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Public Health Center Service Experiences and Needs among Immigrant Women in South Korea

  • Chae, Duckhee (College of Nursing, Chonnam National University) ;
  • Kim, Hyunlye (Department of Nursing, College of Medicine, Chosun University) ;
  • Seo, Minjeong (College of Nursing.Gerontologic Health Research Center in Institute of Health Science, Gyeongsang National University) ;
  • Asami, Keiko (College of Nursing, Chonnam National University) ;
  • Doorenbos, Ardith (Department of Biobehavioral Nursing Science, College of Nursing, University of Illinois)
  • Received : 2022.06.10
  • Accepted : 2022.10.12
  • Published : 2022.12.31

Abstract

Purpose: To support implementation of comprehensive, person-centered healthcare, this study aimed to explore immigrant women's public health center (PHC) service experiences and needs while considering Photovoice's feasibility for this purpose. Methods: This qualitative study included 15 marriage-based immigrant women. Participants were recruited from churches and multicultural family support centers using purposive and snowball sampling. Data were collected through four focus group interviews and were subjected to inductive content analysis. Results: Five categories of experiences were identified: language barriers, hectic environment, affordable and practical primary healthcare, feeling ignored and discriminated against, and feeling frustrated. In addition, five categories of needs were identified: language assistance services, ease of access, healthcare across the lifespan, expansion of affordable healthcare, and being accepted as they are. This study provides preliminary evidence that the Photovoice approach can facilitate the interview process in a qualitative inquiry involving participants with limited ability to express their perspectives in the researchers' language. Conclusion: Study findings highlight the need to implement institutional policy and procedural changes within PHCs and to provide culturally competent, personcentered care for South Korea's marriage-based immigrant women and other ethnic minority populations. The findings also provide evidence-based direction for PHC service planning.

Keywords

Acknowledgement

The authors thank Jon S. Mann of the University of Illinois at Chicago and Kyra Freestar of Bridge Creek Editing for their English language editing support for this manuscript.

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