Springer Science and Business Media LLC

An empirical measure of East Asian ethnic identity was developed and evaluated. One hundred and fifty nonclinical East Asian immigrants (75 males and 75 females) were administered the East Asian Ethnic Identity Scale (EAEIS) and a psychometrically established measure of self-construal. Satisfactory reliability is reported for the overall EAEIS as well as its three factor analytically derived scales, including family values, ethnic pride (language, sense of belonging), and interpersonal distance. While EAEIS and independent self-construal were not associated, individuals who endorsed EAEIS were more likely to report an interdependent self-construal. The findings suggest that the EAEIS may be a useful tool for researchers and clinicians to investigate potentially important themes and individual differences in the experiences of East Asian immigrants.

The steady increase in immigrants to the United States has fueled a critical analysis of the process of allocation of health and social benefits to these newcomers. The myriad of interests and values surrounding this issue precipitated the formulation and adoption of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity (Welfare Reform) Act of 1996. This dramatic welfare reform impacts federal, state, and local agencies that are required to determine the eligibility of benefits and manage the attendant consequences to the public as well as members of this vulnerable group. Especially challenging are the decisions confronting public health professionals who struggle to reconcile the resulting policy, programmatic mandates, and compliance imperatives with prevailing public health principles and practice norms. This paper proposes a framework for understanding the incongruence between the provisions of the law as it pertains to legal and illegal immigrants and public health values. The impact of policy incongruence and professionals' dissonance on public health practice norms is explored with an explicit focus on public health outcomes and legal implications. The examination of tuberculosis as a health example reveals the policy conflicts and public health dilemmas. Finally, the paper elicits a range of options available to public professionals for responding to these legal mandates.

The health care services and sociodemographic profiles of Chinese women residing in each of five neighborhoods of Vancouver and Richmond, British Columbia, were examined and compared to Pap testing rates. Information was collected from the provincial medical directory, the cervical cancer screening program, and a community-based survey. A total of 159 Chinese primary care physicians, 3 Chinese gynecologists, and 9 health clinics were identified within these neighborhoods and 769 Chinese women responded to the survey. Significant differences were found between neighborhoods in Pap testing rates, with Chinatown having the lowest rates. Differences between neighborhoods were also found in the availability of Chinese language health care services, sociodemographic profiles of the Chinese population, individual preferences and experiences with health care services, which were also related to Pap testing rates. The implications of these findings upon the planning of effective health care services within local neighborhoods are discussed.

The collapse of the Soviet Union in 1989 substantially increased the numbers of refugees and immigrants to the United States from the former Soviet Union. Little research has been conducted with this population although studies found that immigrant's access to health care services are based on patterns of utilization in their countries of origin. The purpose of this study was to learn about the experiences of immigrant women from three former Soviet Republics (Belarus, Russia, and Ukraine) with women's health care services. Three focus groups of women were formed; ages 20–30, 37–46, and 60 and above. A focus-group guide was used to learn about their health care experiences. These immigrant women did access health care services based on patterns of utilization in their countries of origin. Greater understanding of immigrant populations' cultural patterns of health care utilization is needed to improve access and delivery of health care services to these populations.

We test whether or not labor market frustration is associated with clinical alcohol abuse/dependence diagnoses among labor migrants living in California. Our sample consists of 1576 Mexican labor migrants in Fresno, CA, who migrated for the purpose of seeking employment. Using clinical criterion (DSM-III-R), we find that frustrating experiences resulting from labor market exclusion and discrimination are significantly related to past-year alcohol abuse/dependence. Similarly, although high levels of social support are salutary, they are not protective among those who experience moderate/high levels of employment frustration. Since Mexican-origin immigrants have low rates of health insurance coverage and lower propensities for formal help-seeking, community outreach programs that target labor migrants are essential to this population's mental health maintenance.