J Korean Acad Nurs Adm.  2011 Jun;17(2):226-237.

Foreign Residents' Experience of Korean Health Care Services

Affiliations
  • 1College of Nursing, Keimyung University, Korea. lbs@kmu.ac.kr
  • 2Department of Tourism Management, Keimyung University. Korea.

Abstract

PURPOSE
This study was done to identify the experience of health care services by foreign residents in Korea. METHOD: Participants were 12 foreigners from China, North America, and Japan. Qualitative data were collected using three focus group interviews and analyzed with qualitative content analysis.
RESULTS
The participants' experience of health services was categorized as 21 sub-categories, 11 categories and three main categories. The main categories were 'Quality of health care', 'Health care personnel', and 'Health care system and infrastructure'. The main category of 'Quality of health care' included three categories, 'Health care personnel' included another four categories, and 'Health care system and infrastructure' included the remaining four categories. The participants reported positive experiences such as favorable feelings and satisfaction particularly, with the high quality of health care but also negative experiences such as apprehension, distrust, difficulties, and inconvenience in the health care service in Korea.
CONCLUSIONS
The results of this study can be helpful in the development of strategies to improve health care services for foreigners by providing fundamental information about the foreign residents' experience of health care services in Korea from their perspectives.

Keyword

Health care service; Foreigner

MeSH Terms

China
Delivery of Health Care
Emigrants and Immigrants
Focus Groups
Health Services
Humans
Japan
Korea
North America
Quality of Health Care

Reference

1. Cavanagh S. Content analysis: concept, methods and applications. Nurse Res. 1997. 4(3):5–16.
2. Elo S, Kyngäs H. The qualitative content analysis process. J Adv Nurs. 2008. 62(1):107–115.
Article
3. Graneheim UH, Lundman B. Qualitative content analysis in nursing research: Concepts, procedures, and measures to achieve trustworthiness. Nurse Educ Today. 2004. 24(2):105–112.
Article
4. Grbich C. Qualitative research in health: An introduction. 1999. London: SAGE Publications.
5. Hertzman-Miller R, Dawiskiba M, Frank C. Immigrants' experience with publicly funded private health insurance. N Engl J Med. 2010. 363(6):598.
Article
6. Hsieh H, Shannon SI. Three approaches to qualitative content analysis. Qual Health Res. 2005. 15(9):1277–1288.
Article
7. Jang YS, Shin CN. A study of characteristics of patients at an international clinic of a university hospital. Korean Public Health Res. 2005. 31(1):46–54.
8. Ju SM. The characteristics and medical utilization of migrant workers. Korean J Occup Health Nurs. 1998. 7(2):164–176.
9. Kim AR. Evaluation of the health status of migrant workers. 1996. Daegu: Kyungpook National University;Unpublished master's thesis.
10. Kim SJ, Kim HJ, Lee KJ, Lee SO. Research methodology of focus group. 1999. Seoul: Hyunmoonsa.
11. Kim JS. Survey of services provided by non-governmental organizations for foreign workers. Korean Public Health Res. 2004. 30(1):24–35.
12. Koh CK, Koh SK. Married female migrants' experiences of health care services. J Korean Acad Soc Nurs Educ. 2009. 15(1):89–99.
Article
13. Kong GS. Medical utilization by foreigners in Korea. 2000. Seoul: Yonsei University;Unpublished master's thesis.
14. Korea National Tourism Organization. Annual Report on Tourism Trend. 2009. Retrieved Jan.19, 2010. from http://www.korea.kr/expdoc/viewDocument.req?id=22889&call_from=extlink.
15. Messias DK, Rubio M. Immigration and health. Annu Rev Nurs Res. 2004. 22:101–134.
Article
16. Ministry of Public Administration and Security. The present status of foreign citizen of local governments. 2009. Retrieved January 20, 2010. from https://naver.nanet.go.kr/dl/CommonView.php?u=Q955skOf9aH8IqtuXbmzhAVnjbtDy7Zq0UxUsvqW%2BWxpeNRgGLnn508V7MnOYR6Nd0QDUcaGIGPw7Yl11smJnw%3D%3D.
17. Morgan D. Focus groups as qualitative research. 1997. New York: Sage Publication Inc.
18. Muhn OR. Health systems in developed countries. J Korean Soc Hosp Pharm. 1994. 11(2):81–89.
19. Oxman-Martinez J, Hanley J, Lach L, Khanlou N, Weerasinghe S, Agnew V. Intersection of Canadian policy parameters affecting women with precarious immigration status: A baseline for understanding barriers to health. J Immigr Health. 2005. 7(4):247–258.
Article
20. Ponce N, Nordyke RJ, Hirota S. Uninsured Working Immigrants: A View from a California County. J Immigr Health. 2005. 7(1):45–53.
Article
21. Ruppen W, Bandschapp O, Urwyler A. Language difficulties in outpatients and their impact on a chronic pain unit in Northwest Switzerland. Swiss Med Wkly. 2010. 140(17-18):260–264.
22. Shin KL, Jang YJ, Kim YK, Lee KJ, Choi MM, Kim HY. Qualitative research methodology: Focus group. 2004. Seoul: Hyunmoonsa.
23. Shin H, Song H, Kim J, Probst JC. Insurance, acculturation, and health service utilization among Korean-Americans. J Immigr Health. 2005. 7(2):65–74.
Article
24. Statistics Korea. Annual report on international migration. 2009. Retrieved January 20, 2010. from http://cafe.naver.com/multiculturefamily.cafe?iframe_url=/ArticleRead.nhn%3Farticleid=4662.
25. Wang S. Comparative study of hospital service quality, loyalty and patient satisfaction between Korean and Chinese hospitals. 2009. Seoul: Sejong University;Unpublished master's thesis.
26. Yoon YR. University hospitals and foreign hospitals when the medical treatment market is opened in Korea: an example of a university hospital in Seoul. 2003. Seoul: Yonsei University;Unpublished master's thesis.
27. Yeo S. Language barriers and access to care. Annu Rev Nurs Res. 2004. 22:59–73.
Article
28. Yeo OS. A study on the medical service increment for the foreign laborers. 2003. Seoul: Dongguk University;Unpublished master's thesis.
Full Text Links
  • JKANA
Actions
Cited
CITED
export Copy
Close
Share
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
Similar articles
Copyright © 2024 by Korean Association of Medical Journal Editors. All rights reserved.     E-mail: koreamed@kamje.or.kr