Purpose The study investigated the relationships between key variables, including the level of parenting knowledge, acculturative stress, depression, and the strengths and difficulties associated with their children’s emotions and behavior, among North Korean refugee mothers who faced the challenging task of adapting to Korean society while raising their children.
Methods A descriptive study design was used. Data were collected from 130 North Korean refugee mothers between September and November 2023.
Results The participants had very limited parenting knowledge, and 82.3% of them scored 21 or higher on the depression scale used in community epidemiological studies. Higher levels of parenting knowledge and lower levels of depression were associated with lower levels of acculturative stress. Moreover, higher levels of depression were associated with more emotional and behavioral difficulties in children. Maternal depression, age, and employment status were identified as factors that influenced emotional and behavioral problems in preschool-aged children.
Conclusion These findings underscore the importance of providing parent education and mental health support programs for North Korean refugee families in order to improve parents' parenting skills and emotional well-being.
Purpose This study investigated knowledge of atopic dermatitis and food allergies, as well as health information literacy, among North Korean refugee mothers with preschool-age children and explored how these variables were related to participants' characteristics.
Methods A descriptive study design was used. Data from 130 North Korean refugee mothers were collected between January and March 2023.
Results The mean scores were 14.48 of 30 for atopic dermatitis knowledge; 2.77 of 10 for food allergy knowledge, and 56.95 of 80 for health information literacy. Significant differences were observed in knowledge of atopic dermatitis based on breastfeeding duration (F=4.12, p=.009), and in knowledge of food allergies based on mixed feeding (F=3.11, p=.049). Health information literacy showed significant relationships with education level (F=3.76, p=.026), occupation (F=3.99, p=.021), checking nutritional information (t=2.91, p=.004), mixed feeding (F=4.50, p=.014), and atopic dermatitis diagnosis (t=6.86, p=.001). Significant positive correlations were observed between atopic dermatitis knowledge, food allergy knowledge, and health information literacy.
Conclusion Personalized educational programs should be implemented to improve awareness of allergies and health information literacy among North Korean refugee mothers, which would help them find, evaluate, and understand health-related information. These programs should focus on providing nutrition and dietary education to promote healthy growth in children and prevent diseases.
Purpose North Korean refugee women struggle with the double burden of adaptation and parenting as mothers in a new environment. This study aimed to identify the knowledge, confidence, and educational needs regarding newborn care among North Korean refugees, and to determine differences between these variables according to participants' characteristics.
Methods Data were collected from September to October 2022, and 150 North Korean refugee women recruited using convenience sampling participated in the study. Descriptive statistics, the t-test, analysis of variance, and Pearson correlation analysis were used for data analysis.
Results The mean scores were as follows: parenting knowledge, 14.97 out of 25; infection prevention knowledge and confidence, 20.09 out of 33 and 51.37 out of 80, respectively; and educational needs, 245.86 out of 310. Significant differences were observed in newborn care, knowledge, and confidence according to maternal age, educational level, family structure, and pregnancy history. Significant positive correlations were observed between the participants' newborn care knowledge, confidence, and educational needs.
Conclusion Personalized educational programs should be implemented to enhance North Korean refugee women's confidence in newborn care, focusing on areas with low knowledge levels and high educational needs and enabling women to achieve healthy pregnancy and childbirth, and to parent well.
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Knowledge of atopic dermatitis and food allergies, as well as health information literacy, among North Korean refugee mothers: a descriptive survey study In-Sook Lee, Jeong-Hee Jeon Child Health Nursing Research.2023; 29(4): 300. CrossRef
Purpose This study investigated the factors that influence parenting stress, including hardiness, parent-child interactions, and social support, to provide basic data for developing a program to reduce parenting stress in North Korean refugee mothers.
Methods A descriptive study design was used. Data were collected between September and December 2021, and 123 North Korean refugee mothers participated.
Results The mean scores were 69.42 out of 135 for hardiness, 48.45 out of 144 for interactions, 47.32 out of 90 for social support, and 51.84 out of 90 for parenting stress. The parental distress score was higher than that of child-related stress. Hardiness was significantly related to North Korean refugee mothers' parenting stress. Multiple regression analysis indicated that the explanatory power for hardiness and the number of supporters was approximately 19% for parenting stress (F=6.84, p<.001). As such, the factors with a relatively strong influence on parenting stress were hardiness (β =-.40, p<.001) and having four or more supporters (β=-.27, p=.027).
Conclusion This study's findings suggest the need to identify ways to increase North Korean refugee mothers' psychological hardiness and encourage them to extend their sources of social support and enhance their style of parenting.
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Characterizing sociodemographic disparities and predictors of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus among Asian and Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander pregnant people: an analysis of PRAMS data, 2016–2022 Mallory Go, Natasha Sokol, L. G. Ward, Micheline Anderson, Shufang Sun BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth.2024;[Epub] CrossRef
Knowledge, confidence, and educational needs of newborn care among North Korean refugee women: a descriptive study In-Sook Lee Child Health Nursing Research.2023; 29(1): 72. CrossRef
Knowledge of atopic dermatitis and food allergies, as well as health information literacy, among North Korean refugee mothers: a descriptive survey study In-Sook Lee, Jeong-Hee Jeon Child Health Nursing Research.2023; 29(4): 300. CrossRef
Purpose This systematic review and meta-analysis investigated the effects of parenting education programs (PEPs) for refugee and migrant parents.
Methods A systematic review was conducted according to PRISMA guidelines. Relevant studies published from 2000 to 2020 were identified through a systematic search of six electronic databases (PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, CINAHL, RISS, KMBASE). A meta-analysis of the studies was then undertaken.
Results Of the 14,996 published works identified, 23 studies satisfied the inclusion criteria, and 19 studies were analyzed to estimate the effect sizes (standardized mean differences) of the PEPs using random-effect models. PEPs were effective for parenting efficacy (effect size [ES]=1.40; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.14-1.66), positive parenting behaviors (ES=0.51; 95% CI: 0.30-0.73), parent-child relationships (ES=0.38; 95% CI: 0.22-0.53), and parenting stress (ES=0.64; 95% CI: 0.50-0.79). There were statistically significant differences in the effect sizes of PEPs that included mothers only (ES=0.93), included children under 7 years of age(ES=0.91), did not include child participation (0.77), continued for 19 or more sessions (ES=0.80), and were analyzed in quasi-experimental studies (ES=0.86). The overall effect of publication bias was robust.
Conclusion PEPs were found to be effective at improving parenting efficacy, positive parenting behaviors, parent-child relationships, and parenting stress.
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Purpose This study aimed to identify variables influencing the psychosocial adjustment of North Korean adolescent refugees in order to establish a structural equation model and design an intervention strategy to improve psychosocial adjustment.
Methods The subjects included 290 North Korean adolescent refugees aged 16~24 years who were enrolled in alternative schools or regional adaptation centers. They were surveyed using a structured questionnaire.
Results The goodness of fit measures of the model were as follows: x2=131.20 (p<.001), GFI=.93, CFI=.91, TLI=.86, RMSEA=.08, and SRMR=.07. The results estimated from the structural equation model indicated a good fit of data to the hypothesized model, which proposed that stress and emotional intelligence are associated with psychosocial adjustment. The major variables influencing psychosocial adjustment were stress, emotional intelligence, which was a significant direct effect, whereas attitude of parenting showed an indirect effect on psychosocial adjustment through emotional intelligence. These variables account for 50.0% of psychosocial adjustment.
Conclusion It is necessary to develop a program and intervention plan that can enhance emotional intelligence and thereby relieve the stress of North Korean adolescent refugees. The program should also include parenting education so that parents have positive attitude of parenting.
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Purpose The purpose of this study was to identify effects of parenting stress in North Korean refugee fathers on their parenting behavior.
Methods A descriptive study design was used. Data were collected during 2014 and 2015 in a settlement support center for North Korean refugees and 99 North Korean refugee fathers participated. Data were analyzed using SPSS 21.0.
Results Warmth․encouragement parenting behavior received the highest score. The score for parenting stress was 81.98 out of 180, and 32.3% of participants were found to need professional help (≥PSI 90). There were significant negative correlations between warmth․encouragement parenting behavior and parenting stress. There were also significant positive correlations between rejection․neglect parenting behavior and parenting stress. Predictors of warmth․encouragement behavior were parent-child dysfunctional interaction which explained 10.1% of the variance. Predictors of rejection․neglect behavior were parent-child dysfunctional interaction, number of children and wife’s education level which explained 33.4% of the variance.
Conclusion Findings show that North Korean refugee fathers’ parenting stress significantly influenced warmth․encouragement and rejection․neglect parenting behavior indicating a need to identify ways to decrease parenting stress. Parenting education can guide North Korean refugee fathers to strengthen parent-child positive interactions and therefore promote their children’s growth and development.
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Research Trends on the Parenting Behavior of North Korean Defectors: A Scoping Review Ocksim Kim, Seongmi Choi, JiYeon Choi, Sang Hui Chu Journal of Korean Public Health Nursing.2024; 38(1): 55. CrossRef
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Purpose The purpose of this study was to investigate the knowledge and attitude on tuberculosis by parents of North Korean refugees’ children.
Methods A descriptive study was conducted. Data were collected from July to November, 2014 in Hanawon and 74 North Korean refugee parents participated in the study. Data were analyzed using the SPSS 21.0.
Results The score for knowledge was 17.72 out of 30 points, for awareness in attitude, 49.34 out of 60 points and for prevention behavior in attitude, 48.39 out of 60 points. There were positive significant correlations among knowledge, attitude and health interest. There was also a significant positive correlation between awareness and prevention behavior in attitude, and between prevention behavior and health interest.
Conclusion North Korean refugee parents showed a low level of knowledge and a negative attitude. The implication of these results is an awareness of the need for education on the causes, transmission and importance of treatment for tuberculosis. This kind of education can guide North Korean refugee parents to obtain correct information and positive attitudes and therefore, be able to effectively practice appropriate health behaviors in tuberculosis management for their children.
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PURPOSE The purpose of the study was to evaluate the physical and psychological health status of North Korean defector children and identify associated factors. METHODS The participants in the study were 103 children ranging in age from 7 to 14 years old. Physical health status was evaluated through height and weight measurements as well as clinical laboratory results. Psychological health status was assessed using structured survey interviews. Data were analyzed utilizing Pearson correlation coefficients, t-test, ANOVA, and descriptive statistics. RESULTS On arrival in South Korea, 19% of the children did not meet the child growth standards of South Koreans for height and 15% for weight. However, twelve weeks after, these percentages had decreased significantly. It found that 38.5% of children presented mild posttraumatic reaction and 40.4% presented moderate reaction. Scores for externalizing and internalizing behavior problems were 0.38+/-0.30 and 0.59+/-0.36 respectively. Posttraumatic reaction was higher in girls (t=0.41, p=.03), and boys showed higher externalizing problems (t=2.04, p=.04). Externalizing problems were correlated with gender and internalizing problems were associated with posttraumatic reactions and externalizing problems. CONCLUSION The findings indicate that North Korean defector children need timely developmental assessments and tailored intervention programs to meet child growth standards need to be developed.
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PURPOSE This study was done to develop a theory on the early childhood caring experience of North Korean refugee mothers and how such caring affects how they deal with the socio-psychological problems they face as North Korean refugees. METHODS Data were gathered by in-depth interviews, participant observation, and medical records, and were analyzed using the Grounded Theory methods of Strauss and Corbin (1998). RESULTS From open coding 62 concepts, 23 subcategories and 11 categories were derived, and the North Korean refugee mothers' caring experience was revealed to be 'hopeful upbringing'. A central theme common to the participants was 'coexistence of expectations and worries'. CONCLUSION The results of this study provide theoretical grounds to understand North Korean refugee mothers' child care experiences and offer personalized nursing and a deeper understanding of their needs by looking at their experience.
Findings may also be useful to help nurses who care for North Korean refugee mother-child dyads in the community and in clinical settings to gain insight on this special needs group, and facilitate the development of interventions based on better understanding of the mothers' experiences.
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가족관계에서 탈북청년들의 신념변화에 관한 질적 연구: 부모-자녀관계에서 ‘좋은 부모’에 관한 인식을 중심으로* 주람 전, 일현 배, 지홍 배, 윤정 신 Journal of Family Relations.2024; 28(4): 93. CrossRef
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