Health Literacy in Korean Immigrants at Risk for Type 2 Diabetes

• Published in: Journal of immigrant and minority health Vol. 15; no. 3; pp. 553 - 559
• Main Authors: Choi, Sarah E., Rush, Elizabeth, Henry, Shayna
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Boston Springer Science + Business Media 01.06.2013; Springer US; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Acculturation; Adult; Asian people; At risk; Body Composition; Chronic illnesses; Comparative Law; Data collection; Diabetes; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 - ethnology; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 - prevention & control; Diet; Emigrants and Immigrants; English; Ethnic Groups; Exercise; Female; Health behavior; Health education; Health insurance; Health Literacy; Health Promotion; Health Surveys; Humans; Immigrants; International & Foreign Law; Korean Americans; Language; Lifestyles; Likert Scales; Literacy; Male; Marital Status; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Middle Aged; Minority & ethnic groups; Non English Speaking; Noncitizens; Nutrition research; Obesity; ORIGINAL PAPER; Physical fitness; Prevention; Preventive programmes; Private International Law; Public Health; Republic of Korea - ethnology; Research Assistants; Resistance (Psychology); Risk Assessment; Risk factors; Scientific Concepts; Social Behavior; Sociology; Studies; Type 2 diabetes mellitus; Republic of Korea; United States > US; Health literacy; Health behaviors; Type 2 diabetes risk prevention; Korean Americans
• ISSN: 1557-1912; 1557-1920
• DOI: 10.1007/s10903-012-9672-9

Rising incidence of type 2 diabetes (DM) in Korean immigrants has highlighted the need for better prevention efforts. Health literacy is an important predictor in the utilization of preventative health measures, however little is known about health literacy in Korean immigrants. This study examined DM risk factors in a sample of 145 at-risk Korean immigrants, their level of health literacy, and associations between health literacy and DM risk factors. Findings indicated a high prevalence of DM risk factors and a low level of health literacy in the sample. Health literacy was correlated with English proficiency, acculturation, and lower waist to hip ratios among all participants, and with lower blood glucose levels among highly acculturated participants. Korean immigrants who are less acculturated may have lower health literacy than those who are more acculturated. Thus, linguistically and culturally sensitive health education should be incorporated into diabetes prevention efforts.