Center for Mental Health and Aging, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Alabama 35486, USA.
J Am Geriatr Soc. 2010 Oct;58(10):2003-8. doi: 10.1111/j.1532-5415.2010.03034.x.
Given the paucity of research on differences between older adults representing the many Asian-American subcategories, the present study explored physical and mental health status in five subcategories of Asian Americans aged 60 and older: Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese, and Filipino. Data were drawn from the 2007 California Health Interview Survey (CHIS). Background characteristics and physical and mental health conditions were compared, with results showing differences cross the five subcategories of older Asian Americans. Specific patterns were identified in chronic diseases, disease comorbidity, and disability rates. Vietnamese and Filipinos tended to have poorer physical health than Chinese, Japanese, and Koreans. The poorest self-rated health and the highest disability rate were found in the older Vietnamese. Filipinos also exhibited the greatest number of chronic diseases, including the highest rates of asthma, high blood pressure, and heart disease. Although Koreans had the fewest self-reported chronic diseases and the least evidence of disease comorbidity, they also had the highest psychological distress. The lowest psychological distress was found in older Japanese. Findings suggest that generalizing findings from one particular Asian category or from an aggregate Asian category may be problematic and may not reflect an accurate picture of the burden of health in specific Asian categories. Being aware of these differences in background and health characteristics may help providers to better serve older Asian clients.
鉴于针对代表众多亚裔美国人亚类别的老年人之间差异的研究甚少，本研究探讨了 60 岁及以上的五个亚裔美国人亚类别的身体和心理健康状况：中国人、日本人、韩国人、越南人和菲律宾人。数据来自 2007 年加利福尼亚健康访谈调查（CHIS）。比较了背景特征以及身体和心理健康状况，结果显示出五个老年亚裔美国人亚类别的差异。在慢性病、疾病合并症和残疾率方面发现了特定的模式。与中国人、日本人、韩国人相比，越南人和菲律宾人身体状况较差。在较年长的越南人中，自我评估健康状况最差，残疾率最高。菲律宾人还表现出最多的慢性疾病，包括哮喘、高血压和心脏病的发病率最高。尽管韩国人报告的慢性疾病最少，疾病合并症的证据也最少，但他们的心理困扰程度最高。在较年长的日本人中，心理困扰程度最低。研究结果表明，从一个特定的亚裔类别或从一个综合的亚裔类别中推广发现可能会有问题，并且可能无法反映特定亚裔类别的健康负担的准确情况。了解这些背景和健康特征方面的差异可能有助于提供者更好地为老年亚裔客户提供服务。
