|
KMID : 0358119840100020131
|
|
Journal of the Korean Public Health Association
1984 Volume.10 No. 2 p.131 ~ p.144
|
|
|
A STUDY ON SOCIAL NETWORKS AND HEALTH BEHAVIORS OF THE URBAN POOR IN SEOUL
|
|
朴元宗/Park, Won Chong
姜得姬/林國煥/Kang, Deuk Hee/Rhim, Kook Hwan
|
|
|
Abstract
|
|
|
The way of the life of urban poor including their health behavior can be well explained by structuring how they maintain reciprocal relationship in their intimate social network. In this paper two hypotheses are proposed:
1. Social networks duly exert influence on the health behavior of the urban poor.
2. Through the study of how existing social networks influence health behaviors, a peripheral network model can be utilized to improve the unequal state of health problems within their socio-cultural context. In a network each inhabitant´s dyadic relationship may be described by its intensity of reciprocal exchange.
This intensity of reciprocal exchange depends on four factors: 1) formal social distance
2) physical distance
3) economic distance
4) psychosocial distance
4) psychosocial distance (Lomnitz, 1977)
In the research area kinship networks exert strong influences on the inhabitant´s life defining formal social distance and neighborhood ;networks also have strong reciprocal relationship as do physical distances. This is because factor I and factor 2 overlap in many cases (See Figures 2 and 4). In other words, those who migrated to the urban area, with the help of their precedently settled-down relatives, naturally live near those relatives ($ee Table 2.).
In economic distance kinship networks also exert a strong influence. For example, in case of B3 (Figure 3), who is running a-subcontracting factory of hand knitting,, all ten girl employees are his relatives or girls, from his own local area.
Psychosocial distance is subordinate to the above mentioned three distances: Relationships for sharing joy or sorrow when relatives, neighbors or friends, having wedding ceremonies, birthdays, funerals and other, rituals, are dependent on formal social distances, physical distances and economic distances. The stronger the psychosocial distance becomes, the closer a network becomes.
In the research area the above mentioned networks exert influences when health problems occur (See Fig. 5 and Table 6).
There are several formal networks in the research area, Tongjang-Banjang, Saemaeul Women´s club, School Mother´s club, Minjeong-dang Political Member Committee and etc. After reviewing these networks using the four factors, the researcher proposes that the Tongjang´s family and Banjang´s family can be the nodes of the peripheral network which can be utilized to improve health problems in the area of urban poor.
The theoretical backgrounds are as follows:
1. As formal social distance the inhabitants and Banjangs are very close because of monthly "Bansanghoe´ meetings, channels of much registration work and information between the dong office and inhaitants, and recommendation for a Medicaid card by Tongjang and Banjang.
2. As physical distance, a Banjang who is covering only 23 households or 8 houses* on the average has many physical contacts with the inhabitants.
3. As economic distance the distribution of Banjangs´ job shows that he/she may have many chances to contact inhabitants by their daily economic needs (refer to Table 7).
4. As psychosocial distance there is a good example in 1st Redevelopment Area. Some residents manage a charcoal briquet shop and give a small portion of the profits to any resident who has good or sad affairs with Tongjangs and Banjangs as the central figures. (Table 8 shows familiarity of Banjangs).
5. Tongjang and Banjang are usually men, Consequently there-may be some problems in the
communication of the M.C.H. programme. However, as their families can also work as the
nodes of network, their wives or daughters can be used to support the programme.
To approach P.H.C. (Primary Health Care) for the urban poor effectively, cooperation with
the community is an essential factor.
Therefore, it is suggested that the Tongjangs´ and Banjangs´ family be used as nodes of network as a mechanism to utilize the principles of P.H.C. in -Guro 6 Dong.
|
|
|
KEYWORD
|
|
|
|
|
|
FullTexts / Linksout information
|
|
|
|
|
|
Listed journal information
|
|
|
|
|