Health-seeking experience of North Korean women defectors in South Korea

Abstract

Objective(s): The objective of the study was to explore and describe the health-seeking experience of North Korean women defectors settled in South Korea.

Design and sample: A qualitative study was conducted using Colaizzi's phenomenological method. Participants were 10 North Korean women defectors.

Measures: Data were collected through in-depth, unstructured interviews with individual participants.

Results: A total of 24 themes, eight theme clusters, and four categories emerged. The structure of the health-seeking experience for them was identified as 'having new opportunities to better understand my own body and protecting my own health while adapting to the health care system of the South'. The four categories were: finding out about my own body, confusion regarding the medical treatment, enjoying the health care benefits, and protecting my own health.

Conclusions: The findings of this study will help improve the understanding of the health-seeking experience of North Korean women defectors and provide valuable resources to assist in caring for their health needs. This will contribute to preparing the groundwork to enhance the quality of their remaining life in South Korea.

Keywords: defectors; experience; health; qualitative research; women.