Elder mistreatment, culture, and help-seeking: a cross-cultural comparison of older Chinese and Korean immigrants.
This study explored and compared the salient sociocultural characteristics that influenced elder mistreatment and help-seeking behaviors among older Chinese and Korean immigrants. Results from qualitative, in-depth focus groups with 30 participants revealed that elder mistreatment is a culturally laden construct, and core values of traditional culture and acculturation are significant contextual factors that profoundly affect the perceptions of elder abuse and receptivity of interventions. Older Korean participants, compared to their Chinese counterparts, demonstrated stronger influence of hierarchy and cultural beliefs in exclusive family ties and gender norms, and were less likely to disclose abuse. Implications for culturally based interventions are also discussed.
a School of Social Work , San Francisco State University , San Francisco , California , USA.
Yeon-Shim
YS
Lee
Ailee
A
Moon
Cynthia
C
Gomez
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001213:Asian / Q000208:ethnology*; D001294:Attitude to Health / Q000208:ethnology*; D019548:Crime Victims / Q000523:psychology*; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D003466:Cultural Characteristics; D004552:Elder Abuse / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007723:Korea / Q000208:ethnology; D008297:Male; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000523:psychology
culture; elder mistreatment; help-seeking; immigration/acculturation