Marriage Immigrant Women in Korea and Their Subjective Health Status

Abstract

Marriage immigrant women not only face challenges common to all migrants, such as language acquisition and cultural adaptation, but also undergo acute changes in their physical and psychological conditions as, upon migrating, they form a new family, become pregnant, and give birth. However, despite their unique circumstances and their likely health issues, they have not received adequate attention as a target group in policy discussions. Thus, this article examines the health of marriage immigrant women and its determinants, using survey-measurable indicators. The findings suggest that child-related factors are a marked influence on self-reported health, dental health, and life satisfaction. To ensure the healthy adaptation of marriage immigrant women to Korean society, continuing health surveys on this group are essential. Furthermore, there is a need to develop questionnaires that enable a multidimensional assessment of their health.