July 1, 2002 |
Contact:
HRSA Press Office
301-443-3376 |
HRSA Research Links Language Use, Health Risks
Among Asian American Teens
Asian American adolescents who are less assimilated are more likely
to experience mental and physical health risks, according to a new HRSA
study.
The study, “Association of Language Spoken at Home with Health and
School Issues Among U.S. Asian Adolescents,” by HRSA researchers Stella
Yu, Mary Overpeck and Michael Kogan, Maternal and Child Health Bureau,
was published in the May issue of the Journal of School Health.
Using the Health Behavior in School Children survey, the study looked
at the language teenagers spoke at home -- usually English or another
language, or a combination of the two— and its association with risk
factors that affect their health, mental health, performance in school
and relationships with their parents.
Study findings include:
- Asian American adolescents who don’t speak English at home or speak
a combination of languages were at greater risk than primarily English
speakers for not wearing a seat belt or a bicycle helmet and feeling
“not very healthy.”
- Adolescents from non-English-speaking homes were nearly twice as
likely to report that their teachers expect too much of them and that
they have difficulty making friends.
- Adolescents from non-English-speaking homes were three times more
likely to report that their parents were not always ready to help
them with schoolwork. Teenagers also reported that their parents were
less likely to talk to their teachers and that they were less likely
to talk to their parents about things that bother them.
According to the authors, these findings suggest that immigrant children
and their families would benefit from more outreach, including early
identification of needs, counseling and support services.
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