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Health Literacy in Korean Immigrants at Risk for Type 2 Diabetes

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Abstract

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.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the National Center for Research Resources and the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institute of Health, through Grant UL1 TR000153 and KL2 TR000147 (Dr. Choi).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Program in Nursing Science, College of Health Sciences, University of California, 100B Berk Hall, Irvine, CA, 92697-3959, USA

    Sarah E. Choi

  2. Department of Psychology and Social Behavior, School of Social Ecology, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA

    Elizabeth Rush & Shayna Henry

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  1. Sarah E. Choi
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  2. Elizabeth Rush
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Correspondence to Sarah E. Choi.

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Choi, S.E., Rush, E. & Henry, S. Health Literacy in Korean Immigrants at Risk for Type 2 Diabetes. J Immigrant Minority Health 15, 553–559 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10903-012-9672-9

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