Knowledge, Attitudes, and Behaviors Related to Dementia Prevention and Caregiving Among Korean Americans (the KIMCHI Project): Pre- and Posttest Evaluation Study

BackgroundMany Korean American older adults have limited English proficiency, have low socioeconomic status, and are immigrants. The availability and accessibility of linguistic and culturally appropriate dementia-related health care and caregiving resources for this populati...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Van Ta Park, Bora Nam, Daren Huang, Stacy W Yun, Nicole Phan, Eun Jeong Lee, Hye-Won Shin
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: JMIR Publications 2025-08-01
Series:JMIR Aging
Online Access:https://aging.jmir.org/2025/1/e72147
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849767098799095808
author Van Ta Park
Bora Nam
Daren Huang
Stacy W Yun
Nicole Phan
Eun Jeong Lee
Hye-Won Shin
author_facet Van Ta Park
Bora Nam
Daren Huang
Stacy W Yun
Nicole Phan
Eun Jeong Lee
Hye-Won Shin
author_sort Van Ta Park
collection DOAJ
description BackgroundMany Korean American older adults have limited English proficiency, have low socioeconomic status, and are immigrants. The availability and accessibility of linguistic and culturally appropriate dementia-related health care and caregiving resources for this population are limited. This is concerning given that Korean American older adults are a rapidly growing population, and Alzheimer disease and related dementias (ADRD) represent a significant public health issue. ObjectiveWe aimed to assess changes in pre- and posttest knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors regarding ADRD prevention and caregiving among participants in the Koreans Invested in Making Caregivers’ Health Important (KIMCHI) before and after their participation in KIMCHI workshop presentations. MethodsA community engagement dissemination project, KIMCHI, was developed by academic and community partners to culturally and linguistically tailor selected evidence-based research from the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute for Korean American older adults, caregivers, and other stakeholders. Dissemination activities were conducted in-person (as workshops) and on digital platforms. Through partnerships with 1 academic institution and 2 community organizations that serve Korean Americans, 211 participants participated in the KIMCHI in-person workshop presentations, and 134 participants participated asynchronously online (via fact sheets on the project website, YouTube videos, and other social media, such as Facebook and X [formerly known as Twitter]). Pre- and postparticipation tests on knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors for ADRD and caregiving were conducted with workshop participants. We administered satisfaction surveys to all participants (workshop and online) and conducted two-tailed paired-sample 2-tailed t tests to assess mean changes in the pre- and postparticipation tests. ResultsAmong the workshop participants (N=211), most (114/204, 55.9%) were older adults (mean age 69, SD 12.1 y; range 24-90 y), female (n=148, 70.1%), and foreign-born (n=203, 96.2%). Many reported having limited English proficiency (167/211, 79.1%). Significant changes were observed in posttest ADRD knowledge (mean 11.51, SD 2.64), attitudes (mean 7.13, SD 2.83), and behaviors (mean 8.88, SD 2.72) compared to pretest scores (knowledge: mean 10.34, SD 2.67; t210=1.17; P<.001; attitudes: mean 6.33, SD 2.44; t210=0.8; P<.001; and behaviors: mean 8.11, SD 2.68; t210=0.76; P<.001). Workshop participants reported high satisfaction (196/209, 93.8%) with KIMCHI, with the workshop presentations being perceived as culturally relevant and applicable (196/209, 93.8%). Most workshop participants expressed interest in learning more about ADRD-related health topics (186/209, 89%). Similarly, the online participants (N=134) expressed high satisfaction (115/134, 85.8%) and agreed that the topics and content were culturally relevant and applicable (116/133, 87.2%) and learned new information (110/134, 82.1%). ConclusionsThe findings indicate that KIMCHI may have a positive impact on improving ADRD knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors among Korean Americans. Academic-community collaborations should continue to culturally tailor the programs and studies to help ensure greater representation of Korean Americans in research and community engagement projects.
format Article
id doaj-art-e4ddfc2ade9f4617873678503bd3de4e
institution DOAJ
issn 2561-7605
language English
publishDate 2025-08-01
publisher JMIR Publications
record_format Article
series JMIR Aging
spelling doaj-art-e4ddfc2ade9f4617873678503bd3de4e2025-08-20T03:04:21ZengJMIR PublicationsJMIR Aging2561-76052025-08-018e7214710.2196/72147Knowledge, Attitudes, and Behaviors Related to Dementia Prevention and Caregiving Among Korean Americans (the KIMCHI Project): Pre- and Posttest Evaluation StudyVan Ta Parkhttps://orcid.org/0000-0001-5020-0359Bora Namhttps://orcid.org/0000-0003-1777-2923Daren Huanghttps://orcid.org/0009-0006-1051-6088Stacy W Yunhttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-7357-7519Nicole Phanhttps://orcid.org/0009-0007-7471-4152Eun Jeong Leehttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-6387-2274Hye-Won Shinhttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-0080-2586 BackgroundMany Korean American older adults have limited English proficiency, have low socioeconomic status, and are immigrants. The availability and accessibility of linguistic and culturally appropriate dementia-related health care and caregiving resources for this population are limited. This is concerning given that Korean American older adults are a rapidly growing population, and Alzheimer disease and related dementias (ADRD) represent a significant public health issue. ObjectiveWe aimed to assess changes in pre- and posttest knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors regarding ADRD prevention and caregiving among participants in the Koreans Invested in Making Caregivers’ Health Important (KIMCHI) before and after their participation in KIMCHI workshop presentations. MethodsA community engagement dissemination project, KIMCHI, was developed by academic and community partners to culturally and linguistically tailor selected evidence-based research from the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute for Korean American older adults, caregivers, and other stakeholders. Dissemination activities were conducted in-person (as workshops) and on digital platforms. Through partnerships with 1 academic institution and 2 community organizations that serve Korean Americans, 211 participants participated in the KIMCHI in-person workshop presentations, and 134 participants participated asynchronously online (via fact sheets on the project website, YouTube videos, and other social media, such as Facebook and X [formerly known as Twitter]). Pre- and postparticipation tests on knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors for ADRD and caregiving were conducted with workshop participants. We administered satisfaction surveys to all participants (workshop and online) and conducted two-tailed paired-sample 2-tailed t tests to assess mean changes in the pre- and postparticipation tests. ResultsAmong the workshop participants (N=211), most (114/204, 55.9%) were older adults (mean age 69, SD 12.1 y; range 24-90 y), female (n=148, 70.1%), and foreign-born (n=203, 96.2%). Many reported having limited English proficiency (167/211, 79.1%). Significant changes were observed in posttest ADRD knowledge (mean 11.51, SD 2.64), attitudes (mean 7.13, SD 2.83), and behaviors (mean 8.88, SD 2.72) compared to pretest scores (knowledge: mean 10.34, SD 2.67; t210=1.17; P<.001; attitudes: mean 6.33, SD 2.44; t210=0.8; P<.001; and behaviors: mean 8.11, SD 2.68; t210=0.76; P<.001). Workshop participants reported high satisfaction (196/209, 93.8%) with KIMCHI, with the workshop presentations being perceived as culturally relevant and applicable (196/209, 93.8%). Most workshop participants expressed interest in learning more about ADRD-related health topics (186/209, 89%). Similarly, the online participants (N=134) expressed high satisfaction (115/134, 85.8%) and agreed that the topics and content were culturally relevant and applicable (116/133, 87.2%) and learned new information (110/134, 82.1%). ConclusionsThe findings indicate that KIMCHI may have a positive impact on improving ADRD knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors among Korean Americans. Academic-community collaborations should continue to culturally tailor the programs and studies to help ensure greater representation of Korean Americans in research and community engagement projects.https://aging.jmir.org/2025/1/e72147
spellingShingle Van Ta Park
Bora Nam
Daren Huang
Stacy W Yun
Nicole Phan
Eun Jeong Lee
Hye-Won Shin
Knowledge, Attitudes, and Behaviors Related to Dementia Prevention and Caregiving Among Korean Americans (the KIMCHI Project): Pre- and Posttest Evaluation Study
JMIR Aging
title Knowledge, Attitudes, and Behaviors Related to Dementia Prevention and Caregiving Among Korean Americans (the KIMCHI Project): Pre- and Posttest Evaluation Study
title_full Knowledge, Attitudes, and Behaviors Related to Dementia Prevention and Caregiving Among Korean Americans (the KIMCHI Project): Pre- and Posttest Evaluation Study
title_fullStr Knowledge, Attitudes, and Behaviors Related to Dementia Prevention and Caregiving Among Korean Americans (the KIMCHI Project): Pre- and Posttest Evaluation Study
title_full_unstemmed Knowledge, Attitudes, and Behaviors Related to Dementia Prevention and Caregiving Among Korean Americans (the KIMCHI Project): Pre- and Posttest Evaluation Study
title_short Knowledge, Attitudes, and Behaviors Related to Dementia Prevention and Caregiving Among Korean Americans (the KIMCHI Project): Pre- and Posttest Evaluation Study
title_sort knowledge attitudes and behaviors related to dementia prevention and caregiving among korean americans the kimchi project pre and posttest evaluation study
url https://aging.jmir.org/2025/1/e72147
work_keys_str_mv AT vantapark knowledgeattitudesandbehaviorsrelatedtodementiapreventionandcaregivingamongkoreanamericansthekimchiprojectpreandposttestevaluationstudy
AT boranam knowledgeattitudesandbehaviorsrelatedtodementiapreventionandcaregivingamongkoreanamericansthekimchiprojectpreandposttestevaluationstudy
AT darenhuang knowledgeattitudesandbehaviorsrelatedtodementiapreventionandcaregivingamongkoreanamericansthekimchiprojectpreandposttestevaluationstudy
AT stacywyun knowledgeattitudesandbehaviorsrelatedtodementiapreventionandcaregivingamongkoreanamericansthekimchiprojectpreandposttestevaluationstudy
AT nicolephan knowledgeattitudesandbehaviorsrelatedtodementiapreventionandcaregivingamongkoreanamericansthekimchiprojectpreandposttestevaluationstudy
AT eunjeonglee knowledgeattitudesandbehaviorsrelatedtodementiapreventionandcaregivingamongkoreanamericansthekimchiprojectpreandposttestevaluationstudy
AT hyewonshin knowledgeattitudesandbehaviorsrelatedtodementiapreventionandcaregivingamongkoreanamericansthekimchiprojectpreandposttestevaluationstudy