• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.144-150
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• 2013

Objectives The number of marriage immigrant women has been increasing in the past several years in Korea and their adaptations to the new environment have been an important social issue. The aims of this study were to evaluate the psychosocial and mental health statuses of Vietnamese marriage immigrant women (VMIW). We intended to compare the mental health of VMIW with married Vietnamese women living in Vietnam and reveal the demographic or psychosocial factors affecting their mental health. Method Subjects comprised one-hundred-forty-three VMIW who enrolled in multiculture family support centers in Chungbuk Province and forty-eight women from Vinh Phuc province in Vietnam. Marital satisfaction, domestic violence and social support were evaluated as psychosocial factors, and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) and General Health Questionnaire (GHQ) were used to evaluate mental health. Results VMIW had a larger age gap with their husbands but better psychosocial statuses. BDI (p = 0.20), BAI (p = 0.08), GHQ (p = 0.13) scores of VMIW were not significantly different compared to Vietnamese residents. Marriage duration of VMIW affects significantly their marital satisfaction, social support and depressive levels (p < 0.01). The level of domestic violence showed a significant difference according to the educational levels of their husbands, composition of family members and marriage process (p < 0.05). VMIW with older husbands and jobless VMIW had low levels of anxiety (p < 0.01). Conclusion The results suggest that VMIW have no difference in mental health compared to Vietnamese women living in Vietnam which is contrary to general expectations. However, various environmental factors, such as marriage duration, have an effect on the mental health of VMIW. As marriage duration is proven to be important factor on mental health of VMIW, more extended duration of care and interventions are needed to maintain good mental health. Networking system connecting mental health screenings by the multiculture family support center to the local mental healthcare center is needed to care those with poor screening outcomes.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.23 no.6
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• pp.475-487
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• 2018

Objectives: This study examined the consumption of Han-sik and its association with the years of residence in Korea and the socioeconomic status among Filipino immigrant women of the Filipino Women's Diet and Health Study (FiLWHEL). Methods: A total of 474 Filipino women married to Korean men were included in the analysis. Their dietary intake was assessed using a single-day 24-hour recall. The participants provided information on the demographics, socioeconomic, and health-related factors through face-to-face interviews. The generalized linear model and logistic regression model were used to examine the association between the socioeconomic status and consumption of Han-sik. Results: The mean age of the participants was 34.3 years old, and the average duration of residence in Korea was 8.2 years. Among 474 Filipino women, a total of 467 consumed Han-sik, with an average of 6.8 food items per day. The Han-sik foods that the participants consumed most frequently were rice, cabbage kimchi, mixed-grain rice, and fried eggs. The average ratio of Han-sik was 58.57%. The ratio of Han-sik showed no significant associations with the years of residence, years of living together with their husband, education levels, total annual family income, or linguistic competence of Korean. However, the ratio of Han-sik use was associated with cohabitation with parents-in-law; the odds ratio (95% confidence interval) was 2.41 (1.18-4.92, p-trend = 0.002) comparing the fourth quartile with the first quartile of the Han-sik ratio. Conclusions: Filipino immigrant women in the FiLWHEL study consumed a larger number of Han-sik than Philippine foods. In addition, cohabitation with their parents-in-law was associated with the consumption of Han-sik. Further epidemiologic studies will be needed to determine how the diet affects the health and wellbeing of immigrant women in Korea.

• Human Ecology Research
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• v.54 no.2
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• pp.141-154
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• 2016

This study examined the nature of multi-cultural families' housing problems living in South Korea. A qualitative research was conducted through in-depth interviews with immigrant women from three Southeast Asian countries. The subjects of this study were 15 married immigrants from the Philippine, Cambodia, and Vietnam living in Seoul. The major findings were as follows: firstly, reciprocity for the in-between person and environment: the preferred to blend into Korean society instead of making a community based on national origin. Secondly, intention to housing: all participants were passive about moving and the Vietnamese and Cambodians placed more importance on the family community than the Filipinas. Thirdly, meaning of housing and interaction: for the most important area in the house, the Vietnamese and Cambodians stated that rooms were for a couple and treated family space more importantly than Filipinas who pursuit personal comfort. Fourthly, housing adaptation process: adapting to climate difference between home countries and Korea was the biggest difficulty. Fifthly, residential satisfaction/dissatisfaction: mostly satisfied with housing facilities; however, they were dissatisfied with the number of rooms and house size due to a necessity for personal space. In conclusion, ideas implied from native country of married immigrants in multicultural families did not change significantly in preference of the current environment. The needs for an ethnic community was not great, because they seemed able to assimilate positively by living with a Korean husband and relatives. Gradual assimilation through a cultural acculturation process can be considered desirable.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.179-190
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• 2011

Objectives: This study was performed to understand pregnancy, delivery, and infant rearing knowledge and educational need of marriage immigrant women to be utilized as a basic data for developing a suitable educational program. Methods: The subject of the study was composed of one hundred twenty two married immigrant women who live in South Korea. The method used in determining the population was the convenience sampling method. The data were gathered by means of personal interviews using questionnaires. Results: The mean score of pregnancy and delivery knowledge was 3.35, educational need was 3.64 out of 5, and infant rearing knowledge was 3.16, educational need was 3.66 out of 5. The pregnancy and delivery knowledge of the subject showed significant differences based on their present residential location and presence of children and their educational need varies according to their country of origin. The infant rearing knowledge on the other hand, showed notable differences according to presence of children while homeland and existence of children were the two major factors that greatly influenced the significant variation for educational need. Conclusions: The score of pregnancy, delivery and infant educational need were higher than knowledge. The score of pregnancy, delivery, and infant rearing educational need garnered similar results. Thus it is suggested that further researches should be conducted for the development, application, and verification of pregnancy, delivery, and infant rearing education programs that consider knowledge and educational need of immigrant married women in South Korea.

• 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.'

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.12 no.12
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• pp.5509-5517
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• 2011

Purpose: The aim of the study was to identify the health status and social support of international married women according to acculturative stress. Methods : Filipino marriage-migrant 110 women participated in the study, lived D city and C city from December 2009 to June 2010. Results: The average score of health status was 83.47. The average score of social support was 3.48. The average score of acculturative stress was 2.37. Health status were significantly associated with age, years living in Korea, way of marriage and Korean friends. Social support was associated with age, way of marriage and Korean friends. Acculturative stress were associated with age, years living in Korea and way of marriage. According to acculturative stress level, acculturative stress had a significant impact on health status and social support. Conclusion: These results may contribute to a better understanding of health status, social support and acculturative stress of international married women. These findings are basis to development of health management intervention program for international married women.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
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• v.14 no.6
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• pp.1-7
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• 2016

The definition of digital poverty of multicultural families has not been changed since it was used at the first digital divide survey in 2012. The objective of this study is to reexamine and redefine digital poverty targets of digital divide survey for multicultural families. The results suggest to reexamine multicultural families rather than limiting to Immigrant women for digital poverty. The results were as follows. First, the current survey has been limited to the migrant women for information gap survey of married migrants. But, It is expected to increase immigrant men in the future. It should include migrant men in the marginalized target in terms of preparation for a multicultural society. Second, the current survey has been limited to the migrant women for information gap survey. But, It is expected to increase children of multicultural families. This information gap is likely to be linked to differences in education or future economic disparities for children of multicultural families. It should include children of multicultural families in the marginalized target in digital divide survey.

• Journal of Agricultural Extension & Community Development
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.451-484
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• 2013

This study investigated the factors that influence subjective well-being of immigrant wives in Korea. We initially grouped the factors into 3 categories: personal, domestic, and social. For personal factors, we included couple's age difference, reason for entry, religion, marital duration, employment status, economical status, acculturation to Korean culture, acquisition of Korean language, and ego-resiliency. For domestic factors we included marriage process, reason for marriage, husbands' understanding of wife's native language, husbands' understanding of wife's culture, marital satisfaction, existence of children, head of the household, and parenting efficacy. Finally for social factors, awareness of welfare services and systems, use of public institutions and civil organizations, and participation in social groups were included. We recruited 256 immigrant wives who live in Asan City, Chungnam Province and the data were analyzed by multiple linear regression. The factors that statistically significant were: ego-resiliency, marital duration, acculturation to Korean culture and economic status among personal factors; parenting efficacy, marital satisfaction and marriage process (married without a matchmaker) among domestic factors; participation in self-help group of women from the same mother country, awareness of welfare services and systems, participation in hobby club, and participation in fraternal/religious society among social factors. It is hoped that this paper will yield general insights into subjective well-being of immigrant wives and may help them to develop inner talent and strength.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.56 no.3
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• pp.264-276
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• 2023

Purpose: Food environmental factors related to food insecurity affect household food intake in several socio-ecological aspects. This study explores the relationship between food environment factors and food insecurity in households with married immigrant women. Methods: From November 2018 to February 2020, a survey was conducted enrolling 249 married immigrant women residing in the metropolitan areas of South Korea. In the final analysis, 229 subjects were divided into 2 groups classified as food security (n = 154) and food insecurity (n = 75), as assessed by the score of food security. Three aspects of food environments were measured: built·natural, political·economic, and socio-cultural Results: Food environments were significantly different between food security and food insecurity groups, as follows: the number of foods market and their distance from the home and food status for the last week at home in the built·natural domain; monthly cost of food purchase and experience for food assistance in the political·economic domain; total score of social support, parenting, and cooking skills in the socio-cultural domain. A stepwise multivariate linear regression model showed a negative association between the food insecurity score with social support from family and food inventory status in the last week. After adjusting for confounders, a positive association was obtained between the experience of a food support program. The final regression model explains about 30% of the relationship obtained in the three food environment domains and food insecurity (p < 0.001). Conclusion: Not only economic factors, which are common determinants of household food insecurity, but socio-cultural factors such as social support also affect household food insecurity. Therefore, plans for implementing a food assistance program to improve food insecurity for households with immigrant women should consider financial support as well as other comprehensive aspects, including socio-cultural domain such as social support from family and community.

• Journal of Family Resource Management and Policy Review
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.145-170
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• 2013

The purpose of this study was to figure out married female immigrants' experience and process of investing in human capital in Korea. The participants were 11 women from multicultural families who had experience of investing in human capital in Korea, could communicate in the Korean language, and were living in Daegu. The data were collected using intensive interviews. The major findings were as follows: The participants' level of education and work experience in native country were not accepted as human capital and offered no advantages or obtaining employment in Korea, while English language skills were useful for those pursuing an English lecturer position. The motives for investing in human capital were 'adjusting to early stage of marriage and a new environments', 'for their childrens' education', 'to improve female immigrants' level of education', 'seeking a better job', and 'advocating more education'. The types of investing in human capital were 'learning Korean language and culture', 'applying to Open University or taking a middle or high school qualification examination', 'obtaining certification', and 'entering regular university'. The participants' plans for investing in the future were 'finding their own job', 'entering regular university', and 'participating in useful educational programs including Korean language skills for daily life' The results showed that the participants' motives for investing in human capital were related in the stage of their marriage. The phases and changes in their motives during a marriage proved that the participants continued to invest in human capital according to their needs and situation.