Self-rated Physical, Mental, Oral, and Cognitive Health in Older Korean Immigrants: The Role of Health Indicators and So
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ORIGINAL PAPER
Self‑rated Physical, Mental, Oral, and Cognitive Health in Older Korean Immigrants: The Role of Health Indicators and Sociocultural Factors Yuri Jang1 · Eun Young Choi2 · Hyunwoo Yoon3 · Nan Sook Park4 · David A. Chiriboga5 · Miyong T. Kim6 Accepted: 20 September 2020 © Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature 2020
Abstract Guided by the models of health assessment and social determinants of health, we examined predictors of self-rated physical, mental, oral, and cognitive health of older Korean immigrants. Data came from the Study of Older Korean Americans (SOKA; N = 2,061, Mean age = 73.2). Multivariate regression models of self-ratings of health were tested with health indicators (both domain-specific and other health indicators including chronic disease, functional disability, mental distress, problems with teeth or gums, and cognitive function) and sociocultural factors (acculturation, social network, and ethnic community social cohesion). For self-rated physical, mental, and oral health, indicators specific to the targeted domain played a primary role, with those of other health domains playing a secondary role. Acculturation and social network were significant predictors of all four measures. Findings highlight the importance of holistic health assessment that considers a wide range of health domains as well as sociocultural contexts. Keywords Self-rated health · Health assessment · Social network · Acculturation · Asian americans
Introduction In response to disparities in health and healthcare, increasing attention has been paid to older immigrants [1–3]. In 2016, about 14% of the U.S. population age 65 and older were foreign-born, and this figure is projected to reach 32% by 2060 [4]. Older immigrants of Asian origin in particular are expected to grow in number exponentially, yet this * Yuri Jang [email protected] 1
Suzanne Dworak‑Peck School of Social Work, Edward R. Roybal Institute on Aging, University of Southern California, 669 West 34th Street, Los Angeles, CA 90089‑0411, USA
2
Leonard Davis School of Gerontology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, USA
3
School of Social Work, Portland State University, Portland, USA
4
School of Social Work, University of South Florida, Florida, USA
5
Department of Child and Family Studies, University of South Florida, Florida, USA
6
School of Nursing, University of Texas at Austin, Texas, USA
population remains understudied and underserved [5–7]. The cultural and linguistic challenges faced by these immigrants not only heighten their vulnerabilities in health and healthcare, but also make them hard to reach in research and services [7, 8]. For example, more than half of older Asian Americans have limited English proficiency [9], a problem compounded by the fact that Asian Americans encompass more than two dozen ethnic groups and more than 300 languages [10]. These challenges make it imperative to attend to their ethnic/cultural/linguistic diversities to ensure accurate health assessment a
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