Korean American Research Articles

EFFECTS OF COMPANION ROBOTS ON DEPRESSION AND SOCIAL ISOLATION AMONG KOREAN AMERICAN OLDER ADULTS

Abstract Objectives During the COVID-19, older immigrants in low resource areas who are already excluded from much of social life, had to distance themselves even further, deepening their social isolation. Lack of stimulation can be particularly detrimental, as it influences mood and increases loneliness. Selected for cost-effectiveness and interactive features, we introduced the Companion Robot (CR) system. Preliminary studies conducted in South Korea found statistically significant improvement in quality of sleep and cognition among low-income older patients living alone with multiple chronic conditions and cognitive impairment. Method. Thirty CRs were deployed to solo-living Korean American older adults. We followed up with them after 3 months. In this Stage 1A clinical trial, we tested feasibility, usability and acceptability of CRs, investigating which features of CRs will help improve health behaviors such as medication adherence and daily exercises. Robotic Social Attitude (RoSAS) are assessed with a generic 18-items questionnaire (Krägeloh et al., 2019). Results The primary clinical outcomes measured at pre-and post-intervention were medication adherence and reduction of depression, social isolation and disabilities. The user-friendly doll-shaped design of CRs helped participants feel comfortable interacting with the CR on their own. Exposure to individualized CR-delivered content, including quizzes for brain training and inspirational messages, combined with consistent interaction with CR appeared to be beneficial for cognitive function. Discussion Since very few participants had reported diagnosis of dementia, we need to screen for undetected dementia using the Modified Mini-Mental Status Exam. The next stage is to implement further cultural adaptation for the U.S. participants.

FACTORS INFLUENCING OLDER KOREAN AMERICAN IMMIGRANTS’ FRAILTY: A QUALITATIVE STUDY

Abstract The older immigrant population, characterized by unique attributes such as diverse cultural backgrounds, health beliefs, health behaviors, language barriers, and low health literacy, requires a specific focus on identifying factors that influence frailty. This study aims to explore the influencing factors of frailty among older Korean American immigrants (OKAIs) residing in suburban areas with limited Korean healthcare infrastructure. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 9 OKAIs residing in Lee County, Alabama, focusing on four factors associated with frailty: health literacy, physical activity, diet, and mental health. Qualitative content analysis was employed to analyze the data. Validated assessment tools for frailty, health literacy, physical activity, nutrition, depression, and cognitive impairment were also used to gather participant characteristics and complement the qualitative findings. Participants exhibited significant differences in health literacy scores between the Korean and English versions. Content analysis yielded seven categories and twenty-two sub-categories were derived from the eighty identified codes. In addition to typical age-related changes observed among older adults in general, their social activities, health behaviors, and healthcare visits were constrained by different environments/healthcare systems compared to Korea, as well as limited English proficiency and healthcare resources. Participants expressed a need for Korean healthcare providers or interpreters during their healthcare visits and emphasized their preference for Korean food and sought ways to maintain vitality. To prevent and manage frailty among OKAIs, interventions need to consider their unique characteristics, facilitators, and barriers. This approach may also benefit other ethnic minority populations facing similar challenges, thus enhancing healthcare for these communities.

MENTAL HEALTH RISKS SIGNIFIED BY THE CO-EXPERIENCE OF ELDER MISTREATMENT AND SOCIAL ISOLATION

Abstract Both elder mistreatment (EM) and social isolation are widely known to pose a significant risk to mental health of older individuals. Despite the general agreement that EM should be addressed in consideration of social contexts, there has been limited attention to the potential harm of the co-experience of EM and social isolation. The issue is of particular concern in older Asian immigrants. Using a sample of older Korean Americans (N = 2,150, Mean age = 73.4), we examined the direct and interactive effect of EM and social isolation on mental distress. In a measure including psychological, physical, and financial mistreatment, 32% reported a single EM exposure and 12% multiple EM exposure in the past year. The rate of social isolation, measured with Lubben Social Network Scale-6, was 24%. About 30% were in the category of mental distress measured with Kessler 6. The direct effects of a single EM or multiple EM exposure in reference to no EM and social isolation were significant. In addition, the interaction between multiple EM exposure and social isolation was significant. The odds of mental distress associated with multiple EM exposure were substantially higher when experienced in social isolation (OR = 7.23, [CI: 3.65, 14.3]) than in non-isolation (OR = 2.68, [CI: 1.66, 4.32]). Findings suggest the signified mental health risk of the co-experience of EM and social isolation and call attention to those who might silently suffer from EM in isolation. Comprehensive interventions that encompass both preventive measures and targeted support systems are in need.

“This is what we wanted to learn”: Anti-racist and anti-colonial education with 1st gen Korean American seniors in a time of Asian hate and racialized dread

In this paper, I explore the challenge and promise of developing an anti-racist and anti-colonial curriculum and pedagogy in a time of racialized dread. Drawing on my experience teaching a 10-week course on racial justice, delivered in the Korean language, to 1st generation Korean American seniors in the Southern United States. I explore how the group channeled their frustration, tension, and anger in the face of Asian hate into hope and a passion to learn about the history of race in the United States and the Asian American community. Through weekly lectures, counter-storytelling, and in-depth discussions, I learned of their desire to name the racialized dread arising from everyday racism. By employing Critical Race Theory and Asian Critical Theory, and centering the Ethnic Studies’ liberatory approach to education, I demonstrate that the community’s perceptions of race and racism are shaped at the intersection of U.S. imperialism, South Korea’s transnational ideology of meritocracy, and the legacy of the unending Cold War on the Korean Peninsula. This paper also reflects on how engaging an ethnic community through teaching transformed my pedagogy and perspectives to be more decolonial and inclusive. In light of the current war on Critical Race Theory, this paper contributes to expanding discussions focused on reimagining and revitalizing the liberatory pedagogy of community as a way to confront racialized dread.

Population-based evaluation of disparities in stomach cancer by nativity among Asian and Hispanic populations in California, 2011-2015.

Stomach cancer incidence presents significant racial/ethnic disparities among racial/ethnic minority groups in the United States, particularly among Asian and Hispanic immigrant populations. However, population-based evaluation of disparities by nativity has been scarce because of the lack of nativity-specific population denominators, especially for disaggregated Asian subgroups. Population-based stomach cancer incidence and tumor characteristics by detailed race/ethnicity and nativity were examined. Annual age-adjusted incidence rates were calculated by race/ethnicity, sex, and nativity and tumor characteristics, such as stage and anatomic subsite, were evaluated using the 2011-2015 California Cancer Registry data. For Hispanic and Asian populations, nativity-specific population counts were estimated using the US Census and the American Community Survey Public Use Microdata Sample data. During 2011-2015 in California, 14,198 patients were diagnosed with stomach cancer. Annual age-adjusted incidence rates were higher among foreign-born individuals than their US-born counterparts. The difference was modest among Hispanics (∼1.3-fold) but larger (∼2- to 3-fold) among Chinese, Japanese, and Korean Americans. The highest incidence was observed for foreign-born Korean and Japanese Americans (33 and 33 per 100,000 for men; 15 and 12 per 100,000 for women, respectively). The proportion of localized stage disease was highest among foreign-born Korean Americans (44%); a similar proportion was observed among US-born Korean Americans, although numbers were limited. For other Asians and Hispanics, the localized stage proportion was generally lower among foreign-born than US-born individuals and lowest among foreign-born Japanese Americans (23%). Nativity-specific investigation with disaggregated racial/ethnic groups identified substantial stomach cancer disparities among foreign-born immigrant populations.

Economies of Difference and Identity-based Content on a Digital Platform: The Case Study of “Emily in Korea” on TikTok

This study presents a conceptualization of identity-based content creation in the digital sphere, examining the cases of two TikTok content creators, Amy and Erin, who leverage their identities to establish distinctive brands. Amy, a white American English teacher in Korea, highlights the differences between her and Korean society in her content about Korea, while Erin, a Korean American, critiques Amy’s content by emphasizing the distinction between her experience as an immigrant and Amy’s experience as a white American. The study explores how the emphasis on self-branding can obscure power dynamics and historical inequalities within identity-based content creation, which inherently reflects geopolitics and racial hierarchy. The research further examines how this type of content creation can serve as a space for the negotiation of power dynamics between dominant and non-dominant identities while also functioning as a means to build a self-brand in the digital content creation field.

“I don’t want her to lose our mother tongue”: A multiple case study of the family language policies of Korean American families

In recent years, Family Language Policy (FLP) researchers have demonstrated the importance and necessity of revealing the language policies of immigrant families to investigate the language learning and maintenance processes of immigrant families and communities. This article contributes to a growing conversation of family language policies by presenting a multiple case study of three Korean American families, which conducted audio and video recorded participant observation and semi-structured interviews of family members. It examined the policies that families develop and employ in order to nurture and maintain their native language in monolingual contexts. Analyses of observations and interviews show that families developed family language policies that are resourceful and effective for language maintenance despite larger social institutions that favored monolingualism. The parents of all families pursued and maintained relationships with other Korean speakers in their extended families and church communities and created a home environment that invited and prioritized their heritage language. The article concludes with implications for immigrant families, communities, and teachers of immigrant-origin children.

Abstract C101: Development of an educational text messaging program to improve human papillomavirus awareness, knowledge, and vaccination intention among Korean young adults in the U.S.

Abstract Background: Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the U.S. Cervical cancer (CC) is the most common HPV-associated cancer, and Korean Americans (KAs) experience one of the highest CC incidence and mortality rates among Asian Americans. Awareness and knowledge of HPV and HPV vaccine are essential in preventing HPV-associated cancers; however, studies emphasize low HPV awareness and knowledge among KAs. Although HPV causes cancers in both men and women, there exist misconceptions that the HPV vaccine is only for women and not for men. Furthermore, research on HPV vaccination among KAs has been conducted mostly among women. The health belief model (HBM) is a value-expectancy theory that is used to explain and predict individual changes in health behaviors and has been used in multiple studies that aimed to understand HPV vaccination behavior. Purpose: The purpose of this study is to develop an HBM guided text messaging program to increase HPV awareness, knowledge, and HPV vaccination among Korean young adults in the U.S. Methods: A total of 10 Korean young adults between the ages of 18 and 26 completed the mixed methods study. The survey examined HPV, HPV vaccine, and cervical cancer awareness and knowledge, beliefs, and vaccination intention. The qualitative interview with cognitive response testing (CRT) of the text messages, which were preconstructed based on previous literature and six constructs of HBM, allowed participants to provide feedback on the comprehension and emotional response to the messages, and any other recommendations to improve the content and delivery of the messages. Results: All participants (N=10) indicated to have never received the HPV vaccine and most participants had no intention to receive the HPV vaccine within one year. Although most of the participants were aware of HPV and HPV vaccine, overall knowledge of HPV, HPV vaccine, and cervical cancer were low. The interviews revealed that reasons for vaccine hesitancy and non-vaccination included cost, inconvenience, and low perceived susceptibility. Especially, there was low perception of the importance of HPV vaccination for males. Overall, findings from the CRT showed that there was a clear understanding of the preconstructed text messages. There was a consensus on the duration and timing of the messages and participants provided recommendations on the content, tone, and structure of the messages. Using the HBM, participants’ feedback on HPV awareness, knowledge, and vaccination intention, the text messaging library was revised and includes a total of 9 text messages over the four days. Conclusions: This study provides important insights into the development of an educational text messaging program among Korean young adults in the U.S. Current study will build a foundation for an educational mobile health program to help increase awareness and knowledge of HPV and HPV-associated cancers, as well as HPV vaccination intention, and impact HPV-associated cancer rates among KAs through vaccination in the long term. Citation Format: Min Jeong Jeon, Daisy Le. Development of an educational text messaging program to improve human papillomavirus awareness, knowledge, and vaccination intention among Korean young adults in the U.S. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 16th AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2023 Sep 29-Oct 2;Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2023;32(12 Suppl):Abstract nr C101.

The role of nurses in recruiting Filipino, Korean, and Hispanic/Latino participants to preclinical Alzheimer’s disease trials.

AbstractBackgroundThe factors that influence clinical trial participation in the Filipino, Korean and Hispanic/Latino communities remain poorly understood. Nurses are well positioned to play a dynamic role in the recruitment of underrepresented communities to preclinical Alzheimer’s disease (AD) trials. This study used a community‐based nursing partnership model to gain insights into whether and how nurses serve as key gatekeepers within these communities.MethodSixty in‐depth stakeholder interviews were conducted with 20 Hispanic/Latino, 20 Filipino, and 20 Korean American nurses via Zoom. Nurses were recruited through a unique collaboration between community‐based Filipino, Korean and Hispanic/Latino professional nursing organizations and academic investigators. A semi‐structured interview guide was used to collect sociodemographic information and to assess nurses’ research attitudes and perspectives regarding the recruitment of underrepresented community members to AD preclinical trials.ResultOverall, 63% of nurses had >20 years of clinical practice experience, 93% had a bachelors or graduate degree, 75% were fully employed, 14% were part‐time employed, 12% were retired, and 72% knew someone with a diagnosis of AD. Most Filipino (90%) and Korean (90%) nurses were not born in the US, as compared to Hispanic/Latino nurses (25%). Emergent themes were identified including the role of nurses as a (1) trusted source of health information, (2) patient advocate and community educator, and (3) liaison connecting key community stakeholders to AD trials. Commonalities in perspectives among the nursing groups about community members’ participation in trials included the role of familism in decision‐making, the need for strong family support, and reliance on family members, such as adult children, to communicate important health information. A notable difference between the nursing groups was that Hispanic/Latino nurses more often communicated in a non‐English (Spanish) language with patients as compared to Filipino and Korean nurses. All nursing groups, on average, exhibited positive attitudes towards research.ConclusionOur findings suggest that nurses can serve as a valuable vehicle for improving recruitment to preclinical AD clinical trials. Nurses are well positioned to engage with the community and provide culturally tailored patient, family, and community education.

코로나팬데믹 시대 하와이 한인이 경험하는 건강 위기유형과 위기대응 전략에 관한 연구

코로나팬데믹 시대 하와이 한인이 경험하는 건강 위기유형과 위기대응 전략에 관한 연구

Exploring Chinese and Korean American Teachers' Perceptions of Their Cultural Identity as Assets and Barriers.

The representation of Asian American teachers in schools is a unique asset in promoting diversity and advocating for social justice. However, they also face various barriers that negatively affect their work experiences. The diverse nature of the Asian American population is likely to yield different assets and barriers among teachers from different ethnic groups. To gain insight into how Chinese and Korean American teachers perceive their cultural identity in their teaching practices, we utilized a qualitative approach by conducting semi-structured interviews with nine teachers who identified as Chinese and/or Korean American in K-12 public schools in California. Findings based on thematic analyses of the interview data revealed several assets, including empathy and understanding towards minority groups, more exposure to diversity, increased representation, and shared language skills. However, there were also identified barriers, including internalized model minority beliefs, cultural expectations of being passive observers, internalized racism, an overemphasis on education, and a savior complex. Based on our findings, we provide practical suggestions for recruiting and retaining Chinese and Korean American teachers in schools.

Uptake of diabetes follow-up checks by minority community groups: a rapid review of the evidence for the CYMELL study

BackgroundType 2 diabetes is a public health priority for the UK. A growing body of evidence has indicated ethnic and socioeconomic disparities in rates of diabetes prevalence and complications. Attendance at diabetes follow-up checks is key to ensuring complications are identified and managed at an early stage. The aim of this rapid review was to identify and summarise evidence of ways to improve diabetes management in ethnic minority groups. MethodsIn this rapid review, we searched PubMed, PsycInfo, and CINAHL for studies published in English between Jan 1, 2000, and Jan 31, 2023. Studies were included if the population was from ethnic minority groups and if the intervention was community-based and aimed to improve diabetes self-care. The comparisons were persuasion and behaviour change, and the outcomes were improved diabetes self-management including, glycaemic control, attending eye tests, kidney, and foot screening follow-up checks. This study is registered with PROSPERO 2023, CRD42023399283. FindingsNine studies were included, from Mexico (n=1), USA (n=7), and UK (n=1). Most studies reported on community engagement (n=8), and one focussed on peer support and diabetes self-management. Peer support and diabetes self-management education were found to significantly improve diabetes control in a Mayan community (n=29) in Mexico (p<0·0001) and in the Korean American (n=105), African American (n=107), and Latino American (n=56) communities in the USA. Another study showed that women from the Pakistani community in England also benefitted from a culturally appropriate and socially supportive environment when learning about diabetes self-management. Diabetic eye screening rates could be increased through education but not through incentive payments. InterpretationCulturally competent health-care policies and programmes have been shown to increase diabetes self-management including uptake of diabetes screening for people with diabetes from ethnic minority communities to avoid potential harmful and life limiting conditions. A strength of this review is that robust, recent, and relevant papers regarding self-management of diabetes were included. The main limitations were that none of the nine studies included any cost analyses, and only one UK-based study was included, indicating that further research is required to fill the evidence gap. FundingResearch for Patient and Public Benefit (RfPPB), Health and Care Research Wales.

Sleep disturbances and interrelationship between persons with dementia and family caregivers: The lived experiences of Korean American Dyads

BackgroundLittle research has investigated sleep quality in dyadic interrelationships between persons with dementia (PWD) and family caregivers, particularly among immigrant ethnic minorities, such as Korean Americans. PurposeThe study aimed to describe lived experiences of sleep disturbances and sleep interrelationships between Korean American PWD and their family caregivers. MethodsA descriptive qualitative design used semi-structured interviews with cohabitating PWD-caregiver dyads. ResultsEleven Korean American dyads participated (PWD mean age: 82.7, SD=2.3; caregivers mean age: 69.1, SD=10.2). Major themes included (1) linked sleep disturbances between PWD and caregivers, (2) interrelationship in dyads, (3) language challenges within and outside the dyads, and (4) strategies that improve sleep quality for dyads. ConclusionFindings demonstrated bidirectional influences in dyadic sleep disturbances, where caregiving reciprocally impacted PWD sleep as part of an interactional unit. Communication barriers and limited community resources posed challenges for these dyads. Future sleep interventions should consider culturally competent, dyadic approaches.

A qualitative study of ethnic Korean women and men's experiences of HPV and HPV vaccination in the United States

ABSTRACT Introduction Approximately 42.5% of adults aged 18–59 in the United States is estimated to be affected by human papillomavirus (HPV) infection. However, Asian Americans have the lowest HPV vaccination initiation rate compared to other racial groups. This study aims to explore the experiences of HPV and the HPV vaccination among ethnic Korean women and men in the United States. Methods A total of 33 ethnic Korean and Korean Americans aged 27–45 years living in the U.S. were recruited via word-of-mouth and social media using a purposive sampling strategy. They participated in an online survey. Of the 33 participants, 29 (14 females and 15 males) participated in in-depth interviews via password-protected Zoom. A content analysis approach was used to analyze the interviews. Results Only 32% of participants had received the HPV vaccine at least once (female: 35.3%, male: 12.5%). Six major themes emerged from data analysis: (1) awareness of HPV, HPV vaccine, and HPV-associated cancers; (2) attitudes toward the HPV vaccine; (3) barriers to HPV vaccination; (4) women's experiences and preferences for pap smear testing; (5) experiences with HPV diagnosis; and (6) HPV and HPV vaccination education preferences. Conclusion The findings highlight cultural factors that may impede the discussion about and uptake of HPV vaccination and HPV-associated cancer screening, which emphasize the need for culturally appropriate interventions to overcome stigma around HPV and enhance vaccination rates. Healthcare providers should consider ethnic and cross-cultural differences perceptions to effectively HPV-related health information. This study provides insight into the experiences and understanding of HPV and vaccination among ethnic Korean men and women, laying the groundwork for developing culturally-tailored programs that sim to increase HPV vaccination rates and mitigate the stigma and impact of HPV-related disease in this community.

Asthma heterogeneity among Asian American children: The California Health Interview Survey

BackgroundThe Asian American (AsA) population is heterogenous and rapidly growing; however, little is known regarding childhood asthma burden among AsA ethnic groups. The relation between obesity and asthma in AsA ethnic groups also remains unclear. ObjectiveTo evaluate asthma prevalence and the relation of obesity to asthma risk among children in 7 AsA ethnic groups. MethodsWe analyzed data from the California Health Interview Survey from 2011 to 2020. AsA ethnicities were self-reported. Body mass index z-scores, calculated from self-reported height/weight, were used to categorize children by obesity status, based on body mass index-for-age growth charts. Prevalence of self-reported lifetime doctor-diagnosed asthma and asthma attack in the last 12 months was calculated. We performed multivariable logistic regressions adjusting for age and sex. ResultsOf 34,146 survey respondents, 12.2% non-Hispanic White and 12.5% AsA children reported lifetime asthma. Among AsA ethnic groups, however, lifetime asthma ranged from 5.1% (Korean American) to 21.5% (Filipino American). Non-Hispanic White children and AsA children had a similar lifetime asthma prevalence (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.05; 95% CI, 0.71-1.55; P = .81), but prevalence was lower in Korean American children (aOR, 0.37; 95% CI, 0.19-0.73; P = .004) and higher in Filipino American children (aOR, 1.97; 95% CI, 1.22-3.17; P = .006). The lifetime asthma prevalence of different AsA ethnic groups persisted even when stratified by obesity status. ConclusionChildhood lifetime asthma prevalence varied among AsA ethnic groups, with lowest prevalence in Korean American children and highest prevalence in Filipino American. Further characterization of asthma burden among AsA ethnic groups may help guide asthma screening and prevention measures and offer new insights into asthma pathogenesis.

A Moderating Role of Gender in Online Health Information Seeking Behaviors for Colorectal Cancer Knowledge among Korean Americans Aged 50 to 75 Years

ABSTRACT Korean Americans have consistently reported the underutilization of colorectal cancer (CRC) screening, despite their high rates of CRC incidence and mortality. Research has indicated suboptimal CRC knowledge in Korean Americans as one of the main barriers to their recommended CRC screening. Also, research has shown the potential of online health information seeking (OHIS) to improve cancer knowledge and gender-based differences in the link between OHIS and cancer knowledge. Thus, this study aimed to examine the association between OHIS and CRC knowledge and the moderating effect of gender in this association among Korean Americans. A cross-sectional survey with purposive sampling was conducted of 421 Korean Americans aged 50–75 years in the Southeastern U.S. Three-step hierarchical multiple-regression analyses were performed to investigate if three blocks of variables—Block 1: control variables (sociodemographics and health-related information), Block 2: independent variables (OHIS and gender), and Block 3: an (OHIS × gender) interaction term—significantly reduce unexplained variance in CRC knowledge. The analyses showed that the final model fits best accounting for 29.3% of the variance in CRC knowledge. Also, the analyses showed that OHIS was positively associated with CRC knowledge and gender moderated the association between OHIS and CRC knowledge. The findings close the knowledge gap existing in the body of literature on the connection of OHIS to CRC knowledge in Korean Americans. The findings also extend the understanding of gender-specific approaches leveraging OHIS for CRC prevention education among Korean Americans.

The Racialization of the Cultural Toolkit and the Racial Positions of Asia and Asian America

Drawing from eleven (11) in-depth interviews with Korean and Korean American students at a predominantly white university (PWI) coupled with ethnographic participant observation of registered Korean American and Korean student organizations, this study develops how “Hallyu”—a nomenclature to refer to the Korean cultural wave—is received and interpreted by Asian and Asian American students. Borrowing from Eng and Han’s racial dissociation and Swidler’s metaphor of a cultural toolkit, this study shows a broader understanding of the immigrant experience of Asian Americans while simultaneously highlighting the dominant frame in which Asian Americans see themselves within the racial order vis-a-vis Hallyu. Furthermore, this study captures the racial dynamics of Asian American college students as they express (1) racial apathy, (2) racial and ethnic identity crises, and (3) experience of hyper-racialization. In complicating these nuances, this study illustrates the limitations of diversity, inclusion, and efforts at “multiculturalism,” suggesting analysts of race start from a global, transnational framework to examine the racialization of Asian and Asian Americans.

Korean American Mothers’ Experiences of the Transition from School into Adulthood for Their Child with Disabilities

In order to better understand how Korean American students with disabilities go through transitions and how education and services can more effectively target them, this study was designed to examine Korean American parents’ perceptions of transition experiences for their child with disabilities through collecting qualitative data. To achieve the purposes of the research, 9 mothers of Korean American young adults with disabilities aged 18–25 were interviewed. Overall, five themes emerged from the qualitative analysis: the importance and shortcomings of a transition program for students with disabilities aged 18–21, use of an ethnic informal organization, mothers’ readiness for the future, professionals’ negative attitudes, and transition planning. The findings were discussed to enhance the involvement of Korean American parents in the development of a long-range plan that will affect the postschool outcomes of their children with disabilities.

Korean American Patients' and Family Caregivers' Sources of Social Support and Perceptions of Cancer and the Caregiving Role: A Theory-Driven Qualitative Study.

To understand the sources of social support and perceptions of cancer and the caregiving role for Korean American patients with cancer and their family caregivers. Using convenience sampling, Korean American patients with cancer and their family caregivers were recruited from Korean American churches and community health agencies. Semistructured interviews guided by the sociocultural stress and coping model were conducted with 12 dyads (N = 24) of Korean American patients with cancer and their family caregivers. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Patients' social support sources included Korean cancer support programs, family or friends, and religion. Family caregivers' sources of social support were limited to religion and friends. Nurses can encourage patients with cancer in racial and ethnic minority groups to attend cancer support programs offered in their primary language to enhance their quality of life during cancer survivorship. Culturally tailored interventions are needed to support the patients' family caregivers.

Relationship of Living and Eating Arrangements to Mental Distress Among Older Korean Immigrants: Gender Difference in the Mediating Role of Loneliness.

This study examined how different living/eating arrangements were associated with loneliness and depressive symptoms among older Korean immigrants. We examined gender differences considering: (1) patterns of living/eating arrangements and their relations with loneliness and mental distress and (2) indirect effect of living/eating arrangements on mental distress through feeling lonely. Data were drawn from the Study of Older Korean Americans that surveyed older; Korean immigrants during 2017-2018 (N = 2150). Living/eating arrangements were classified in the combination of four categores. Using the PROCESS macro, we tested gender differences in the mediation effect of loneliness on the relationship between living/eating arrangements and mental distress while controlling for background/health characteristics and social connectedness-related variables. The mediating role of loneliness was manifested differentially between men and women. By administering simple measures of living/eating arrangements, practitioners could potentially identify key targets to improve social and mental well-being, particularly among older immigrants with limited resources.