Reconstruction of health-seeking behaviors: a comparative study of three Asian Pacific immigrant groups

Abstract

In this article, I explore how health-seeking behaviors of immigrants are reconstructed and shaped during the adaptation process by comparing the experiences of three Asian Pacific immigrant groups in Hawaii: Filipinos, Koreans, and Marshallese. A total of 91 participants (52 new immigrants, 22 ethnic community key informants, and 17 service providers) completed in-depth interviews. All three groups of immigrants experienced significant changes in their health-seeking behaviors, but in different ways. Koreans experienced a dramatic decrease in seeking both primary and preventive health care after immigration, whereas Filipinos and Marshallese increased their health-seeking behaviors. Coupled with the previous health care experiences in their home country and individual characteristics, the social context of the host country, to a great degree, influenced the formation of health-seeking behaviors after immigration. The study findings suggest that tailored interventions should take into account the source of behavioral change and difficulties that each immigrant group experiences.