Faculty Scholarly Dissemination Grants

Health Literacy and Social Support: A Close Look at Elderly Immigrants' Health Care and Their Use of Traditional Chinese Medicine

Department

School of Communications

College

College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

Date Range

2013-2014

Disciplines

Business

Abstract

This study examines the use of Traditional Chinese Medicine among elderly immigrants in the United States. The participants of this study are 18 (Female = 11; Male = 7) Chinese elderly immigrants from a Chinese community in Mid-west part of the United States. Focus group and individual interviews were conducted to explore: (a) Chinese elderly immigrants' knowledge and understanding about Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and Western medicine; (b) What determines their health care practice? According to the interviews and focus group, participants' health care experience in both TCM and Western medicine reveals: (a) they have high health literacy (great knowledge and understanding) in both systems; (b) they have positive view about both systems and recommend the integration in their health care; (c) they need their social support group for a better health care outcome.

Conference Name

International Conference on Social Science

Conference Location

Shanghai, China

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