Jungyoon Lee
Catholic University of Korea | South Korea
Title: RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN HEALTH BEHAVIORS AND MARITAL ADJUSTMENT AND MARITAL INTIMACY IN MULTICULTURAL FAMILY FEMALE IMMIGRANTS
Biography
Biography: Jungyoon Lee
Abstract
This study analyzed the relationship between health behaviors and marital adjustment in multicultural couples to evaluate their health status.
Married couples (70 Korean husbands and their immigrant wives) completed a structured interview on health behaviors and sociodemographic factors, the Revised Dyadic Adjustment Scale (RDAS), and the Marital Intimacy Scale (MIS). Based on the cut-off value of the RDAS, respondents were classified into two groups: high/low dyadic adaptation groups. The collected data were compared with health behavior regarding smoking, alcohol consumption, exercise, and weight. Results: The odds ratio (OR) (95% confidence interval (CI)) by logistic regression with adjustment for age, education, career, occupation, length of residence in Korea, nationality, religion, age difference between couple, number of children, monthly income, and proficiency in Korean was 1.279 (1.113–1.492) for unhealthy exercise and 1.732 (1.604–1.887) for unhealthy body weight in female immigrants with low marital adjustment. In Korean husbands with low marital adjustment, the OR (95% CI) was 1.625 (1.232–2.142) for smoking and 1.327 (1.174–1.585) for unhealthy exercise. No significant relationship was found between marital intimacy and health behaviors in female immigrants or Korean husbands.