A perceived community typology in older Korean Americans: implications for mental health.

Objectives: The aims of this study were to identify a community typology in older Korean Americans and to examine how the typology is associated with feelings of loneliness and mental distress. We hypothesized that distinct community groups would be identified and that they would be differentially associated with mental health and background characteristics.

Method: Data were drawn from a survey with older Korean Americans aged 60 and older, collected during 2017-2018 in diverse locations ( = 2138).

Falls as a mental health risk among Korean-American residents in subsidized senior housing: mediating effect of fall-related self-efficacy.

Objectives: The study examined the mediating role of fall-related self-efficacy in the association between falls and mental health among older Korean Americans living in subsidized senior housing in the greater Los Angeles area. We focused on serious fall incidents (i.e.

Dementia Caregiving Experiences Among Korean Americans: Qualitative Inquiry Using the Stress Process Perspective.

Dementia caregiving involves a challenging and complex process, especially for immigrant families. Using a qualitative method, this study provides an in-depth exploration of caregiving experiences among Korean American caregivers of people living with dementia. Based on various sampling strategies, 16 Korean American caregivers of family members/relatives with dementia were recruited in the greater Los Angeles area.

Mental Health Impact of Bullying by Ethnic Peers in Senior Housing: A Study with Older Korean American Residents in the Greater Los Angeles Area.

Using data from Korean-American residents ( = 343) in subsidized senior housing in the Los Angeles area, we examined the effect of peer bullying on mental health. About 18% of the sample had been a target of bullying, and over 31% had witnessed someone being bullied. Being a target of bullying was a significant predictor for both depressive symptoms and anxiety, whereas witnessing other residents being bullied was a significant predictor for anxiety only.

Relationship of Living and Eating Arrangements to Mental Distress Among Older Korean Immigrants: Gender Difference in the Mediating Role of Loneliness.

This study examined how different living/eating arrangements were associated with loneliness and depressive symptoms among older Korean immigrants. We examined gender differences considering: (1) patterns of living/eating arrangements and their relations with loneliness and mental distress and (2) indirect effect of living/eating arrangements on mental distress through feeling lonely. Data were drawn from the Study of Older Korean Americans that surveyed older; Korean immigrants during 2017-2018 ( = 2150).

COVID-19 health information sources and their associations with preventive behaviors: A typological study with older residents in Seoul, South Korea.

Considering that individuals' health information can enable their adoption of health behaviors, we examined the use of health information sources related to COVID-19 and its association with preventive behaviors in a sample of older residents in Seoul, South Korea (N = 400, M age = 76.1 years). Latent profile analysis of 12 sources of health information representing conventional media, online sources, interpersonal networks, and health professionals or authorities yielded a 4-group typology: limited, moderate/traditional, moderate/digital, and diverse.

Safety Concerns for Persons with Dementia in Senior Housing: A Qualitative Study with Korean American Caregivers in Los Angeles.

Subsidized senior housing helps many socioeconomically disadvantaged older adults pursue independent living and aging in place. However, cognitive impairment or dementia poses a critical challenge to many residents' ability to live independently and safely. Focusing on Korean American dementia caregivers, a group known to be vulnerable to caregiving burden but understudied, we explored the safety of persons with dementia in senior housing from the perspectives of caregivers.

The Mental Health Benefit of Friend Networks in Older Korean Americans: The Conditioning Effect of Family Type.

Objectives: We identified types of family relationships of older Korean Americans and examined how the mental health benefit of friend networks might be conditioned by family type.

Methods: Data were from 2,070 participants in the Study of Older Korean Americans, a multistate survey of Korean immigrants aged 60 and older (Mage = 73.3, standard deviation [SD] = 8.

Relationship of social isolation with mental distress among older Korean Americans: The moderating role of social cohesion.

Social isolation has been associated with poor mental health outcomes, particularly for older immigrants who do not have a protective social environment. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship of social isolation (living alone, marginal family ties and marginal friend ties) with mental distress and to examine the moderating role of social cohesion (family cohesion and community cohesion). We hypothesised that social isolation and social cohesion would be directly associated with mental distress and that social cohesion would buffer the influence of social isolation on mental distress.

Older Korean Americans' Perceived Burdensomeness to Their Healthcare Partners: An Egocentric Network Assessment.

The objective is to examine how older Korean Americans' perceived burdensomeness to their healthcare partners is associated with the characteristics of older adult participants () and their healthcare partners (). Surveys of 2150 participants in the Study of Older Korean Americans provided ego data. Participants were also asked to list up to three individuals whom they usually asked for help on health-related matters or healthcare use, which generated 3402 alters.

Factors Associated With Dietary Risks in Older Korean Americans.

Given the importance of healthy eating in the later years of life, the present study examined factors associated with dietary risks in older Korean Americans. We hypothesized that dietary risks would be associated with sociodemographic disadvantages, adverse health conditions, and limited sociocultural resources. Dietary risks were assessed with a scale covering five behavioral and situational risk factors (eating alone, skipping meals, functional challenges, oral health problems, and financial difficulties).

Perceived racial discrimination and mental distress in older Korean Americans: the moderating role of ethnic resources.

Objectives: To examine associations among perceived racial discrimination, ethnic resources, and mental distress in older Korean Americans. Ethnic resources included ethnic identity (how closely individuals identify themselves with other members of the same ethnic background) and sense of community (individuals' feelings of belonging to their ethnic group). We examined the direct effect of perceived racial discrimination and these ethnic resources, as well as their interactions, hypothesizing that mental distress associated with perceived racial discrimination would be reduced by ethnic resources.

Bridging Potential in Friend Networks and Cognitive Function in Older Korean Americans.

Objectives: To examine the associates of bridging potential in networks of friends and its impact on cognitive function in older Korean Americans.

Methods: Data came from 308 participants in Central Florida who were part of the Study of Older Korean Americans (SOKA). Using data from a name generator of three close friends in local Korean communities, non-overlapping networks were quantified for bridging potential.

Health risks posed by social and linguistic isolation in older Korean Americans.

Objectives: Inspired by the notion of double jeopardy positing the dual disadvantage in the coexistence of different sources of vulnerability, the present study examined health risks posed by social and linguistic isolation in older Korean Americans.

Design: A cross-sectional study, using a four-cell classification to compare isolation types (no isolation, social isolation only, linguistic isolation only, and dual isolation) and to examine their impacts on physical (self-rated health), mental (mental distress), and cognitive (cognitive performance) health.

Setting And Participants: Data are from the Study of Older Korean Americans survey of Korean immigrants aged 60 or older (n = 2032), conducted in five states in the United States (California, New York, Texas, Hawaii, and Florida).

The Relations of Social Network Types With Mental Distress Among Older Korean Americans: The Interactive Role of Living Arrangement.

The purpose of this study is to identify social network types in older Korean Americans and to examine their direct associations, as well as interactions with living arrangement, on mental distress. Drawn from the Study of Older Korean Americans (SOKA), participants were aged 60 or over and lived in five states. Analyses included 2,140 cases surveyed during 2017-2018.

Discordance Between Subjective and Objective Cognitive Function in Older Korean Americans.

To examine predictors of membership in discordant groups identified by subjective and objective measures of cognitive function. Participants in the Study of Older Korean Americans ( = 2046) were classified according to their subjective cognitive ratings (// vs. /) and Mini-Mental State Examination scores (normal cognition vs.

Cognitive health risks posed by social isolation and loneliness in older Korean Americans.

Background: This study examines associations among social isolation, loneliness, and cognitive health risks in older Korean Americans, focusing on the mediating role of loneliness in the relationship between social isolation and objective and subjective measures of cognitive impairment.

Methods: Data are from 2061 participants in the Study of Older Korean Americans, a multi-state survey of Korean immigrants age 60 and older (M = 73.2, SD = 7.

Social isolation in Asian Americans: risks associated with socio-demographic, health, and immigration factors.

Objectives: The present study examined the factors associated with social isolation in Asian Americans. Three types of social isolation (social isolation from family, social isolation from friends, and overall social isolation), identified by the Lubben Social Network Scale-6, were examined with a sample of Asian Americans representing diverse ethnic groups (Chinese, Asian Indian, Korean, Vietnamese, Filipino, and other Asians) and a broad age range (18-98).

Design: Using data from the 2015 Asian American Quality of Life Survey ( = 2609), logistic regression models examined how each type of social isolation was predicted by sociodemographic (age, gender, ethnic origin, marital status, education, and perceived financial status), health-related (chronic medical conditions and self-rated health), and immigration-related (proportion of life in the United States and English proficiency) variables.

Self-rated health as a mediator between physical health conditions and depressive symptoms in older Chinese and Korean Americans.

In the present study, we examined self-rated health as a mediator between physical health conditions (chronic diseases and functional disability) and depressive symptoms in older Chinese and Korean Americans. Using harmonized data (N = 5,063) from the Population Study of Chinese Elderly (PINE) and the Study of Older Korean Americans (SOKA), we tested direct and indirect effect models. In both groups, chronic diseases and functional disability were closely associated with negative ratings of health and symptoms of depression.

Performance of an Abbreviated Lubben Social Network Scale (LSNS-6) in Three Ethnic Groups of Older Asian Americans.

Background And Objectives: The present study examined the measurement quality and performance of an abbreviated Lubben Social Network Scale (LSNS-6) in three ethnic groups (Chinese, Koreans, and Vietnamese) of older Asian Americans, addressing both within- and cross-group validations.

Research Design And Methods: We selected 605 participants aged 50 or older (242 Chinese, 150 Koreans, and 213 Vietnamese) from the 2015 Asian American Quality of Life survey, conducted with self-identified Asian Americans aged 18 or above living in central Texas. We analyzed LSNS-6 data on measurement qualities (internal consistency and corrected item-total correlation), dimensionality (exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses), and correlations with other indicators.

Self-rated Physical, Mental, Oral, and Cognitive Health in Older Korean Immigrants: The Role of Health Indicators and Sociocultural Factors.

Guided by the models of health assessment and social determinants of health, we examined predictors of self-rated physical, mental, oral, and cognitive health of older Korean immigrants. Data came from the Study of Older Korean Americans (SOKA; N = 2,061, Mean age = 73.2).

Profiles of Social Engagement and Their Association With Loneliness and Self-Rated Health Among Older Korean Immigrants.

The purposes of this study were to (1) develop a typology of social engagement in older Korean immigrants in the United States and (2) compare the groups in the typology regarding their level of loneliness and self-rated health. Data were drawn from the Study of Older Korean Americans covering the five geographic locations ( = 2,149). Using eight criterion variables concerning the type and frequency of activities, latent profile analysis identified a six-group model as the most optimal with the following groups: diverse, active, moderately social, structured, sedentary, and restricted.

The role of self-rated mental health in seeking professional mental health services among older Korean immigrants.

Objectives: The gap between mental health needs and service use in racial/ethnic minorities continues to be a major public health concern. Focusing on older Korean immigrants, the present study examined linkages among mental distress, self-rated mental health (SRMH), and the use of professional mental health services. We hypothesized that SRMH would play a mediating role in the relationship between mental distress and the use of professional mental health services.

Knowledge About Alzheimer's Disease and Awareness of Alzheimer's Disease-Related Services in Older Korean Americans: The Role of Social Capital.

The purpose of the study was to investigate factors associated with Alzheimer's Disease (AD)-related knowledge and service awareness in older Korean Americans. Considering the importance of social resources in the lives of older immigrants, the focus was on exploring the role of social capital-related factors (e.g.