The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA

Abstract #43800

Haeok Lee, DNSc, School of Nursing, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, 4200 East Ninth Ave. Boxc288, Denver, CO 80262, Jungwan Won, MSN, School of Nursing, Korea Univesity, Sungbuk-Goo AnAm-Dong, Seoul, 136-705, South Korea, and Marilyn J. Krajicek, EdD, RN, FAAN, School of Nursing, University of Colorado, Campus Mail Stop F541, PO Box 6508, Aurora, CO 80045, 303-315-8662, haeok.lee@uchsc.edu.

This case study explored the health care of a Korean immigrant child with autism and found that the child did not receive culturally and linguistically competent care. Unfortunately, the case remained "invisible" until the authors explored it. The child's diagnosis was delayed, and ongoing treatment was problematic. Language problems and unfamiliarity with the health care system posed difficulties for the child's caregivers in accessing and participating in care and community resources, though the child had a private health insurance. For Koreans, autism is considered a family stigma; thus cultural belief interferes with and at times dominates health status, positively or negatively. The parents of the child experienced guilt, conflict, frustration, and isolation from the community, even the Korean-American religious community.

Learning Objectives:

• Assess the whole family's perceptions of the social isolation and emotional needs that are important in caring fro the autistic child.
• Define the cultural and linguistic needs of immigrant autistic patients and families.
• Identify barriers to care access for mental health care due to language barriers and confusion about the American health care system.

Keywords: Access Immigration, Mental Health Services

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.