This study was performed to figure out the health status and life style of aged population in Korean-Americans living in Los Angeles in the United States. The number of subjects in this study were 283 persons aged 65 and over (male 141, female 142) drawn from Los Angeles Country in U.S.A. The data were collected by trained interviewers from July to August 1991. The questionnaire consisted of 1) general characteristics, 2) health status and medical health services, 3) 24 questions of CMI, and 4) the level of adaptations and difficulties to immigrant society.
The results of this study are as followings:
1. In age distribution, 33.2 percent of total subjects was 65-69 age group, and 33.1 percent was 70-75 age group. The average duration of immigration were 7.89 years in male and 10.18 years in female, and percent distribution by duration of migration were 33.3 ´percent in 1-4 years, 30.5 percent in 5-9 years. 23.7 percent in 10-14 years, and 13.5 percent in 15 years and over. Of total subjects, 84.7 percent had permanent residence and only 13.8 percent had citizenship. In the reason of immigration of the elderly, 76.4 percent of them responded as reason for helping and joining to family, and only 8.5 percent of subjects were economic reason.
The educational levels of the subjects were generally high. Only 9.0 percent of the subjects received no or little education in the modern day education system. Primary graduates were 35.7 percent middle and high school graduates were 37.8 percent and university (college) and over graduates constituted 16.6 percent. The educational level of the male was generally higher than that of female. A large proportion of the subjects (94.3 percent) responded as having religion and 67.8 percent were protestant. 16.7 percent were catholic and 7.4 4 percent were Buddhist. In the family structure. 75.6 percent of the elderly lived alone and with their spouses and 22.1 percent live in a family with 2 generation living together. The marital status of male showed that 80.7 percent of them lived with their spouses. 14.3 percent of men´ were widowed. and only 26.3 percent of female lived with their spouses and 71.5 percent of female were widowed.
2. One out ten of the elderly was presently smoking. Of the smokers, there were 4 times as many male smokers as female smokers. In response to a question about their drinking habits, 82.0 percent of the aged replied that they did not consume alcohol. Those who consumed alcohol ´daily constituted 3.6 percent frequently were 4.3 percent ´sometimes were 7.9 percent and ´scarcely constituted 2.2 percent.
Among the exercises and sports which the elderly were doing for the fitness and preservation of health. A walking was the most popular at 32.1 percent of the population; More rigorous sports such as hiking, jogging, physical cardiovascular exercises and ball games were being enjoyed by only a very few. 37.2 percent of the elderly replied that they did not exercise regularly.
In the major pastime of daily life activities. 40.9 percent of the subjects responded ´none´. 14. 7 percent of them were domestic duty for family, about 10 percent of them were: hobby, religion activities, social work and participating in social education program respectively.’
In the problems and difficulties of immigration, 78.1 percent of them responded yes in the early times of immigration and 30.4 percent in the present time of immigration. Six major problems were identified by respondent. They were, in the rank order of their language homesickness: transportation: income and economic and custom.
3. Most of the respondents considered themselves healthy. The proportion" of the question to their health at the time of study. 36.2 percent in male and 23.2 percent in Female replied that they seemed to be ´excellent healthy´, 34.7 percent in male and 32.4 percent in female be ´good and 4.3 percent in male and 2.1 percent in female be ´very poor´ .
In considering specific parts of their body as having problems, many of the elderly pointed out the disease of circulatory system (17.7 percent in male and 23.2 percent in female). Comparatively few of the elderly thought that they had something wrong with their musculoskeletal system (5.7 percent in male and 16.1 percent in female), digestive system (9.2 percent in male and 5.6 percent in female) and endocrine and metabolic disease (6.4 percent in made and 9.9 percent in female). Of those elderly who perceived of some problems with their circulatory and musculoskeletal systems, there were more elderly women compared to elderly men. The largest percentage of the elderly (20.7 percent in male and 26.5-percent in female)´, indicated palsy as the disease they fear most. Thereafter, the order of diseases feared by the elderly was diabets. hypertension, neuralgia, cancer, and dotage.
´A majority of the elderly, 54.6 percent of men and 44.4 percent of women. replied that they did not visit a medical institution or a pharmacy to treat their diseases during the one month prior to the survey. Of the total survey subjects who did visit a medical facilities. those complaining of circulatory system disease constituted 13.5 percent in male and 14.8 percent in female. and digestive system diseases were 7.8 percent in male and 8.5 percent in female. For the endocrine and metablic disease, disease of nervous and sens organs and musculoskeletal system were all each less than 7 percent of all the study subjects.
Of the total elderly. 49.0 percent utilized medical facilities such as hospitals, herbal clinics, pharmacies and others to treat illness within one month prior to the time of survey: the utilization of clinicl and hospital were 86.0 percent. herb clinic were 8.4 percent and pharmacy were 4.2 percent. 34.8 percent of men and 11.3 percent of female did not take a medicine for treatment and promoting nutrition at the time of the survey. 55.4 percent of total elderly used the drug for treatment of diseases, and 16.6 percent for promoting nutrition.
4. Except for group of questions concerning urinary system more women than men generally complained of problems and discomforts in each groups. More elderly suffered .from problems associated with .musculgskeletal system than any others, and the decreasing order of the groups of problems with which most complaints were indicated are -the problems associated with mental condition. urinary system, circulatory system, nervous system, visual and auditory organs,
respiratory system and digestive system.
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