Health Risks Posed by Social and Linguistic Isolation in Older Korean Americans

Guided by the double jeopardy hypothesis, the present study examined the health risks posed by the coexistence of social and linguistic isolation in older Korean Americans. Using data from the Study of Older Korean Americans (SOKA, n = 2,032), comparisons of four isolation typologies (no isolation, social isolation only, linguistic isolation only, and dual isolation) were made, and their impacts on physical (self-rated health), mental (mental distress), and cognitive health (cognitive performance) were examined. The ‘dual isolation’ group exhibited greater sociodemographic and health disadvantages. The odds of having fair/poor health, mental distress, and cognitive impairment were 2.21-3.17 times higher in the ‘dual isolation’ group than those in the group with no isolation. Our findings confirm that both social relationships and language proficiency are key elements for older immigrants’ social connectedness and integration, deprivation of which puts them at risk in multidimensions of health.

Bridging Potential in Friend Networks and Cognitive Function in Older Korean Americans

Objectives To examine the associates of bridging potential in networks of friends and its impact on cognitive function in older Korean Americans. Methods Data came from 308 participants in Central Florida who were part of the Study of Older Korean Americans (SOKA). Using data from a name generator of three close friends in local Korean communities, non-overlapping networks were quantified for bridging potential. Linear regression models for bridging potential and cognitive function were examined. Results Bridging potential was greater among those with stronger social ties with friends in general and higher levels of activity engagement. The direct benefit of bridging potential on cognitive function was also confirmed. In addition, bridging potential was found to mediate the effect of social ties with friends on cognitive function. Discussion Findings underscore the interconnectedness of older immigrants’ social and cognitive function and shed light on interventions.

The Relations of Social Network Types With Mental Distress Among Older Korean Americans: The Interactive Role of Living Arrangement

The purpose of this study is to identify social network types in older Korean Americans and to examine their direct associations, as well as interactions with living arrangement, on mental distress. Drawn from the Study of Older Korean Americans (SOKA), participants were aged 60 or over and lived in five states. Analyses included 2,140 cases surveyed during 2017−2018. To identify social network types, latent profile analyses were conducted using 10 network-related criterion variables. A model with five social network types was identified as best fit. The groups were labeled as diverse, moderately diverse, family deficit, friend deficit, and restricted. As hypothesized, greater mental distress was associated with belonging to more deprived networks such as family deficit and restricted groups. Interaction effects also suggest that members of the restricted group were more distressed when they lived alone than when they lived with others. Implications based on the results are discussed.

Discordance Between Subjective and Objective Cognitive Function in Older Korean Americans

Objectives: To examine predictors of membership in discordant groups identified by subjective and objective measures of cognitive function. Methods: Participants in the Study of Older Korean Americans ( N = 2046) were classified according to their subjective cognitive ratings ( excellent/ very good/ good vs. fair/ poor) and Mini-Mental State Examination scores (normal cognition vs. cognitive impairment), yielding two discordant groups: (1) positive ratings but cognitive impairment and (2) negative ratings but normal cognition. Logistic regression models examined how the discordant group membership was associated with personal resources. Results: Among those with positive cognitive ratings, the odds of belonging to the discordant group were associated with low personal resources (advanced age and lower levels of education, acculturation, and knowledge about Alzheimer’s disease). However, an opposite pattern was observed among those with negative ratings. Discussion: The pattern of discordance suggests ways to promote early detection of cognitive impairment and close the gap in cognitive health care.

Cognitive health risks posed by social isolation and loneliness in older Korean Americans

Background This study examines associations among social isolation, loneliness, and cognitive health risks in older Korean Americans, focusing on the mediating role of loneliness in the relationship between social isolation and objective and subjective measures of cognitive impairment. Methods Data are from 2061 participants in the Study of Older Korean Americans, a multi-state survey of Korean immigrants age 60 and older (Mage = 73.2, SD = 7.93). Social isolation was indexed with the Lubben Social Network Scale− 6; loneliness, with the short-form UCLA Loneliness Scale. Objective and subjective measures of cognitive impairment included the Mini-Mental State Examination and a single-item self-rating of cognitive health. Results In the logistic regression model for objective cognitive impairment, social isolation was significantly associated, but loneliness was not. In the model for subjective cognitive impairment, both social isolation and loneliness were significant factors. However, the effect of social isolation became non-significant when loneliness was considered, suggesting a potential mediating role of loneliness. The subsequent mediation analysis confirmed that the indirect effect of social isolation on subjective cognitive impairment through loneliness was significant (B = .20, SE = .03, 95% CI = .12, .28). Conclusion Our analyses provide evidence for the proposed mediating effect of loneliness in the relationship between social isolation and subjective cognitive impairment. Intervention efforts should focus on reducing feelings of loneliness experienced by older immigrants, possibly by engaging them in socially meaningful and cognitively stimulating activities.

Exploring Community Leaders’ Understanding and Attitudes Toward Depression Among Older Korean Americans

This study explores community leaders’ understanding and attitudes toward depression among older Korean Americans. The community leaders who provide services for older adults play a significant role because these leaders typically engage with the target population by providing services. A qualitative method was applied for this study. A total of 12 community leaders were interviewed for 60 minutes using the semi-structured interview guide. The constant comparative approach was employed to analyze data using NVivo software. The findings indicated that the community leaders were aware of the severity of the issues, but lacked knowledge regarding depression and had stereotypes against depression. Those leaders identified negative personality issues of people with depression and desired to avoid discussing depression with older adults. The results suggest that interventions are essential to support community leaders and empower them to take actions to provide services to promote understanding of depression in older adults.