269624 Health information channels and health literacy of Asian immigrant women in South Korea

Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Sook Ja Yang, RN, MPH, PhD , Division of Nursing Science, College of Health Sciences, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, South Korea
Hye-ryun Kim, PhD Research Fellow , Department of Health Promotion Research, Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs, Seoul, South Korea
Jisook An, RN, MS , Division of Nursing Science, College of Health Sciences, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, South Korea
Seung Eun Park, RN, MSN , Division of Nursing Science, College of Health Sciences, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, South Korea
Sohye Baik, MPH , Department of Health Promotion Research, Korea Institue for Health and Social Affairs, Seoul, South Korea
Objectives: The purpose of this study is to identify the health information channels and the levels of health literacy among Asian immigrant women in South Korea. Methods: Data was collected using a standardized questionnaire from 754 immigrant women living in South Korea who come from China, Vietnam, the Philippines, and other Asian countries. Health literacy was assessed by REALM-R (Rapid Estimated of Adult Literacy in Medicine-Revised, Bass, et al., 2003), which was translated into Chinese, Vietnamese, English, and Cambodian. Descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA, and chi-square tests were used to analyze data by the STATA program. Results: Health information sources include public health centers/hospitals/multicultural family support centers (38.0%), families/friends (21.2%), and television (15.7%). Health information acquisition methods were group education (21.7%), the Internet (21.0%), and printed materials (17.7%). The average score of health literacy was 4.9 (SD=2.65) with a range of 0 to 8. 63.5 percent of the subjects were been identified as low literacy (less than score of 6). Immigrant women with a high score of health literacy were more likely to be Chinese (F=31.38, p<.001), reside in urban (F=3.15, p=.045), have had a longer time residing in South Korea (F=16.42, p<.001), have a high education level (F=4.05, p=.007), and have a high Korean language level (F=22.30, p<.001). There were significant differences among health information sources, health information acquisition methods, and health literacy. Conclusions: Immigrant women's health literacy, country of origin, time since immigration, education, and Korean language level should be reflected in developing health educational materials for them.

Learning Areas:
Assessment of individual and community needs for health education
Communication and informatics
Diversity and culture
Planning of health education strategies, interventions, and programs
Public health or related nursing
Public health or related research

Learning Objectives:
Identify the health information channels and the levels of health literacy among Asian immigrant women in South Korea.

Keywords: Health Literacy, Immigrant Women

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have been the principal investigator of government funded project focusing on the health promotion for immigrant women to South Korea through marriage.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.