Church-Based Recruitment to Reach Korean Immigrants: An Integrative Review

Abstract

Although the Korean church has been frequently used to recruit Korean immigrants in research, little is known about the specific strategies and process. The purpose of this integrative review was to describe recruitment strategies in studies of Korean immigrants and to identify the process of Korean church-based recruitment. Thirty-three studies met inclusion criteria. Four stages of church-based recruitment were identified: initiation, endorsement, advertisement, and implementation. This review identified aspects of the church-based recruitment process in Korean immigrants, which are different from the Black and Hispanic literature, due to their hierarchical culture and language barriers. Getting permission from pastors and announcing the study by pastors at Sunday services were identified as the key components of the process. Using the church newsletter to advertise the study was the most effective strategy for the advertisement stage. Despite several limitations, church-based recruitment is a very feasible and effective way to recruit Korean immigrants.

Using community-based geographical information system (GIS) to recruit older Asian Americans in an Alzheimer’s disease study

“…This recruitment strategy, using language and race matched recruiters and researchers,35 62–64 would promote access to hard-to-reach KAs, and help participants to feel ‘listened to’ and show the ‘value of their contribution to the study’. As most KAs are connected and have ties to Korean churches or senior associations, we used a chain referral sampling method, such as other forms of respondent-driven sampling 35 65–68. We asked the study participants to introduce us to other KA older adults and started with a small number of senior community leaders and cultural navigators who then recruited directly from their peers who go to the same churches or live in the same senior apartments.…”

The gender ideology of ‘Wise Mother and Good Wife’ and Korean immigrant women’s adjustment in the United States

“…Thus, practitioners can work closely with Korean church leaders to raise awareness and knowledge about mental health needs and resources by holding educational workshops and gatherings (Lee et al., 2008; Park et al., 2013). Additionally, churches can serve as an active community center for Korean immigrants where individuals exchange information about children's education, business opportunities, and available social support (Park, Jang, Nam, Grey, & Whittemore, 2017). The utilization of the church will also allow practitioners to easily implement family‐based programs as Korean immigrants tend to attend church as a family unit.…”