Comparison of Needs for Pregnancy and Postpartum Adaptation of Chinese Immigrant Women and Vietnamese Immigrant Women in South Korea

Geum Hee Jeong; Kyung Won Kim; Sunghee Baik

doi:10.4069/kjwhn.2019.25.1.19

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Jeong, Kim, and Baik: Comparison of Needs for Pregnancy and Postpartum Adaptation of Chinese Immigrant Women and Vietnamese Immigrant Women in South Korea

Original Article

Korean Journal of Women Health Nursing 2019; 25(1): 19-30.

Published online: 26 February 2019

DOI: https://doi.org/10.4069/kjwhn.2019.25.1.19

Comparison of Needs for Pregnancy and Postpartum Adaptation of Chinese Immigrant Women and Vietnamese Immigrant Women in South Korea

Geum Hee Jeong¹

, Kyung Won Kim²

, Sunghee Baik³

¹Professor, Division of Nursing, Hallym University Chuncheon, Korea.

²Associate Professor, Department of Nursing, Daegu Haany University, Daegu, Korea.

³Associate Professor, Department of Nursing, Baekseok University, Cheonan, Korea.

Corresponding author: Kyung Won Kim. Department of Nursing, Daegu Haany University, Daegu Korean Medicine Hospital, 136 Sincheondong-ro, Suseong-gu, Daegu 42158, Korea. Tel: +82-53-770-2281, Fax: +82-53-770-2286, kyungwok@dhu.ac.kr

Received 31 October 2018 Revised 27 December 2018 Accepted 28 December 2018

Korean Society of Women Health Nursing

(open-access):

This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/) which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Abstract

Purpose

To identify needs for pregnancy and postpartum adaptation of Chinese immigrant women and Vietnamese immigrant women in South Korea.

Methods

A descriptive research design was employed. Data were collected from 244 Chinese immigrant women and Vietnamese immigrant women from 3 provinces, 20 health care centers, and multi-cultural family support centers. Data were analyzed with descriptive statistics, t-test and ANOVA.

Results

An average score for needs perceived by Chinese immigrant women was significantly higher than that perceived by Vietnamese immigrant women. There were significantly differences in physical and emotional adaptation after childbirth, nutrition during pregnancy, cross cultural understanding and personal respect, and adaptation daily activity during pregnancy between the 2 groups. The highest score of needs in Chinese immigrant women was for nutrition during pregnancy and that in Vietnamese immigrant women was for baby rearing and family support.

Conclusion

Based on needs of pregnancy and postpartum adaption, nursing intervention program in consideration of cultural characteristics of Chinese immigrant women and Vietnam immigrant women need to be developed for their pregnancy and postpartum health care.

Keywords: Emigrants and immigrants, Pregnancy, Postpartum period, Needs assessment, Adaptation, Physiological

Figures and Tables

Figure 1

Difference of Chinese and Vietnamese immigrant women's need for pregnancy and postpartum adaptation.

Table 1

Characteristics of Subjects (N=244)

Variables	Categories	Chinese (n=115)	Vietnamese (n=129)	x²	p
Age (year)	≤24	8 (7.0)	48 (37.2)	67.87	<.001
	25–29	29 (25.2)	57 (44.2)
	30–34	43 (37.4)	18 (14.0)
	≥35	35 (30.4)	6 (4.6)
Education	Elementary school	4 (3.5)	24 (18.6)	63.53	<.001
	Middle school	22 (19.1)	67 (52.0)
	High school	58 (50.4)	34 (26.4)
	College	31 (27.0)	4 (3.0)
Occupational status	Not employed	97 (84.3)	117 (90.7)	2.27	.132
Occupational status	Employed	18 (15.7)	12 (9.3)	2.27	.132
Monthly house incomes (10,000 won/month)	<150	16 (13.9)	36 (27.9)	11.79	.008
	150–199	44 (38.3)	49 (38.0)
	200–249	49 (42.6)	33 (25.6)
	≥250	6 (5.2)	11 (8.5)
Length of living in Korea (year)	≤2	19 (16.5)	39 (30.2)	14.24	.003
	3–4	31 (27.0)	41 (31.8)
	5–6	28 (24.3)	31 (24.0)
	≥7	37 (32.2)	18 (14.0)
Family members living together^†	Husband	107 (48.0)	121 (44.0)	9.58	.066
	Children	87 (39.0)	98 (35.7)
	Husband's family	19 (8.5)	54 (19.6)
	Wife's family	10 (4.5)	2 (0.7)
Institutions received prenatal care	Hospital	91 (79.1)	102 (79.1)	6.27	.099
	Public health center	12 (10.4)	21 (16.3)
	Hospital, public health center	10 (8.7)	3 (2.3)
	Others	2 (1.8)	3 (2.3)
Information and help^†	Husband	46 (19.0)	79 (28.4)	14.44	.044
	Husband's family	21 (8.7)	49 (17.6)
	Hometown friends	32 (13.2)	26 (9.4)
	Public health center	62 (25.6)	54 (19.4)
	Hospital	51 (21.1)	60 (21.6)
	Others	30 (12.4)	10 (3.6)

Values are presented as number of patients (%).

^†Multiple response.

Table 2

Difference of Chinese and Vietnamese Immigrant Women's Need for Pregnancy and Postpartum Adaptation (N=244)

Abbreviated descriptors of items		Chinese	Vietnamese	t (p)
Abbreviated descriptors of items		M±SD	M±SD	t (p)
F1. Adaption for daily activity during pregnancy
	4. Constipation control during pregnancy	3.21±0.58	3.09±0.80	1.38 (.167)
	5. Frequent voiding control during pregnancy	3.22±0.57	3.05±0.76	1.98 (.049)
	6. Exercise and activities during pregnancy	3.35±0.49	3.28±0.62	0.95 (.340)
	7. Sleeping and rest during pregnancy	3.35±0.53	3.15±0.77	2.38 (.018)
	8. Comfortable position during pregnancy	3.28±0.52	3.16±0.74	1.41 (.160)
	9. Reason why pregnant women should not lift up the heavy load	3.24±0.52	3.12±0.80	1.39 (.165)
	10. Cleansing during pregnancy (bath, shower)	3.30±0.56	3.06±0.76	2.73 (.007)
	Subtotal	3.27±0.45	3.12±0.59	2.19 (.030)
F2. Cross-cultural understanding and personal respect
	42. Support of recovering to routine work	3.30±0.49	3.05±0.88	2.84 (.005)
	43. Detailed explanation by medical persons on the questions	3.37±0.50	3.06±0.86	3.39 (.001)
	44. Explanation with easy expression	3.43±0.53	3.22±0.74	2.45 (.015)
	45. Respect of individual personality	3.47±0.53	3.19±0.74	3.43 (.001)
	46. Information on Korean childbirth culture	3.43±0.51	3.27±0.68	2.01 (.045)
	47. Understanding and acceptance of childbirth culture in mother country	3.36±0.54	3.07±0.80	3.28 (.001)
	48. Educational materials and information written in mother tongue	3.40±0.55	3.27±0.78	1.48 (.139)
	Subtotal	3.39±0.45	3.16±0.63	3.27 (.001)
F3. Understanding of process of pregnancy and delivery
	12. Control of gut trouble during pregnancy	3.25±0.66	3.31±0.63	−0.69 (.487)
	13. Information of dangerous symptom during pregnancy	3.34±0.57	3.37±0.68	−0.40 (.684)
	14. How to detect pregnancy at first	3.29±0.61	3.41±0.63	−1.54 (.123)
	15. Breast care during pregnancy	3.36±0.58	3.32±0.68	0.47 (.633)
	16. Skin care during pregnancy	3.42±0.49	3.36±0.70	0.68 (.494)
	17. Body weight change during pregnancy	3.37±0.55	3.26±0.67	1.49 (.135)
	18. Routine check and health care during pregnancy	3.47±0.51	3.38±0.61	1.23 (.218)
	19. Information on onset symptoms of labor	3.36±0.54	3.45±0.57	−1.29 (.196)
	20. Labor pain control	3.45±0.56	3.44±0.67	0.13 (.897)
	21. Information on various delivery methods	3.38±0.53	3.42±0.63	−0.47 (.632)
	34. Recommendation of persons who can help postpartum care	3.37±0.58	3.35±0.74	0.29 (.769)
	Subtotal	3.36±0.45	3.37±0.45	−0.01 (.989)
F4. Baby rearing and family support
	33. Postpartum follow up and support of health care	3.43±0.56	3.32±0.68	1.46 (.145)
	35. Support of husband and family for child foster	3.50±0.53	3.57±0.52	−1.02 (.305)
	36. Feeding and nutrition for baby	3.40±0.51	3.50±0.58	−1.47 (.141)
	37. Taking care of baby	3.44±0.51	3.53±0.56	−1.21 (.226)
	38. Vaccinations time and methods	3.48±0.51	3.57±0.49	−1.46 (.145)
	39. Normal growth and development of child	3.50±0.51	3.57±0.51	−0.92 (.354)
	40. Preparation for parental role	3.39±0.54	3.27±0.72	1.47 (.142)
	41. Good relationship with family	3.34±0.54	3.30±0.75	−0.44 (.128)
	Subtotal	3.43±0.44	3.45±0.44	−0.30 (.758)
F5. Physical and emotional adaptation after childbirth
	22. Postpartum bleeding sign	3.28±0.52	3.24±0.67	0.49 (.620)
	23. Postpartum nutrition	3.41±0.52	3.30±0.65	1.40 (.163)
	24. Postpartum constipation control	3.29±0.52	3.17±0.77	1.38 (.166)
	25. Postpartum comfortable position	3.33±0.54	3.10±0.83	2.57 (.011)
	26. Postpartum exercise	3.37±0.55	3.02±0.88	3.83 (<.001)
	27. Postpartum vaginal discharge (lochia)	3.49±0.51	3.07±0.78	4.95 (<.001)
	28. Postpartum cleansing (bath, shower)	3.47±0.53	3.06±0.74	4.93 (<.001)
	29. Postpartum breast hygiene and massage	3.44±0.51	3.16±0.66	3.79 (<.001)
	31. Postpartum depression control	3.42±0.54	3.09±0.87	3.52 (.001)
	32. Postpartum body shape	3.48±0.53	3.07±0.78	4.80 (<.001)
	Subtotal	3.39±0.43	3.12±0.56	4.18 (<.001)
F6. Nutrition during pregnancy
	1. Anemia control during pregnancy	3.42±0.60	3.19±0.68	2.80 (.005)
	2. Nutrition during pregnancy	3.54±0.53	3.35±0.62	2.57 (.011)
	3. Iron and vitamin intake	3.57±0.51	3.30±0.70	3.47 (.001)
	Subtotal	3.51±0.49	3.28±0.56	3.40 (.001)
F7. Sexual life adaptation
	11. Sexual life during pregnancy	3.06±0.66	3.02±0.82	0.39 (.694)
	30. Sexual life after labor	3.34±0.57	3.37±0.68	−0.40 (.684)
	Subtotal	3.20±0.51	3.19±0.57	0.30 (.973)
	Total	3.37±0.39	3.25±0.42	2.33 (.020)

M±SD=mean±standard deviation.

Table 3

Difference in Pregnancy and Postpartum Adaptation Need according to Characteristics of Subjects

Variables	Categories	Total (n=244)			Chinese (n=115)		Vietnamese (n=129)
Variables	Categories	M±SD	t/F (p)	Duncan	M±SD	t/F (p)	M±SD	t/F (p)
Age (year)	≤24^a	3.26±0.39	2.92 (.035)	a, b, c < c, d	3.22±0.33	0.71 (.547)	3.26±0.41	1.43 (.237)
	25–29^b	3.24±0.42			3.35±0.42		3.19±0.42
	30–34^c	3.40±0.43			3.39±0.40		3.42±0.49
	≥35^d	3.42±0.36			3.43±0.38		3.33±0.19
Education	Elementary school^a	3.38±0.53	3.86 (.010)	a, b < b, c, d	3.11±0.16	1.20 (.315)	3.42±0.56	3.37 (.210)
	Middle school^b	3.20±0.36			3.29±0.40		3.17±0.34
	High school^c	3.36±0.40			3.42±0.39		3.27±0.42
	College^d	3.42±0.41			3.40±0.42		3.63±0.25
Occupational status	Not employed	3.31±0.41	−0.11 (.914)		3.38±0.39	0.39 (.700)	3.25±0.43	−0.25 (.801)
Occupational status	Employed	3.32±0.42	−0.11 (.914)		3.34±0.45	0.39 (.700)	3.28±0.38	−0.25 (.801)
Monthly house incomes (10,000 won/month)	<150	3.26±0.44	0.63 (.781)		3.39±0.42	1.20 (.119)	3.21±0.44	0.56 (.644)
	150–199	3.32±0.40			3.35±0.33		3.30±0.46
	200–249	3.33±0.41			3.36±0.43		3.28±0.36
	≥250	3.36±0.47			3.76±0.40		3.15±0.37
Length of living in Korea (year)	≤2	3.25±0.42	1.02 (.387)		3.28±0.29	0.84 (.478)	3.23±0.47	0.99 (.400)
	3–4	3.33±0.43			3.34±0.47		3.31±0.41
	5–6	3.30±0.37			3.45±0.35		3.17±0.34
	≥7	3.38±0.43			3.40±0.40		3.33±0.47
Institutions received prenatal care	Hospital	3.33±0.43	0.73 (.533)		3.39±0.41	2.19 (.093)	3.28±0.44	1.66 (.178)
	Public health center	3.23±0.31			3.43±0.29		3.12±0.26
	Hospital, public health center	3.29±0.26			3.36±0.20		3.04±0.32
	Others	3.20±0.70			2.69±0.38		3.55±0.67

M±SD=mean±standard deviation.

Notes

^{Conflict of Interest} The authors declared no conflict of interest.

^{Author Contributions}

Formal analysis: Jeong GH, Kim KW, Baik S.
Investigation: Jeong GH, Kim KW, Baik S.
Methodology: Jeong GH, Kim KW.
Writing - original draft: Kim KW.
Writing - review & editing: Jeong GH, Kim KW, Baik S.

Summary Statement

• What is already known about this topic?

Studies have been done to identify factors influencing pregnancy, parenting knowledge, and postpartum care, and to explore pregnancy and childbirth experiences.
• What this paper adds?

This paper identifies nursing needs of immigrant women in pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum based on the seven requirements of the Roy adaptation model.
• Implications for practice, education and/or policy

This study indicates that nursing intervention and education program should be based on cultural and national characteristics of immigrant women's pregnancy and childbirth adaptation and their needs.

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ORCID iDs

Geum Hee Jeong
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2254-1962

Kyung Won Kim
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2498-728X

Sunghee Baik
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0638-4303

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