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ABSTRACT
Previous studies have shown that elderly Asian immigrants face greater risks for living in poverty compared with their native contemporaries. Particularly, Korean immigrant older adults are reported to be most likely to experience poverty among many Asian immigrant groups. The purpose of this study is to examine the extent to which demographic, human capital, and social exclusion factors contribute to such economic vulnerability among Korean immigrant older adults. Adding to previous research, this study broadly conceptualizes social exclusion and tests for its additive effects on poverty using nationally representative public data of Korean immigrant older adults. From the 2008–2010 Public Use Microdata Sample of the American Community Survey, this study extracts a sample that consists of individuals aged 65 years and older whose national origin is Korean, who were not born in the United States, and thereafter immigrated to the United States (N = 3,820). The findings indicate that 3 dimensions of social exclusion—exclusion from social and civic life, exclusion from asset building, and exclusion from the labor market—contribute significantly to Korean immigrant older adults’ odds of living in poverty. The study concludes with practice implications for socially inclusive workforce development as a way to ameliorate economic afflictions among Korean immigrant older adults.
Notes
1Although the 2006–2010 PUMS of the ACS includes the most recent 5-year estimates, it does not contain information on disability and health insurance coverage, which has been collected since 2008.
Additional information
Notes on contributors
Yongwoo Lee
Yongwoo Lee, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor at Konkuk University, Department of Social Welfare, Chungju, Korea.
Philip Young P. Hong
Philip Young P. Hong, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor at Loyola University Chicago, School of Social Work, Chicago, IL.
Younhee Harm
Younhee Harm, LCSW, is a doctoral student at Loyola University Chicago, School of Social Work, Chicago, IL.