The COVID-19 Pandemic and Families in Japan.

This paper, which is authored by members of the Japanese Association of Family Therapy (JAFT), describes the COVID-19 pandemic in Japan from a family systems perspective. The authors are active members of JAFT and include current and past presidents and officers. We describe the course of the pandemic and the ways in which government policies to mitigate the pandemic have affected Japanese families. Challenges that affect Japanese families include the inability to participate in family and social rituals, prescribed gender roles that specifically affect women, high suicide rates, and prejudice against those who are at risk of spreading the infection. The need to shelter in place has also forced family homes to function as a workplace for parents, classrooms for children, and day care services for frail elders, which has resulted in psychological distress among individuals and conflicts among families. We discuss ways that therapists have worked with Japanese families using online therapy.

Trajectory of physical health, cognitive status, and psychological well-being among Chinese elderly.

This study investigates the trajectory of various dimensions of health status among the Chinese elderly in their late years. We used growth-curve analyses on a subsample (n≈2000) of the elderly from the Chinese Longitudinal Health Longevity Survey (CLHLS) who had longitudinal information from 1998 to 2005. Analyses controlled for a large set of individual and family characteristics. Our findings indicate that elderly who had relatively advantaged childhood socioeconomic status (SES) and who regularly engaged in physical and/or leisure activities had significantly healthier well-being than their respective counterparts on all dimensions considered. In addition, regularly participating in physical and/or leisure activities was associated with slow deterioration of health well-being among the Chinese elderly. The results indicate the potential benefits of engaging in physical and/or leisure activities, and consequently, the importance of implementing programs that promote such activities among elders in China.

Friends, Depressive Symptoms, and Life Satisfaction Among Older Korean Americans.

This study examined the interactive effects of social network support and depressive symptoms on life satisfaction among older Korean Americans (KAs). Using data from a sample of 200 elders in a large metropolitan area (M age = 72.50, SD = 5.15), hierarchical regression analysis was used to examine the interaction between social network support and depressive symptoms on life satisfaction among older KAs. After controlling for demographic variables, both social network support and depressive symptoms were identified as predictors for life satisfaction. Interaction effects indicated strong associations between higher social network support specifically from friends and lower depressive symptoms with higher levels of life satisfaction. Findings highlight the important role that friends play in terms of social network support for the mental health of older KAs, and the need for geriatric practitioners to monitor and assess the quality of social network support-including friendships-when working with older KAs.

The impact of acculturation and acculturative stress on alcohol use across Asian immigrant subgroups.

Acculturation and acculturative stress are examined as predictors of alcohol use among Asian immigrants, using the 2004 National Latino and Asian Americans Survey (NLAAS). Separate regression analyses were conducted for Chinese (n = 600), Filipino (n = 508), and Vietnamese (n = 520) immigrants. Alcohol use varied for the three groups. English proficiency was associated with drinking for all groups. Family conflict was associated with drinking for Chinese immigrants. General acculturative stress and discrimination were associated with drinking for Vietnamese immigrants. Results underscore acculturation and acculturative stress as being contributors to alcohol consumption, and the importance of considering the heterogeneity of Asian immigrants in research on their alcohol use. The study's limitations are noted.

Age and HIV sexual risk among women in methadone treatment.

This study examines the relationship between age and HIV sexual risk behaviors among a random sample of 372 women in methadone treatment in New York City. Logistic regression results indicate that women of all ages are at risk for HIV through inconsistent condom use. Exposure to intimate partner violence (IPV), alcohol use, and HIV-negative status are associated with inconsistent condom use during vaginal sex. Age (35-44), having a main sexual partner with an HIV risk factor, IPV, and alcohol use are associated with using crack or cocaine during sex. Similarly, age (35-44), having a main sexual partner with an HIV risk factor, IPV, and drug use are associated with consuming four or more drinks prior to sex. The findings highlight the importance of age-appropriate HIV prevention and intervention strategies, as well as the need to address intimate partner violence, mental health, polysubstance use, and relational factors associated with HIV sexual risk behaviors among women in methadone treatment.

Characteristics of Chinese and Korean Americans in outpatient treatment for alcohol use disorders: examining heterogeneity among Asian American subgroups.

This study examined characteristics between Chinese Americans and Korean Americans who received treatment for alcohol use problems, using case records of 103 Chinese Americans and 108 Korean Americans. Findings show that the majority of Chinese Americans and Korean Americans were referred for treatment by the legal system and denied having alcohol problems. Significant differences were found between the groups in income, education, and types and quantity of alcohol use. Participants from neither group attended Alcoholics Anonymous. The differences in characteristics between the two groups with underscore the importance of considering the heterogeneity of Asian Americans when designing intervention programs for alcohol problems.

Health status and health services utilization among older Asian Indian immigrants.

This study examines the health status and utilization of physicians, hospitals, emergency departments, and traditional medicine among older Asian Indian immigrants (n = 100). The data for this study derives from the Asian American Elders in New York City (AAENYC) Study, which used a regional probability sampling. Multivariate analyses were guided by the Andersen behavioral model. The number of medical conditions is significant in predicting the likelihood of physician visits while age and having medical insurance predicted the likelihood of hospital stays. Having medical insurance was also a significant predictor for the use of emergency department services while poor English proficiency was associated with the use of traditional medicine.

Experiences of aging among immigrants from India to the United States: social work practice in a global context.

The aging of immigrants is a critical component in the health dynamics of the nation's aging population. To date, few studies have addressed within-group diversity and linked contemporary contexts of global connectedness with the aging experiences of older immigrants. This study aims to conceptually understand the diversity in aging dynamics within a specific immigrant group: Indian immigrants in New York City. The impact of globalization and transnational connection on aging experiences on 2 within groups-Indians who came to the United States at age of 65 or older (LLIs) and those who came at an early age (ELIs) are analyzed. Implications for social work practice, research and policy are discussed.

Intimate partner violence among midlife and older women: a descriptive analysis of women seeking medical services.

Although intimate partner violence (IPV) may occur throughout a woman's life course, there has been a paucity of research on the experiences of victimization among midlife and older women. This article examines both the prevalence of IPV among a sample of women ages 50 to 64 (N=620), who were recruited at an emergency department and primary care clinics in an urban setting, and the associated factors for the subsample of these women who reported IPV (n=34). More than 5 percent of the women reported experiencing some form of abuse by their partners within the past two years. Bivariate analyses comparing victims and nonvictims indicate that higher proportions of women who reported abuse had received public assistance and had a recent history of homelessness. In addition, victims of IPV reported higher frequencies of HIV risk factors than did nonvictims, including having a partner who insisted on sex without a condom, having sex with a man they knew or suspected was an IV drug user, and experiencing symptoms or receiving a diagnosis or treatment for a sexually transmitted infection. Significantly higher percentages of abused women reported being tested for HIV and being HIV seropositive. Implications of the findings for social workers are discussed.

Experiences and perceptions of intimate partner violence among older Chinese immigrants.

This study examines the experiences and perceptions of domestic violence among older Chinese immigrants, using data from a larger sample of Chinese Americans who reside in a major metropolitan area in the West Coast (Yick, 2000). A subset of respondents 50 years and older who are foreign-born (n = 77) were selected to (1) examine older Chinese immigrants' experiences with physical abuse by a spouse, (2) explore the definitions and perceptions of intimate partner violence among older Chinese, and (3) examine the relationship between acculturation, victimization experiences, and perceptions of domestic violence among this population. Findings indicate that close to 7% of the women and 6% of the men have experienced minor physical violence by their spouses during the past 12 months. Gender and acculturation were associated with perceptions and attitudes towards domestic violence.

Predictors of condom use and HIV testing among midlife and older women seeking medical services.

OBJECTIVE: This study examines correlates and predictors of sexual HIV risk reported by a sample of midlife and older women (M age = 56.01 years, SD = 4.34). METHODS: In sum, 1,280 participants were recruited from primary health clinics and a hospital emergency department. RESULTS: Of those women in a heterosexual relationship (n = 623), 73% reported having vaginal sex in the past 6 months. Only 12% of these women reported always using a condom during vaginal sex; 45% reported having been tested for HIV. Logistic regression analyses revealed that condom use is associated with more education, being employed, living with a partner, and being HIV positive. HIV testing is associated with being younger, unemployed, and not living with a partner. DISCUSSION: These results (a) demonstrate that midlife and older women are at risk for HIV/AIDS and (b) contribute to a growing understanding of the risk picture involved with such women.

Partner violence, depression, and practice implications with families of Chinese descent.

Because the Chinese tend to display psychological problems such as depression in somatic This article examines cultural aspects, experiences, and the mental health consequences of partner violence among families of Chinese descent. A total of 262 Chinese men and women participated in a telephone survey about partner violence and psychological well-being. Symptoms, two indicators of mental health were employed in the research study. Findings indicated a high level of verbal aggression both perpetrated and sustained by participants. Rates of physical abuse were lower; however, these figures dispel the model minority myth associated with Asian Americans. In addition, findings showed a positive correlation between depression and partner violence. Those who experienced verbal and physical aggression by a spouse/intimate partner in the last 12 months were more likely to experience depression. Those who perpetrated physical aggression were more likely to experience somatic symptoms. Practice and research implications are highlighted.