Mental Health, Aging and the Aged in Korean Culture

Conference held at Belmont Center for Comprehensive Treatment on October 6, 2004

New Directions in Geriatric Behavioral Health: Serving Older Persons of Different Cultures The Mental Health Association of Southeastern Pennsylvania

Yeon Kyung Chee, Ph.D.
Center for Applied Research on Aging and Health
Thomas Jefferson University

Koreans have been one of the fastest growing sub populations in the United States over the past decades, increasing by 54% from about 800,000 persons in 1990 to over a million in 2000, even though the size of the Korean population has been considered to be underestimated due to a lack of understanding of the importance of or interest in completing the U. S. Census. In the greater Philadelphia area, Koreans have become the third largest Asian ethnic group with elderly persons constituting 18% of all Asian elders.

With population aging, concerns about emotional and mental well-being in late adulthood have increased. Older Koreans have reported slightly higher prevalence rates of cognitive deficits, depression, and alcohol abuse but lower prevalence of other psychiatric disorders than other Asian American groups.

However, clinicians, patients, and family members often point to for example depression as being caused by the aging process. The attitude that depression is connected with aging may exist because (1) older adults may display symptoms of depression differently than younger adults; and (2) some symptoms of depression overlap with normal aging processes. Also, many older Korean immigrants experience emotional distress resulting from changes in environment or disruption in family harmony rely on self-care.

Despite the rapid growth of Korean Americans, this group remains underserved and understudied in aging research. This is due, in part, to the fact that Asian older adults are less likely than their White counterparts to seek formal mental health services. Unwilling to share personal issues with others, patients and their family members have tendencies to resist accepting mental health services because of stigma associated with mental illness. Also, limited bilingual social and medical services as well as issues related to translation capacity have been significant barriers to accessing and receiving behavioral health care. There is a pressing need for understanding views of aging and metal illness in the Korean cultural context that can lead to the development of culturally sensitive services for Korean elders.

Slides used during presentation

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