A Study on the Health Risk Behaviors of Adolescents from Multicultural Families according to the Parents' Migration Background

Abstract

This study aimed to compare health risk behaviors among adolescents according to whether or not the parents were born in South Korea. Methods: From the database of the ninth Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey (KYRBS), the researchers classify adolescents into four groups: those whose parents were both native Korean, those whose mother only was a native Korean, those whose father only was a native Korean, and those whose parents were both foreign-born. Data were analyzed using x 2-test and multiple logistic regression with the SPSS/WIN 18.0 program. Results: The adolescents with a foreign-born mother were less likely to smoke and drink alcohol than those with native Korean parents, but for other health risk behaviors the two groups were similar to each other. The adolescents with a foreign-born father were at a greater risk of drug use, intercourse, depression and violence at school than those with native Korean parents. The adolescents whose parents were born abroad were at a greater risk of smoking, drug use, intercourse, depression, suicidal ideation and violence at school than those with native Korean parents. Conclusion: Health promotion approaches differentiated by the type of multi-cultural family are needed in order to improve multi-cultural adolescents' health.

Korean Adolescents' Health Behavior and Psychological Status according to Their Mother's Nationality

“…Despite the conspicuously low birthrate and resultant population decline in the country, the number of students from multicultural families is increasing steadily, and according to data from 2014, it has exceeded 1.1% of the entire student population [ 3 ]. However, previous studies [ 13 , 14 ] with multicultural families’ adolescents in Korea have focused on their health risk behaviors such as smoking, drinking, and sexual behaviors.…”

“…Adolescents from multicultural families may have higher stress recognition rates as they perceive themselves as a minority in the group. In parents and adolescents with different cultural backgrounds, adolescents often serve as linguistic and cultural mediators to non-Korean proficient mothers, which may be an added source of stress [ 14 , 16 ]. In particular, Korea has been a racially homogeneous nation for over 5,000 years.…”

“…As the number of multicultural families is increasing and adolescents from these families are occupying a larger part of Korean society [ 2 ], research from diverse perspectives should be conducted to support their growth as healthy members of Korean society. Recently, a few studies [ 13 , 14 ] have investigated adolescents’ health risk behaviors such as drinking and smoking between multicultural and Korean parent families. However, little is known about general health behaviors in adolescents with multicultural families compared with adolescents in Korean parent families.…”

Social Determinants of Health and Well-Being of Adolescents in Multicultural Families in South Korea: Social-Cultural and Community Influence

“…According to the Youth Health Behavior Web-based Survey in 2013 ( 4 ), only 56.3% of AMFs reported subjective happiness, 34.5% experienced depression, and 19.8% had suicidal ideation ( 5 ). AMFs also faced daily discrimination, acculturation stress, psychological maladjustment, parent-child conflict, bullying, and the tendency to drop out of school ( 5 , 6 ).…”

Adolescents in Multi-Ethnic Families under Korean Ethnic Nationalism

“…These studies suggest that adolescents with multicultural or immigrant families may differ in health behavior from adolescents in other families. Recently, a few studies have investigated adolescents’ health risk behaviors such as drinking and smoking between multicultural and non-immigrant Korean families [ 11 , 12 ]. However, little is known about general health behaviors in adolescents with multicultural families compared with adolescents in non-immigrant Korean families.…”