THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN TYPE OF SENIOR CENTER AND LEVELS OF UTILIZATION BY THE KOREAN ELDERLY IN NEW YORK CITY : A COMPARISON OF THE UTILIZATION OF ETHNIC-SPECIFIC AND MAINSTREAM SENIOR CENTERS

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

This study examines the relationship between type of senior center and levels of utilization of elderly Koreans in New York City. Two different types of senior centers that elderly Korean-Americans attend - Korean-specific and mainstream - were examined as important variables influencing four dimensions of senior neater utilization - frequency of attendance, duration of attendance, activity involvement, and service use.
Continuity theory, social exchange theory, symbolic interaction theory, cultural responsiveness hypothesis, behavioral and other service use models serve as framework for the study and are used as a means of organizing the study variables. A sample of 120 senior center users was selected by a non-probability sampling procedure, 60 from a Korean-specific center and 60 from 10 mainstream or general centers within New York City. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews using a structured questionnaire.
The major study findings include the following: (1) The type of senior center that elderly Koreans attend was significantly related on the bivariate level to the frequency of attendance, duration of attendance, activity involvement, and service use. Elderly Koreans attending the Korean-specific center participated with lower frequency and for a shorter tenure, but Gad higher involvement in center activities and increased utilization of available services than those attending mainstream centers; (2) Hierarchical regression analyses, with each dimension of senior neater utilization as the criterion, and socioeconomic and other selected variables as covariates, indicate that type of senior center is a significant independent contributor to all dimensions of center utilization by elderly Koreans; (3) Determinants of center utilization levels were convincingly different between elderly Koreans attending the Korean-specific center and those attending mainstream centers; and (4) Korean elders attending mainstream canters were older, bad a higher educational level, had resided longer in the neighborhood and United States, and had relatively better English skills compared to those seniors attending the Korean-specific center who had more social interactions, volunteered more at the center, currently lived with other persons, spent longer time traveling to the center, and felt that they were accepted more at the center.
The findings suggest the importance of incorporating cultural, ethnic, and language aspects in understanding the patterns and levels of senior center utilization among the Korean elderly. In other words, this study highlights the usefulness of type of center (ethnic- specific center and mainstream neater) as an explanatory variable in understanding senior center utilization by this population. Policy makers and service providers must be sensitive to specific sub-group differences when planning and delivering senior center programs and services to this group. Interpretations for study Endings and implications for policy, practice, and research are further discussed.

목차 (Table of Contents)

• ABSTRACT = 1
• ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS = iii
• DEDICATION = v
• TABLE OF CONTENTS = vi
• LIST OF TABLES = ix
• LIST OF FIGURES = x
• Chapter 1. INTRODUCTION = 1
• Statement of the Problem = 1
• Purpose of the Study = 4
• Significance of the Research for Social Work and Gerontology = 5
• Chapter II. REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE = 9
• Overview of Korean and Korean Elderly Immigrants and Service Use = 9
• Research on Senior Center Utilization = 9
• Research on Correlates of Senior Center Attendance = 8
• Research on Patterns and Levels of Senior Center Participation = 20
• Research on Senior Center Utilization by Minority Elderly = 22
• Conceptual Framework Used in Previous Senior Center Research = 24
• Summary of Previous Research on Senior Center Utilization = 25
• Chapter III. THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK = 28
• Continuity Theory and Senior Center Use = 28
• Social Exchange Theory and Senior Center Use = 30
• Symbolic Interaction Theory and Sensor Center Use = 31
• Cultural Responsiveness Hypothesis and Senior Center Use = 33
• Behavioral and Other Service Use Models and Senior Center Use = 34
• Conceptual Model of the Study = 36
• Chapter IV. RESEARCH QUESTIONS AND HYPOTHESES = 39
• Chapter V. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY = 42
• Research Design = 42
• Sampling Method = 43
• Data Collection = 46
• Measurement = 48
• Data Analysis = 59
• Chapter VI. RESEARCH FINDINGS = 62
• Introduction = 62
• Profile of Sample and Sub-Group Comparison = 63
• Relationship between Type of Senior Center and Levels of Utilization: (Bivariate Hypothesis Testing - Hypothesis 1 to Hypothesis 4) = 79
• Relationship between Type of Senior Center and Frequency of Attendance (Hl) = 79
• Relationship between Type of Senior Center and Duration of Attendance (H2) = 81
• Relationship between Type of Senior Center and Activity Involvement (H3) = 82
• Relationship between Type of Senior center and Service Use (H4) = 84
• Summary of Relationship between Senior Center Type and Utilization Levels = 85
• Bivariate Correlation = 95
• Bivariate Correlation Between Predictors Variables and Frequency of Attendance = 95
• Bivariate Correlation Between Predictors Variables and Duration of Attendance = 97
• Bivariate Correlation Between Predictors Variables and Activity Involvement = 98
• Bivariate Correlation Between Predictors Variables and Service Utilization = 99
• Summary of Bivariate Correlation = 100
• Determinants of Levels of Senior Center Utilization for Total Sample = 107
• Determinants of Frequency of Center Attendance = 108
• Determinants of Duration of Center Attendance = 111
• Determinants of Center Activity Involvement = 114
• Determinants of Center Service Utilization = 116
• Summary of Determinants of Senior Center Utilization Levels for Total Sample = 119
• Determinants of Levels of Senior Center Utilization by Center Type: (Multivariate Hypothesis Testing-Hypothesis 5) = 125
• Determinants of Frequency of Center Attendance = 126
• Determinants of Duration of Center Attendance = 127
• Determinants of Center Activity Involvement = 128
• Determinants of Center Service Utilization = 129
• Summary of Determinants of Senior Center Utilization Levels by Center Type = 130
• Chapter VII. DISCUSSION AND IMPLICATIONS = 133
• Summary of the Study = 133
• Discussion of the Findings = 136
• Implications for Social Work Policy, Practice, and Education = 142
• Study Limitations and Recommendations for Future Research = 148
• Conclusion = 152
• BIBLIOGRAPHY = 154
• APPENDICES = 162
• Appendix A. Sample Letter of Support from New York City Department for the Aging = 163
• Appendix B. Informed Consent Form (English Version) = 165
• Appendix C. The Survey Instrument (English Version) = 167
• Appendix D. Informed Consent Font (Korean Version) = 177
• Appendix E. The Survey Instrument (Korean Version) = 179