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Jo, Cho, and Choi: Influence of Trauma Experiences and Social Adjustment on Health-related Quality of Life in North Korean Defectors
Original Article

Journal of Korean Academy of Community Health Nursing 2018; 29(4): 488-498.

Published online: 26 December 2018

DOI: https://doi.org/10.12799/jkachn.2018.29.4.488

Influence of Trauma Experiences and Social Adjustment on Health-related Quality of Life in North Korean Defectors

Eun Joo Jo1, Hyun Mee Cho2, Eun Joung Choi3

1Assistant Professor, College of Nursing, Kosin University, Busan, Korea.

2Doctoral Student, College of Nursing, Kosin University, Busan, Korea.

3Associate Professor, College of Nursing, Kosin University, Busan, Korea.

Corresponding author: Choi, Eun Joung. College of Nursing, Kosin University, 262 Gamcheon-ro, Seo-gu, Busan 49267, Korea. Tel: +82-51-990-3977, Fax: +82-51-990-3970, jacob7410@kosin.ac.kr

Received 17 May 2018       Revised 22 August 2018       Accepted 7 October 2018

© 2019 Korean Academy of Community Health Nursing

Korean Academy of Community Health Nursing

(open-access):

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/) which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Abstract

Purpose

This study was conducted to identify the influence of trauma experiences and social adjustment on health-related quality of life in North Korean defectors.

Methods

The subjects were 117 North Korean defectors living in B and Y city. The data were collected from September 1 to September 20, 2014, and analyzed by the SPSS/WIN 18.0 program.

Results

Significant differences were found in the health-related quality of life with respect to the subjects' education, marriage status, types of dwelling, family types, duration of residence in South Korea, jobs in South Korea and in North Korea, families left in North Korea or other surrounding countries, and subjective health status. Health-related quality of life is negatively related to trauma experiences during escape from North Korea and during their life in South Korea. Health-related quality of life positively is related to social adjustment. The meaningful variables which influenced the subjects'health-related quality include social adjustment, job in South Korea, job in North Korea, current family structure, and trauma experiences in South Korea. Total explanatory power of these factors for health-related quality in North Korean Defectors is 43.0% and social adjustment is the most influential factor.

Conclusion

Therefore, in order to enhance health-related quality of life in North Korean defectors, it is necessary for them to increase social adjustment and decrease trauma experiences. In addition, methods are needed to provide job opportunities, better education and family services for North Korean defectors.

Keywords: Psychological trauma, Social adjustment, Quality of life, Democratic people's Republic of Korea

Figures and Tables

Table 1

Health-related Quality of Life Degree according to the Characteristics of Subjects (N=117)

jkachn-29-488-i001
Table 2

Trauma Experience, Social Adjustment and Health-related Quality of Life (N=117)

jkachn-29-488-i002
Table 3

Correlation among Trauma Experience, Social Adjustment and Health-related Quality of Life (N=117)

jkachn-29-488-i003
Table 4

Factors Influencing Health-related Quality of Life (N=117)

jkachn-29-488-i004

Dummy Variable=South Korea occupation (profession=1, student, housewife, a salaried person, a daily worker, etc=0), North Korea occupation (clerk=1, student, soldier, cooperative farm, etc.=0), Family type (couple only=1, alone, couples and children, me and my children=0).

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ORCID iDs

Eun Joo Jo
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0019-5680

Hyun Mee Cho
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7067-1617

Eun Joung Choi
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7698-3424

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