title: Reconstruction of health-seeking behaviors: a comparative study of three Asian Pacific immigrant groups.
abstract: In this article, I explore how health-seeking behaviors of immigrants are reconstructed and shaped during the adaptation process by comparing the experiences of three Asian Pacific immigrant groups in Hawaii: Filipinos, Koreans, and Marshallese. A total of 91 participants (52 new immigrants, 22 ethnic community key informants, and 17 service providers) completed in-depth interviews. All three groups of immigrants experienced significant changes in their health-seeking behaviors, but in different ways. Koreans experienced a dramatic decrease in seeking both primary and preventive health care after immigration, whereas Filipinos and Marshallese increased their health-seeking behaviors. Coupled with the previous health care experiences in their home country and individual characteristics, the social context of the host country, to a great degree, influenced the formation of health-seeking behaviors after immigration. The study findings suggest that tailored interventions should take into account the source of behavioral change and difficulties that each immigrant group experiences.
authors: Sam Houston State University, Huntsville, Texas 77341, USA. jyc002@shsu.edu
authors: Jin Young
authors: JY
authors: Choi
mesh_terms: D000069:Acculturation; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants; D005260:Female; D006254:Hawaii; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008849:Micronesia / Q000208:ethnology; D008875:Middle Aged; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000208:ethnology*; D010679:Philippines / Q000208:ethnology; D056910:Republic of Korea / Q000208:ethnology