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Differences in Perceptions of Health Between Japanese American and White Older Adults

CSEF · 2003 Behavioral Sciences

David J. Park · Palos Verdes Peninsula High School, Rolling Hills Estate

Overview

Objectives/Goals The aims of this study were to: (1) find if the Japanese American older adults (mainly Nisei # second generation) report better health status than the White older adults given the similar levels of medical health conditions (2) assess and find other factors influencing self-reports of personal health. Methods/Materials The three questionnaires and surveys (SF-36, Medical History Questionnaire, and Screening Questionnaire, respectively) were given to all the elderly subjects for the research. In addition, the personal interviews were adapted from the three questionnaires and administered to a sample of ten elderly subjects at the Keiro Retirement Home. Construct validity of the research was assessed by calculating the correlation between the number of medical conditions (Japanese American, White) and the self-report in a three scale (E/VG/G, Fair, Poor). Results In general, the analysis revealed positive reliability and validity for most of the items in the medical history and SF-36 questionnaires, with items within the vitality, social function, and general health scales requiring further review under a larger pool of random (non-selected) subjects. Yet, the results conflict with the initial beliefs that Japanese American older adults reported better health status than White older adults, which concluded that since the White older adults of more medical conditions rated their health as fair, our findings may be a result of the sampling samples of Japanese-American and White older adults not possibly reflecting the larger population of these older adults. Conclusions/Discussion Given similar levels of medical conditions, we think, contrary to the hypothesis, the White older adults of more medical conditions rated their health as fair, which was similar to the Japanese American older adults. However, when given 3 medical conditions, only approximately 24 % of the White older adults reported their health condition as "fair" while almost three-fourths of the Japanese American older adults reported their health condition as fair. It shows from this random group sample that in a population of Japanese American older adults the self-reporting of the health status is tended to report more towards a "fair" status than either poor or excellent (very good).

Summary statement

To understand the concept of self-reporting health status between the Japanese- American and the White older adults, we must compare the individual's perception of functional status and well-being, as well as the medical history.

Competition history

  • CSEF 2003 Behavioral Sciences · Entry S0318

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