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Open Access Publications from the University of California

Scholarly Works (5 results)

  • Article
  • Peer Reviewed
ICTS Publications (2011)

Acculturation has been identified as a determinant of health behavior and outcome among ethnic minorities. The high prevalence of lifestyle-related chronic diseases and risk factors among Korean immigrants calls for a valid short acculturation scale to use in clinical practice and health research settings.

The aim of this study was to validate the psychometric properties of a short acculturation scale originally developed for Hispanics after translating the scale to Korean (SAS-K) to determine its suitability for use with Korean immigrants.

A self-administered questionnaire was completed by 143 Korean immigrants with Type 2 diabetes aged 30-80 years from a Korean community in Southern California. Confirmatory factor analysis, criterion validity, and internal reliability were utilized to evaluate the psychometric properties of the SAS-K.

Using a second-order confirmatory factor analysis, a 3-factor structure, χ(51) = 121.49, p < .001 (comparative fit index = .950, standardized root mean squared residual = .055, root mean square error of approximation = .099), was confirmed. The SAS-K was associated positively with length of residence, age of arrival, and English proficiency. Reliability for the total SAS-K was .93. Cronbach's alpha coefficients for each subscale of the SAS-K ranged from .80 (Ethnic Social Relations) to .95 (Media).

The 12-item, easy-to-use SAS-K showed satisfactory reliability and validity and, thus, is an appropriate instrument for measuring acculturation in Korean immigrants. The short nature and ease of administration of the SAS-K make it an ideal choice for healthcare providers and researchers to assess acculturation levels quickly and easily and to further the development and use of more culture-appropriate interventions.

    Cover page: Psychometric validation of a short acculturation scale for Korean immigrants.
    • Article
    • Peer Reviewed
    ICTS Publications (2013)
      Cover page: Contributors to Depressive Symptoms Among Korean Immigrants With Type 2 DiabetesCreative Commons 'BY' version 4.0 license
      • Article
      • Peer Reviewed
      UC Irvine Previously Published Works (2014)

      Objective

      The purpose of this study was to examine the incidence, characteristics of asthma morbidity and care, and ethnic differences that exist in older adults with asthma in California.

      Methods

      Data were from the 2009 California Health Interview Survey (CHIS). Characteristics of older adults (≥65 years) with and without asthma were compared using population-weighted estimates. Asthma-specific variables were compared among different ethnic groups. Multivariate analyses were preformed to determine factors associated with asthma status, asthma episodes/attacks, asthma symptom frequency and emergency department (ED) visits due to asthma.

      Results

      Asthma was present in 8.1% of older adults, among which, 67.3% reported taking medication daily for asthma. Asthma symptoms were experienced every day by almost 20%, with over 34% of seniors with asthma having symptoms at least once per week. Despite having a lower frequency of asthma symptoms, Hispanics were 5.31 times more likely to visit the ED due to asthma than were Caucasians.

      Conclusions

      The findings from the study showed that older adults with asthma had difficulty with asthma control. We recommend a focus on asthma education so that when symptoms do occur, options are available to avoid costly ED visits. Further research should focus on specific asthma management skills and adherence to asthma treatment regimen among ethnic groups.
        Cover page: Asthma characteristics among older adults: using the California health interview survey to examine asthma incidence, morbidity and ethnic differencesCreative Commons 'BY' version 4.0 license
        • Article
        • Peer Reviewed
        ICTS Publications (2013)
        This study examined age and gender differences in the relationship between diabetes specific quality of life (DQOL) and depressive symptoms among Korean immigrants with type 2 diabetes (DM). In this cross-sectional study, 160 Korean immigrants with DM aged between 40 and 80 years were assessed for depressive symptoms, DQOL, and related demographic, clinical, and psychosocial factors. The relationship between DQOL and depressive symptoms was stronger for men than women. Whereas there were no main effects of age or gender in predicting depressive symptoms, there was a significant three-way interaction between gender, age (middle-aged or older), and DQOL on depressive symptoms, with older men demonstrating the strongest positive association between DQOL and depression. Age and gender differences should be considered for DQOL and depressive symptoms in diabetic Korean immigrants. Efforts to address DQOL may be likely to have the greatest impact on decreasing depressive symptoms when targeting older male Korean immigrants.
          Cover page: Gender Differences in the Relationship Between Diabetes-Specific Quality of Life and Depressive Symptoms in Middle-Aged and Older Korean Immigrants
          • Article
          • Peer Reviewed
          UC Irvine Previously Published Works (2014)
          Patient education about venous thromboembolism (VTE) prevention is needed to prevent complications and costly re-hospitalization. Nurses are uniquely positioned to provide vital education as patients transition from the inpatient setting to after discharge. Still, little is known about patient knowledge deficits and those of their caregivers. The purpose of this study was to explore VTE prevention knowledge in a sample of older hip fracture patients and family caregivers. At the time of hospital discharge, surveys were completed by hip fracture surgery patients (≥65; n=30) and family caregivers (n=30). Participants reported needs for more prophylactic anticoagulation and side effects education. Mean education satisfaction was 3.49 out of 5 among patients and 3.83 among caregivers. Focused patient education regarding the wisdom of VTE prevention, potential risks involved, and patient and caregiver roles in advocating for better prevention measures is needed for these patients at risk for hospital readmission secondary to VTE.
            Cover page: Venous thromboembolism knowledge among older post-hip fracture patients and their caregiversCreative Commons 'BY' version 4.0 license
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