subsequently conducted in order to obtain a greater understanding of participants' experience and perspectives. Results: The average satisfaction score was 3.09, with Americans and Russians showing significantly higher scores than Chinese. Overall, participants reported higher satisfaction in 'Facility', 'Quality of care' and 'Nursing services' as opposed to 'Information/education'. 'Care with cultural respect' as well as communication related services. Data from the focus group interviews were categorized into 12 sub-categories, 7 categories and 2 themes. The two themes were common experience and contrasting experience. Common experience included 4 categories, 'Quality of care', 'Hospital facility and health care system', 'Language barrier' and 'Information and education'. Contrasting experience included 3 categories, 'Medical cost', 'Health care personnel' and 'Accessibility'. Conclusion: Results of this study provide basic knowledge on foreign residents' satisfaction and experience with Korean health care services. Further research is needed with foreigners from different cultural backgrounds. Administrative and educational efforts are required to improve communication skills and cultural competency.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Culture
• /
• v.10 no.5
• /
• pp.475-483
• /
• 1995

This study was undertaken to determine factors associated with infant feeding practices among highly educated Korean mothers living in Texas, USA and local populations. In both groups, infant's birth order, maternal age, prenatal education, husband's attitude, mother's attitude and infant's taking a bottle to bed were not associated with infant's feeding patterns significantly. However, there was a significant difference in initiating time for introduction of supplementary foods between Koreans and Americans. Thus Korean mothers introduced supplementary foods earlier than American counterparts. Furthermore the infant's feeding method among all participants affected the time for introducing supplementary foods significantly. Though attitude of Korean mothers toward breastfeeding was slightly more positive than that of American mothers, the prevalence of exclusive breastfeeding in Koreans was much lower than that in Americans. It might be suggested that effective nutrition education program for Korean subjects should be developed to practice breastfeeding from positive attitude and knowledge. It might be also suggested that participation of prenatal nutrition education involving fathers should be encouraged for promotion of rates of initiation and duration of exclusive breastfeeding of mothers.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
• /
• v.17 no.6
• /
• pp.479-484
• /
• 2013

Given the CYP3A4 and CYP3A5's impact on the efficacy of drugs, the genetic backgrounds of individuals and populations are regarded as an important factor to be considered in the prescription of personalized medicine. However, genetic studies with Korean population are relatively scarce compared to those with other populations. In this study, we aimed to identify CYP3A4/5 polymorphisms and compare the genotype distributions among five ethnicities. To identify CYP3A4/5 SNPs, we first performed direct sequencing with 288 DNA samples which consisted of 96 Koreans, 48 European-Americans, 48 African-Americans, 48 Han Chinese, and 48 Japanese. The direct sequencing identified 15 novel SNPs, as well as 42 known polymorphisms. We defined the genotype distributions, and compared the allele frequencies among five ethnicities. The results showed that minor allele frequencies of Korean population were similar with those of the Japanese and Han Chinese populations, whereas there were distinct differences from European-Americans or African-Americans. Among the pharmacogenetic markers, frequencies of $CYP3A4^*1B$ (rs2740574) and $CYP3A5^*3C$ (rs776742) in Asian groups were different from those in other populations. In addition, minor allele frequency of $CYP3A4^*18$ (rs28371759) was the highest in Korean population. Additional in silico analysis predicted that two novel non-synonymous SNPs in CYP3A5 (+27256C>T, P389S and +31546T>G, I488S) could alter protein structure. The frequency distributions of the identified polymorphisms in the present study may contribute to the expansion of pharmacogenetic knowledge.

• Proceedings of the KSPS conference
• /
• 2007.05a
• /
• pp.71-73
• /
• 2007

The Purpose of the study is to give Korean-English leaners better knowledge on vowel sounds in their learning English. The traditional description of the cardinal vowel system developed by Daniel Johns in 1917 is not enough to provide English learners with clear ideas in producing native like vowel sounds. For the reason, three Korean-native subjects, one male, one female and one child are chosen to produce 7 cardinal vowels and compare them with native English and American speaker's vowel sounds. The difference of produced vowels sounds is quantified and visualized by employing Sona-match program. The results have been fairly remarkable. Firstly, Korean-English learner's vowel sounds are articulated differently from their intention of vowel production. Secondly, the tongue positions of Koreans are placed slightly more down and forward to the lips than those of English and Americans. However, the front vowel /i/ sound is quite close to English and Americans. Lastly the mid-vowel /${\partial}$/ sound is not produced in any articulations of Korean-native speakers. It is thought that the mid vowel, /${\partial}$/ is a type of a weak sound regarded as 'schwa' which needs a great deal of exposure to the language to acquire a physical skill of articulation.