Health Status and Health-Promoting Lifestyle Profile II of North Korean Immigrants

Article information

Res Community Public Health Nurs. 2012;23(3):231-243

Publication date (electronic) : 2012 September 30

doi : https://doi.org/10.12799/jkachn.2012.23.3.231

College of Nursing, Institute of Health Sciences, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, Korea.

Corresponding author: Ha, Yeongmi. College of Nursing, Gyeongsang National University, 92 Chilam-dong, Jinju 660-987, Korea. Tel: +82-55-772-8253, Fax: +82-55-772-8222, yha@gnu.ac.kr

Received 2012 March 31; Accepted 2012 September 04.

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to identify the relationships between health status including objective health status and subjective health perception and Health-Promoting Lifestyle Profile II in North Korean immigrants.

Methods

During August 2011 to November 2011, a convenience sample of 96 subjects aged 19 to 65 years were recruited from two centers and one public health center in Gyeongnam. The subjects were interviewed face to face by trained people with a survey questionnaire.

Results

Approximately 40% of North Korean immigrants rated their health status as 'poor', and the prevalence of health problems in them was 81.3%. The average level of health-promoting lifestyle profile II was 1.78±0.35. Females with normal weight or overweight, and have stayed for over 1 year in South Korea were related to the lower score of health-promoting lifestyle profile II.

Conclusion

Considering North Korean immigrants' health background and health behaviors, customized health care program focusing on musculoskeletal disorder and psychological problems are required, and at the same time health behavior change program to achieve lifetime wellness should be developed.

Keywords: Immigrant; Health status; Health behavior

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Table 1

General Characteristics of North Korean Defectors (N=96)

Table 2

Relationships between Objective Health Status, HPLP-II, and Subjective Health Perception in North Korean Defectors

BMI=body mass index; HPLP-II=health-promoting lifestyle profile II; N/A=not available.

^†Chi-square with Fisher's exact test; ^‡a>b>c: bonferroni test; ^§Items with duplicate responses (n=78: answer 'yes' of health problems).

Table 3

Health-Promoting Lifestyle Profile II (HPLP-II) of North Korean Defectors Stratified by HPLP-II Score

^†t-test.

Table 4

Relationships between General Characteristics, Health Status, and HPLP-II Score in North Korean Defectors

BMI=body mass index; HPLP-II=health-promoting lifestyle profile II.

^†Chi-square with Fisher's exact test.