• Women's Health Nursing
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.99-108
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• 2011

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to compare the levels of stress, social support, and marital satisfaction between married immigrant women living in urban areas and women living in rural areas to identify ways to improve their mental health. Methods: Two hundred married immigrant women were recruited from multicultural familysupport centers located in Daejeon City and Chungcheong Province. From July, 2009 to January, 2010, data were collected using self- administered questionnaire. Study instruments were scales for acculturative stress, housewives life stress, support from spouse, and marital satisfaction. Results: Urban married immigrant women had lower levels of acculturative stress and higher levels of support from spouse and more positive marital satisfaction compared to rural women. Both groups reported similar levels of stress in life as a housewife. Factors influencing marital satisfaction in both group were lower levels of acculturative and housewives life stress, higher levels of support from spouse, and living with parents-in-law. Conclusion: Rural married immigrant women may have more problems in adjusting to Korean culture and marriage compared to urban women. Therefore, to improve the physical and psychological wellbeing and marital adjustment of married immigrant women, development of nursing strategies according to area of residence is needed.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Culture
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.17-29
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• 2011

As the public is already aware, baby food has a significant effect on a baby's physical and mental health. It is also very important because choice of baby food forms proper eating habits, which will affect health in the future. In particular, recognition of appropriate baby food by the mother or the primary care provider is even more important. Although many studies have been conducted on this matter for domestic housewives, no studies have been conducted on married immigrant housewives whose numbers are increasing every year. A survey was conducted on the recognition and current situation of baby food preparation by mothers living in Gangwon Province with children 6 to 36-months-old. The purpose of the study was to research the level of understanding of baby food by immigrant housewives given that they were raised in different environments with different eating habits and child raising norms. And additional purpose was to provide proper educational material and direction for choosing appropriate baby food. The results showed significant differences depending on the nationality and age of the mother. Moreover, the results showed an insufficient understanding of baby food but a high desire for education, as mothers did not receive enough support from society. Therefore, necessary education should be provided systematically after mothers fully learn to communicate in Korean. These mothers need continuous attention and support, so they can settle in this country as wives, daughters-in-law, and mothers. Moreover, the needed professional education should be provided so that the mothers can learn traditional Korean eating habits and understand differences in the culture and environment between countries. As the selection of baby food forms the basis of future eating habits and the foundation for good health, proper education should be available to establish healthy intercultural families.

• Journal of Korean Academic Society of Home Health Care Nursing
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.75-81
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• 2008

Purpose: We analyzed the health care and health status of immigrant women married to Koreans in our community. Methods: We recruited 204 women who live in S Cityfrom 1st August to 30th September, 2008. A cross-sectional descriptive survey was done using a questionnaire through interviews and physical assessment by visiting nurses. Results: The average age of the subjects was 29.8 and most of them were housewives. Sixteen percent of them obese as measured by BMI. Moreover, most participants (86%) did not exercise at all. Over 13% complained of physical discomfort that was left untreated, and only 50% participated in cancer screening. Conclusions: Young, obese immigrant women require further health care monitoring. Caregivers also should ask about physical discomfort and cancer screenings. However, caregivers should do so in a culturally sensitive manner. In addition, the government should support cancer detection programs for immigrant women.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
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• v.12 no.8
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• pp.501-513
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• 2014

The purpose of this study was to examine experiences of caring parents-in-law in Korea among daughters-in-law who are currently caring their parents-in-law while living with them, or have experienced such care-giving, and who have been married for at least 5 years. Daughters-in-law this study deals with are from three countries: Korean women, Chinese and Japanese women who immigrated to Korea by getting married with Korean husbands. To find out those women who can express their experiences clearly, this study used an intentional sampling method where this study asked the Multicultural Family Support Center to recommend five Chinese and five Japanese housewives who matched the following qualifications: those who have experiences of caring their parents-in-law at home, who have lived in Korea for at least five years, and who had no difficulty in expressing their opinions in Korean language. Korean married women were recommended by the neighbors. This study conducted in-depth interviews to those 15 housewives from Korea, china, and Japan. Before doing the interview, this study gave explanation of the contents and aims of this study to those interview participants over phone, and got the written consent from each of the women. To analyze the interview data, Colaizzi's phenomenological method was used. The emergent themes identified in the findings were as follows: 'positive perception of traditional nature of filial duty', 'help and encouragement by those who are nearby', 'exhausting marriage life', 'Korean family culture that is hard to adapt to', and 'unreasonable male-focused patriarchal culture.'