Chinese Americans (chinese + american)

Distribution by Scientific Domains


Selected Abstracts


Recognizing and engaging depressed Chinese Americans in treatment in a primary care setting

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF GERIATRIC PSYCHIATRY, Issue 9 2006
Albert Yeung
Abstract Objectives To examine the effectiveness of depression screening and the Engagement Interview Protocol (EIP) in identifying and engaging in treatment depressed Chinese Americans in a primary care setting. Methods Chinese American patients who attended a primary care clinic between 15 September, 2004 and 14 September, 2005 were screened for depression using the Chinese Bilingual version of the Patient Health Questionnaire (CB-PHQ-9). Patients who screened positive (CB-PHQ-9,,,15) were evaluated using the EIP to establish psychiatric diagnosis and to engage patients in treatment. Results Three thousand eight hundred and twelve patients completed the CB-PHQ-9, of which 113 (3.2%) screened positive for MDD. Among those screening positive, six (5.3%) had been receiving psychiatric treatment for depression, 57 (50%) declined to receive a psychiatric interview or were unable to be contacted, and 50 (44%) agreed to be interviewed with the EIP. Out of the 50 patients interviewed, 44 (88%) had their MDD diagnosis confirmed; among them, 41 (93%) agreed to receive treatment for depression and three (7%) declined intervention. Conclusions Under-recognition and under-treatment of depressed Chinese Americans in primary care settings continue to be prevalent. Recognition of depression can be enhanced by using the brief CB-PHQ-9 to screen for depression. Half of the Chinese Americans who screened positive for MDD declined evaluation by a mental health professional. Most of the depressed Chinese Americans who were evaluated agreed to receive treatment. Enhanced cultural sensitivity with the use of the EIP in psychiatric assessment may have contributed to the success in engaging depressed Chinese Americans in treatment. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]


Cultural and practical barriers to seeking mental health treatment for Chinese Americans

JOURNAL OF COMMUNITY PSYCHOLOGY, Issue 1 2004
Winnie W. KungArticle first published online: 11 DEC 200
Based on a sample of 1747 from the Chinese American Psychiatric Epidemiological Study, this report examined perceived barriers to mental health treatment. Two factors emerged, namely practical barriers, which included cost of treatment, time, knowledge of access, and language, and cultural barriers consisting of credibility of treatment, recognition of need, and fear of loss of face. Average ratings of all practical barrier items were higher than cultural barrier items, demonstrating the importance of pragmatic considerations for this population. In a novel attempt, this study examined the empirical link between these perceived barriers and actual mental health service use. The practical barrier factor showed significance in predicting service use for both the whole sample and a subsample of individuals with at least one lifetime mental disorder. Cultural barriers, however, did not attain significance. Practice and research implications of the findings are discussed. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Comm Psychol 32: 27,43, 2004. [source]


Ethnicity and Sociolinguistic Variation in San Francisco

LINGUISTICS & LANGUAGE COMPASS (ELECTRONIC), Issue 7 2010
Lauren Hall-Lew
California's San Francisco Bay Area has long been one of the most ethnically diverse areas of the United States, and ethnicity is an integral aspect of any research on language use in the region. This article gives a brief social history of San Francisco with respect to settlement patterns since the 1850s' gold rush, paying particular attention to Chinese Americans, who are argued to play an especially distinctive role in the city's history and current social landscape. This article also reviews the sociolinguistic research on language and ethnicity in and around San Francisco, with a focus on studies on variation and change in English, noting the relative lack of attention to Asian American ethnicities and calling for increased scholarship on the linguistic construction of Asian identities in the San Francisco area. [source]


Predictors of Depressive Symptoms in Chinese American College Students: Parent and Peer Attachment, College Challenges and Sense of Coherence

AMERICAN JOURNAL OF ORTHOPSYCHIATRY, Issue 2 2007
Yu-Wen Ying PhD
Based on Antonovsky's salutogenic model, the authors hypothesized that sense of coherence would mediate the effects of parent and peer attachment and college challenges on depressive symptoms as well as moderate the relationship between college challenges and depressive symptoms in Chinese Americans. To test our hypotheses, 353 Chinese American college students completed paper-pencil measures. Supporting our hypotheses, sense of coherence fully mediated the effects of parent and peer attachment on depressive symptom level and served as a partial mediator and moderator of the effect of college challenges on depressive symptoms. Implications of the study findings for promoting the mental health of Chinese American students are discussed. [source]


Determinants of colorectal cancer screening behavior among Chinese Americans

PSYCHO-ONCOLOGY, Issue 5 2006
Ellen J. Teng
Abstract Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among Chinese Americans and is the third leading cause of cancer death in this population. The objectives of this study were to determine the rates of CRC screening (via fecal occult blood test (FOBT), flexible sigmoidoscopy (FSIG), and colonoscopy) among Chinese Americans and predictors of utilizing these screening procedures. Participants (N=206) completed a self-administered questionnaire assessing cancer screening behaviors and beliefs about perceived risk of developing cancer and treatment efficacy. A series of logistic regressions indicated that physician recommendation to obtain CRC screening significantly predicted whether Chinese Americans undergo FOBT, FSIG, or colonoscopy screening (p<0.001). Acculturation and perceived risk of developing CRC did not predict obtaining any of the screening procedures. FOBT was the most commonly reported screening method used by respondents (65%), followed by FSIG (54%) and colonoscopy (49%). These findings highlight the need to make physicians more aware of the impact their recommendations have in determining CRC screening behavior among Chinese Americans. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]


Development of an English as a second language curriculum for hepatitis B virus testing in Chinese Americans,

CANCER, Issue S12 2005
Gloria D. Coronado Ph.D.
Abstract Chinese Americans are at disproportionately high risk of liver cancer. A major risk factor for liver cancer in Asia is infection with hepatitis B virus (HBV): Approximately 80% of liver cancers are linked to HBV, and chronic carriers of HBV are > 100 times more likely to develop liver cancer compared with noncarriers. However, many adults, particularly those who have immigrated to the U.S., remain untested and therefore unvaccinated or unmonitored for the disease. Chinese Americans are mostly foreign born, and more recent arrivals face multiple social and health challenges. Many require special attention from public health professionals because of low levels of acculturation and difficulties learning English. It has long been established that an English as a Second Language (ESL) curriculum can teach immigrant adults and their family's important life skills, such as job training and citizenship. The authors report on their plans to develop and pilot test a culturally appropriate curriculum that will motivate Chinese ESL students to obtain a blood test for the detection of the HBV. Cancer 2005. © 2005 American Cancer Society. [source]