Studies Analyze Koreans' Knowledge Of Cardiovascular Health, Hmong Adults' Perception Of Oral Health

Main Category: Cardiovascular / Cardiology
Also Included In: Dentistry
Article Date: 27 Feb 2008 - 6:00 PDT

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The following summarizes research from the February 2008 edition of the Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health.

• "Korean Immigrants' Knowledge of Heart Attack Symptoms and Risk Factors": The study examines the knowledge of heart attack symptoms and risk factors among Korean immigrants and evaluates whether knowledge is based on demographic characteristics such as age, time in the U.S., education and family history of cardiovascular disease. According to the data, about three-fourths of the study sample had at least one self-reported risk factor for cardiovascular disease, and 50% of the subjects could only identify one heart attack symptom in an open-ended questionnaire. Subjects who had a low knowledge of risk factors were more likely to be older than 65, to have lower education, to not know how to use 911 when a heart attack occurred and to not have a family history of heart attack. The researchers write that Korean immigrants' knowledge of heart attack symptoms and risk factors vary and suggest that the elderly and those who have heart attack risk factors would gain the most benefit from cardiovascular disease education (Hwang et al, Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health, February 2008).
  
  
• "Hmong Adults Self-Rated Oral Health: A Pilot Study": The study assessed self-perception of oral health among the Hmong population, an ethnic minority group originally from Laos, and examined how their self-perception of oral health is related to that of their general health. Using data from a sampling of 118 Hmong adults ages 18-50+, researchers found that almost half of the study population rated their oral health and access to dental care as fair or poor. Subjects associated dental insurance, access to dental care and reason for previous dental or physician visits with their general health. The researchers also found that cultural beliefs and values affected the likelihood that some participants would seek dental care. According to the study, further research is needed to acquire more information about the oral and general health of the Hmong population, and dental providers must increase cultural competency to effectively treat the dental needs of the ethnicity (Okunseri et al., Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health, February 2008).

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