Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Factors Influencing Health Service Utilization Among Asian Immigrant Nail Salon Workers in the Greater New York City Area

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Journal of Community Health Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Most nail salon workers in the greater New York City area are Asian immigrant women. They are exposed daily to potentially toxic chemicals and hazards in their workplace, making them more vulnerable for possible health problems. The study’s primary purpose was to identify factors influencing past year healthcare utilization among Asian immigrant women working in nail salons. A cross-sectional study was conducted based on a modification of Andersen’s behavioral model of healthcare utilization in which 148 Korean and Chinese immigrant women currently working in nail salons were surveyed. The questionnaire included: (1) individual health determinants, (2) health service utilization in the past year, and (3) work environment, work-related health concerns, and work-related health problems. Descriptive statistics and multivariate logistic regression models assessed factors related to past year healthcare utilization. Women who had health insurance (p < .01), a usual source of care (p < .01), low educational attainment (p < .05), and more work-related health symptoms (p < .05) were more likely to visit a primary care provider. Women who had health insurance (p < .01), a usual source of care (p < .05), and low educational attainment (p < .05), were also more likely to visit a woman’s health provider. Korean (rather than Chinese) women (p < .05) and women who perceived themselves to be in fair/poor health (p < .05) were more likely to see a traditional provider of Eastern medicine. Asian immigrant women who work in nail salons have workplace health and safety concerns. They generally use Western rather than traditional medicine, with different factors related to these two types of medicine.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. White, H., Khan, K., Lau, C., Leung, H., Montgomery, D., & Rohlman, D. S. (2015). Identifying health and safety concerns in Southeast Asian immigrant nail salon workers. Archives of Environmental & Occupational Health, 70(4), 196–203.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Fung, K.-A. (2014). Gel, acrylic, or shellac: The impact of Southeast and East Asian immigrant nail salon workers on the health care system. University of Maryland Law Journal of Race, Religion, Gender & Class, 14, 124–143.

    Google Scholar 

  3. Walsh, S. A. (2012). Beyond the polish: An examination of hazardous conditions in nail salons and potential solutions for the industry in New York City. Jouranl of Law and Policy, 21(1), 243–282.

    Google Scholar 

  4. Nir, S. M. (2015, May 8). Perfect nails, poisoned workers. New York Times. Retrieved November 15, 2017 from http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/11/nyregion/nail-salon-workers-in-nyc-face-hazardous-chemicals.html?_r=0.

  5. Quach, T., Liou, J., Fu, L., Mendiratta, A., & Reynolds, P. (2012). Developing a proactive research agenda to advance nail salon worker health, safety, and rights. Progress in Community Health Partnership, 6(1), 75–82. https://doi.org/10.1353/cpr.2012.0005.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Henriks-Eckerman, M.-L., & Korva, M. (2012). Exposure to airborne methacrylates in nail salons. Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene, 9(8), D146–D150. https://doi.org/10.1080/15459624.2012.696023.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Quach, T., Von Behren, J., Goldberg, D., Layefsky, M., & Reynolds, P. (2015). Adverse birth outcomes and maternal complications in licensed cosmetologists and manicurists in California. International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health, 88(7), 823–833.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. McQuade, S., Novoa, M., & Obernauer, C. (2016). Building a healthier nail salon industry. Stanford Social Innovation Review, 14, A13–A14.

    Google Scholar 

  9. Roelofs, C., Azaroff, L. S., Holcroft, C., Nguyen, H., & Doan, T. (2008). Results from a community-based occupational health survey of Vietnamese-American nail salon workers. Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health, 10(4), 353–361.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Quach, T., Nguyen, K.-D., Doan-Billings, P.-A., Okahara, L., Fan, C., & Reynolds, P. (2008). A preliminary survey of Vietnamese nail salon workers in Alameda County, California. Journal of Community Health, 33(5), 336–343.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Derose, K. P., Escarce, J. J., & Lurie, N. (2007). Immigrants and health care: Sources of vulnerability. Health Affairs, 26(5), 1258–1268.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Derose, K. P., Bahney, B. W., Lurie, N., & Escarce, J. J. (2009). Immigrants and health care access, quality, and cost. Medical Care Research and Review, 66(4), 355–408.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Bollini, P., Pampallona, S., Wanner, P., & Kupelnick, B. (2009). Pregnancy outcome of migrant women and integration policy: A systematic review of the international literature. Social Science & Medicine, 68(3), 452–461.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Seo, J. Y., Bae, S.-H., & Dickerson, S. S. (2016). Korean immigrant women’s health care utilization in the United States: A systematic review of literature. Asia-Pacific Journal of Public Health, 28(2), 107–133.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Seo, J. Y., Kim, W., & Dickerson, S. S. (2014). Korean immigrant women’s lived experience of childbirth in the United States. Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic, & Neonatal Nursing, 43(3), 305–317.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Nguyen-Truong, C. K., Lee-Lin, F., Leo, M. C., et al. (2012). A community-based participatory research approach to understanding Pap testing adherence among Vietnamese American immigrants. Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic, & Neonatal Nursing, 41(6), E26–E40.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Berlinger, N., Calhoon, C., Gusmano, M., K., & Vimo, J. (2015). Undocumented immigrants and access to health care in New York City: Identifying fair, effective, and sustainable local policy solutions. Report and recommendations to the Office of the Mayor of New York City. The Hastings Center and the New York Immigration Coalition. Retrieved from http://undocumentedpatients.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Undocumented-Immigrants-and-Access-to-Health-Care-NYC-Report-April-2015.pdf.

  18. Rhodes, S. D., Song, E., Nam, S., Choi, S. J., & Choi, S. (2015). Identifying and intervening on barriers to healthcare access among members of a small Korean community in the southern USA. Patient Education and Counseling, 98(4), 484–491.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. John, D. A., de Castro, A., Duran, B., & Martin, D. P. (2013). Nativity and occupational class disparities in uninsurance and routine preventive care use among Asian Americans. Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health, 15(6), 1011–1022.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  20. Aday, L. A., & Andersen, R. (1974). A framework for the study of access to medical care. Health Services Research, 9(3), 208–220.

    CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  21. Andersen, R., & Newman, J. F. (2005). Societal and individual determinants of medical care utilization in the United States. The Milbank Quarterly, 83(4), 1–28.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Andersen, R. (1995). Revisiting the behavioral model and access to medical care: Does it matter? Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 36(1), 1–10.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Gelberg, L., Andersen, R. M., & Leake, B. D. (2000). The behavioral model for vulnerable populations: Application to medical care use and outcomes for homeless people. Health Services Research, 34(6), 1273–1302.

    CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  24. Stein, J. A., Andersen, R., & Gelberg, L. (2007). Applying the Gelberg-Andersen behavioral model for vulnerable populations to health services utilization in homeless women. Journal of Health Psychology, 12(5), 791–804.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Kim, M., Han, H.-R., Kim, K. B., & Duong, D. N. (2002). The use of traditional and western medicine among Korean American elderly. Journal of Community Health, 27(2), 109–120. https://doi.org/10.1023/a:1014509200352.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Ahn, A. C., Ngo-Metzger, Q., Legedza, A. T. R., Massagli, M. P., Clarridge, B. R., & Phillips, R. S. (2006). Complementary and alternative medical therapy use among Chinese and Vietnamese Americans: Prevalence, associated factors, and effects of patient-clinician communication. American Journal of Public Health, 96(4), 647–653. https://doi.org/10.2105/ajph.2004.048496.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  27. Wu, A. P., Burke, A., & LeBaron, S. (2007). Use of traditional medicine by immigrant Chinese patients. Family Medicine, 39(3), 195–200.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. Ma, G. X. (1999). Between two worlds: The use of traditional and western health services by Chinese immigrants. Journal of Community Health, 24(6), 421–437. https://doi.org/10.1023/a:1018742505785.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. Wade, C., Chao, M. T., & Kronenberg, F. (2007). Medical pluralism of chinese women living in the United States. Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health, 9(4), 255–267. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10903-007-9038-x.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  30. Diviani, N., van den Putte, B., Giani, S., & van Weert, J. C. (2015). Low health literacy and evaluation of online health information: A systematic review of the literature. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 17(5), e112.

  31. Chawla, N., Breen, N., Liu, B., Lee, R., & Kagawa-Singer, M. (2015). Asian American women in California: A pooled analysis of predictors for breast and cervical cancer screening. American Journal of Public Health, 105(2), e98–e109.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  32. Quach, T., Gunier, R., Tran, A., et al. (2011). Characterizing workplace exposures in Vietnamese women working in California nail salons. American Journal of Public Health, 101(S1), S271–S276.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  33. Roelofs, C., & Do, T. (2012). Exposure assessment in nail salons: an indoor air approach. International Scholarly Research Network, Article, I. D. 962014. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.5402/2012/962014.

  34. McNary, J. E., & Jackson, E. M. (2007). Inhalation exposure to formaldehyde and toluene in the same occupational and consumer setting. Inhalation Toxicology, 19(6–7), 573–576. https://doi.org/10.1080/08958370701270946.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

This study was supported by the Community Engagement Project Grant, Clinical & Translational Science Center in Weill Cornell Medical College and the research award grant from Alpha Phi Chapter of Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing. We would like to thank Xiaoxia Huang and Jueun Euam for help with data collection.

Funding

Funding was provided by Clinical & Translational Science Center in Weill Cornell Medical College (Grant No. ID0EFVAE4120) and Alpha Phi Chapter of Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing (Grant No. ID0EW2AE4121).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Hunter-Bellevue School of Nursing, Hunter College, 425 East 25th Street, Rm.416W, New York, NY, 10010, USA

    Jin Young Seo, Ka Man Yeung & Shiela M. Strauss

  2. School of Nursing, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, Newark, NJ, USA

    Ying-Yu Chao

  3. Rory Meyers College of Nursing, New York University, New York, NY, USA

    Shiela M. Strauss

Authors
  1. Jin Young Seo
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Ying-Yu Chao
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Ka Man Yeung
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Shiela M. Strauss
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jin Young Seo.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Seo, J.Y., Chao, YY., Yeung, K.M. et al. Factors Influencing Health Service Utilization Among Asian Immigrant Nail Salon Workers in the Greater New York City Area. J Community Health 44, 1–11 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10900-018-0544-7

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10900-018-0544-7

Keywords

Search

Navigation