Acculturation, social support, and quality of life for Korean immigrant breast and gynecological cancer survivors

Objectives. This study examines the direct and/or indirect pathways among acculturation, social support, depressive symptoms, and quality of life (QOL) for Korean immigrant breast and gynecological cancer survivors.

Design. The QOL-Cancer Survivor measure was translated and then administered to 51 survivors. This tool measured acculturation by assessing westernization, language barriers, and length of stay. In addition, the Brief Symptom Inventory-18 was used to assess depressive symptoms. Social support components were conceptualized as comprising both functional social support and social network structures.

Results. Structural equation modeling identified significant relationships among acculturation, social support, depressive symptoms, and QOL. Higher acculturation was associated with positive network structures (larger network size, diversity, and closer social ties) and lower depressive symptoms, which in turn contributed to better QOL. Simultaneously, positive social network structures strongly correlated with better emotional support and, thus, influenced lower depressive symptoms.

Conclusions. The evidence that acculturation influences QOL through social support for Korean immigrant cancer survivors should serve as a rationale for developing psychosocial interventions that enhance immigrant cancer survivors’ social participation and adjustment in the unfamiliar US environment.     

“The Tourist Season Goes Down But Not the Prices.” Tourism and Food Insecurity in Rural Costa Rica

Data from women in two communities in rural Costa Rica were analyzed in order to examine food insecurity in an area undergoing a shift from an agricultural economy to tourism (e.g., eco/adventure tourism). While there were significant differences in socio-economic status between the two communities, the prevalence of food insecurity was high in both, ranging from 67% in the agricultural community to 73% in the tourism community. Not being a member of a food cooperative (OR = 4.85), not having a working stove (OR = 6.27), and increasing body mass index (BMI) (OR = 1.32) predicted food insecurity in both communities. Additionally, the frequency of condiment use was inversely associated with food insecurity (OR = .363). These findings along with other data suggest that food insecurity is a problem in this area. Furthermore, dietary quality associated with food insecurity might be responsible for the high prevalence of obesity among the study participants.     

Acculturation,collectivist orientation and organisational commitment among Asian nurses working in the US healthcare system

liou s.-r., tsai h.-m. & cheng c.-y. (2013) Journal of Nursing Management  21 , 614–623 Acculturation, collectivist orientation and organisational commitment among Asian nurses working in the US healthcare system Aim To examine the relationships between acculturation, collectivist orientation and organisational commitment among Asian nurses in US hospitals. Background Few studies have explored these three variables together in the same study and examined their statuses and mutual relationship among Asian nurses in Western hospitals. Method The study was a cross-sectional design using snowball sampling. A total of 195 Asian nurses participated. The collectivist orientation scale, organisational commitment questionnaire and acculturation factors were used to collect data. Pearson correlation, anova and regression were used to analyse the data. Results Most participants were female Filipinos with a mean age of 39.92 and a bachelor’s degree and stayed in the USA for 13.35 years. They used and preferred to use both their mother language and English, identified themselves as Oriental or Asian and culturally, viewed themselves as very or mostly Asian. Participants scored high on collectivism and commitment. Collectivism was significantly correlated with commitment but did not mediate acculturation factors and commitment. Conclusion To increase Asian nurses’ commitment, it is important that administrators understand their cultural values and provide them with a cultural competent and sensitive environment. Implications for nursing management Healthcare administrators can increase Asian nurses’ commitment through understanding their needs and attitudes toward their job and organisation.     

Acculturation and adjustment of migrants reporting trauma: The contextual effects of perceived ethnic density

Little is known about the relation between acculturation and socioecological contexts of migrants with a personal trauma history living in the community. This study represents an extension of our previous work and aimed to unpack the perceived neighborhood ethnic density (ED) effect and examine the moderating role of ED on the acculturation–adjustment relation in a community sample of migrants with trauma (N = 99) from developing countries residing in Montreal, Canada. ED was protective against general psychological distress but did not predict posttraumatic symptoms. The ED effect was mediated via degree of acculturation to the French–Canadian mainstream cultural context, rather than heritage acculturation, social support, or discrimination. Moreover, protective effects of French–Canadian mainstream acculturation for depressive symptoms and life satisfaction were found under high but not low ED conditions. Similarities and differences with our previous research as well as theoretical and prevention implications are discussed from a person–environment interaction perspective.     

Effects of Posttraumatic Stress and Acculturation on Marital Functioning in Bosnian Refugee Couples

Forty Bosnian refugee couples living in the United States completed a translated version of the PTSD Symptom Scale—Self Report, the Behavioral Acculturation Scale, the Marital Satisfaction Inventory—Revised, and a demographic questionnaire. Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptomatology was the best predictor of marital functioning and was related negatively to acculturation. After controlling for PTSD, acculturation did not predict marital functioning. Wives' marital satisfaction was best predicted by husbands' PTSD, husbands' acculturation, and their own PTSD. Husbands' marital satisfaction was not predicted significantly by any of these variables. These findings suggest several implications for mental health professionals dealing with refugees and other traumatized populations.     

Measuring acculturation among male Arab immigrants in the United States: an exploratory study

Given the absence of empirical measures that assess acculturation patterns among male Arab immigrants, a new acculturation instrument was developed and evaluated. One hundred and fifteen adult male Arab immigrants were administered the Male Arab Acculturation Scale (MAAS), and psychometrically established measures of ethnic identity and self-esteem. Satisfactory reliability is reported for the two acculturation scales, separation/assimilation and integration/marginalization. Ethnic identity, self-construal, personal self-esteem, and collective self-esteem appear to be differentially associated with acculturation patterns among male Arab immigrants.     

Oral Health Status of Mexican-Americans with Low and High Acculturation Status: Findings from Southwestern HHANES, 1982–84

This article presents the results of a cross-sectional analysis of the prevalence of dental caries and periodontal disease, as well as the use of dental services, among 395 low acculturated dentate Mexican-Americans, 12-74 years of age, examined during the southwestern portion of the Hispanic Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (HHANES). Comparisons were carried out with 1,894 dentate Mexican-Americans who had high acculturation status. Mexican-American adolescents and adults with low acculturation status had 73 and 116 percent higher mean number of decayed and missing teeth, respectively, compared with those with high acculturation status. The differences between the two groups, however, did not remain statistically significant when the confounding effects of age, sex, education, and income status were taken into account. Gingivitis and periodontal pocketing were highly prevalent in both groups, but those with low acculturation status had significantly higher disease levels than those with high acculturation status. Despite the unmet dental needs and the higher prevalence of dental caries and periodontal disease, Mexican-Americans with low acculturation status were significantly less likely than those with high acculturation status to have dental insurance and to have visited the dentist as frequently.     

Posttraumatic growth among childhood cancer survivors: Associations with ethnicity,acculturation, and religious service attendance

This study assessed the association between ethnicity, religious service attendance (RSA), and acculturation with posttraumatic growth (PTG) in a diverse sample of 235 childhood cancer survivors (CCS). PTG scores were estimated for each ethnicity, and by level of RSA and acculturation. There was a significant curvilinear relationship (inverted U) between RSA and PTG, such that moderate levels of RSA were associated with the highest PTG scores. Hispanics reported the highest PTG, and both Hispanic and Anglo cultural orientation were significantly positively associated with PTG. CCS with high or low frequency of RSA as well as Hispanic CCS who lack a strong sense of cultural identity may benefit from targeted efforts to promote psychosocial adaptation in the aftermath of cancer.     

哈尼族中学生文化适应及与学校生活满意度的关系

目的:考察哈尼族中学生文化适应特点及与学校生活满意度的关系。方法:从红河州3个哈尼族聚居县中,方便选取3所高中和2所初中,采用随机整群和多层取样法,抽得650名学生,获得有效问卷621份。用哈尼族中学生文化适应问卷(3个维度:主流文化认同、学校教育认同、汉语熟悉程度)和青少年学校生活满意度评定问卷进行测查。结果:(1)哈尼族中学生文化适应总分高于选项中值[(3.79±0.65)中值3分]。(2)不同性别、家庭住地、年级学生的文化适应水平差异均有统计学意义。女生文化适应得分高于男生[(3.85±0.61)vs.(3.74±0.68),P0.01];农村学生的学校教育认同得分高于乡镇学生[(3.89±0.75)vs.(3.64±0.69),P0.05],县城学生的汉语熟悉度得分高于乡村学生[(3.96±0.98)vs.(3.47±0.82)、(3.53±0.90),P0.05];数据点折线图显示,哈尼族中学生文化适应问卷总分及3个维度分均随年级递升呈曲折变化趋势。(3)文化适应问卷总分及其3个维度与学校生活满意度均呈正相关(r=0.52、0.44、0.51、0.29;P0.01)。多元逐步回归显示:学校教育认同、主流文化认同是影响哈尼族中学生学校生活满意度的主要因素(β=0.38、0.25)。结论:本研究提示,女性和家庭居住地在城镇的哈尼族中学生有较高的文化适应水平,同时较高的文化适应水平与较高的学校生活满意度存在相关。