Immigrant Vietnamese women's adaptation to culture and society in rural areas of Korea.

BACKGROUND: International marriages between Vietnamese women and Korean men have increased rapidly in Korea. Successful adaptation of these women is challenging, and concerns on the issue have been raised. Most existing studies have surveyed Vietnamese immigrant women in urban Korea; less is known about women residing in rural areas of Korea. Uncovering the experiences and perspectives of these women can inform the design of community support resources. The purpose of this study was to identify a typology to effectively describe the subjective perspectives of Vietnamese women residing in rural Korea on adaptation to Korean culture and society. METHODS AND RESULTS: A Q-methodological study was conducted with five steps: construction of the concourse, Q sample, selection of participants, Q-sorting, and data analysis. Twenty-six Vietnamese women married to Korean men who attended local public health centers were surveyed and asked to rank-order 39 Q-statements using a 9-point scale. Principal component factor analysis using a pc-QUANL program was performed to identify adaptation sub-types. Four types of adaptation were identified and labeled: positive adaptation (35.54%), passive adaptation with reservations (8.33%), adaptation with frustration (6.20%), and adaptation and involvement (5.33%). These four types explained 55.40% of the total variance in the women's experience of adaptation to Korean culture and society. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides data that may be helpful in understanding the challenges immigrant women in rural areas of Korea face, and in planning family-sensitive adaptation support programs for these women and their families.

Effect of an Integrated Health Management Program Based on Successful Aging in Korean Women.

OBJECTIVES: This study evaluates the efficacy of an integrated health management program (IHMP) based on successful aging in older women. DESIGN AND SAMPLE: A single group pretest and posttest research design was employed, with a sample of 33 older Korean women over 60 years registered in a public health center. The intervention, including exercise, health education, and social activities, was performed 3 hr per week for 12 weeks. MEASURES: Demographic characteristics, body composition, physical fitness, biomarkers, depression, and social support were measured. Data were analyzed with a Wilcoxon signed-rank test, statistical significance levels were set at p < .05. RESULTS: After the intervention, body mass index was significantly decreased (p = .003) and skeletal muscle mass was significantly increased (p = .002). Chair stand (p = .023) and straight walking test (p < .001) were significantly improved. Systolic blood pressure (p < .003), diastolic blood pressure (p = .030), and blood cholesterol (p = .011) were significantly decreased. Depression (p = .043) was significantly decreased, and social support (p < .001) was significantly increased. CONCLUSIONS: Adopting and maintaining an IHMP can be useful to promote physical, psychological, and social functioning that lead to successful aging in older Korean women.

Predictors of mammography uptake in Korean women aged 40 years and over.

AIM: This paper is a report of a study performed to identify the predictors of mammography uptake for Korean women according to the stage of change, as determined by the transtheoretical model. BACKGROUND: Although breast cancer is the most common female cancer in South Korea, its early detection rate here is low when compared with other developed countries. The transtheoretical model can be used to facilitate health promotion based on individual health behaviour and to devise stage-tailored interventions. METHOD: The participants were a convenience sample of 920 women aged > or =40 years between December 2005 and February 2006. A cross-sectional design was used in which participants completed a questionnaire that consisted of measures of the transtheoretical model. To provide a standard of measure, the variables were converted from raw scores to standard scores and then to T scores (mean = 50, sd = 10). Logistic regression analysis was then used to estimate predictors of the stage of maintenance of mammography uptake. FINDINGS: The most frequent stage of mammography uptake was 'contemplation'. Predictors of mammography uptake included decisional balance, commitment to regular screening and avoiding contact with the healthcare system. Commitment to regular screening and breast self-examination were strongly related to mammography maintenance. CONCLUSION: The results of this study can be used for the development of theory-based and empirically supported mammography uptake intervention strategies and programmes directed towards women aged > or =40 years.

The process of change in the sexual attitudes of sexual offenders in Korea.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to explore the process of change in the sexual views and attitudes of sexual offenders, in light of their experiences. METHODS: Data were collected from six sexual offenders who were accused of sexual offenses. All collected data by in-depth and direct observation were analyzed by Corbin and Strauss' Ground theory methodology. RESULTS: Participants were sexually aroused as a result of their distorted knowledge of sex. They were stimulated by easy access to sex and surrendered to it. Their intervening conditions were legal regulation, voice of conscience and social support. Participants were responding to the problem through strategies. These strategies were: reflecting self, distracting one's attention, and building a stable relationship with a woman. They resulted in stigma of being a sexual offender, alteration in sexual views, confidence and futility. The core variable revealing the essence of the sexual offenders' experiences was reconstructing sound sex values. CONCLUSION: The results of the study can provide school nurses and sex educators with useful knowledge grounded in actual sexual offense cases, not only to refine the interventions for sexual offenders but also to prevent future sexual offenses.

[Development of a nursing professional values scale].

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to develop an instrument to measure nursing professional values. METHOD: Forty preliminary items were selected by classifying 223 basic items extracted via a literature study and in-depth interviews of subjects and testing the relevance of their contents. In order to verify the reliability and relevance of the preliminary instrument, data was collected from 504 nurses in 3 general hospitals. RESULT: As a result of the item analysis, 29 items were selected from a total of 40 items. Five factors were extracted by factor analysis, and the total variance was 51.5%. For the explanation of variances by factors, the 1st factor, 'self-concept of the profession' accounted for 14.8%, the 2nd factor, 'social awareness' 12.1%, the 3rd factor, 'professionalism of nursing' 9.8%, the 4th factor, 'the roles of nursing service' 9.1%, and the 5th factor, 'originality of nursing', 5.6%. Cronbach's Alpha of those 29 items was .9168, which was high. CONCLUSION: This paper is meaningful in a way that it developed a tool capable of measuring nursing professional values, which reflects the characteristics of our country. In order to re-verify the relevance and stability of this tool, it is necessary that comparative studies should be conducted.

[Predictive factors of aspects of the transtheoretical model on smoking cessation in a rural community].

PURPOSE: This study was done to evaluate the predictive value of aspects of the Transtheoretical model (TTM) of behavior change as applied to smoking cessation in a rural population. METHOD: A convenience sample was recruited from a public health center in a community. A total of 484 participants were recruited, including 319 smokers, 116 ex-smokers and 49 non-smokers. A cross-sectional and descriptive design was used in this study. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics, frequency statistics, ANOVA and Logistic regression. RESULT: The major findings were 1) The participants were assessed at baseline for their current Stage of Change resulting in a distribution with 42.1% in Precontemplation, 24.1% in Contemplation, 9.7% in Preparation, 6.2% in Active, and 17.9% in the Maintenance stage. 2) There were statistically significant differences of processes of change, decisional balance and situational temptation across the stages of change. 3) The main factors that affect smoking cessation were age, number of years smoking, age when began smoking, self-liberation and negative/affective situations, which combined explained 33.2% of the smoking cessation. CONCLUSION: TTM variables measured prior to a smoking cessation program added little predictive value for cessation outcome beyond that explained by demographic and smoking history variables.