The Length of Residence is Associated with Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors among Foreign-English Teachers in Korea

Abstract

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a group of disorders that involve the heart and blood vessels. Acculturation is associated with CVD risk factors among immigrants in Western countries. In this study, the association between acculturation and CVD risk factors was examined among English teachers from Europe and the USA living in Korea. English teachers were defined as those who reported their profession as “English Teacher”. Only English teachers from Europe (UK, and Ireland, n = 81) and North America (Canada and USA, n = 304) were selected. The length of residence and eating Korean ethnic food were used as proxy indicators for acculturation. Gender was associated with hypertension: 17.6% of males self-reported to have the cardiovascular risk factor when compared to females (7.4%). The length of residence in Korea was associated with hypertension (p = 0.045), BMI (p = 0.028), and physical inactivity (p = 0.046). English teachers who had been residing in Korea for more than five years were more likely to report hypertension (OR = 2.16; p = 0.011), smoking (OR = 1.51; p = 0.080), and overweight/obesity (OR = 1.49; p = 0.009) than participants who had been living in Korea for less than five years. This study found evidence of the healthy immigrant effect and less favorable cardiovascular risk profiles among English teachers who have lived in Korea for over five years.

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