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Our purpose in this article is to review theories critically that have been used to explain immigrant women's health based on 4 case studies of Korean immigrant women's experiences in the United States and suggest directions for future development of theories on immigrant women's health. First, 3 existing theories on immigration and health (selective migration, negative effect of immigration, and acculturation) are concisely described. Then, the daily experiences of 4 low-income Korean immigrant women are described in a narrative mode, and the 3 existing theories are critiqued in terms of how they can explain the women's narratives. Finally, implications for future theory development on immigrant women's health experience are proposed based on the discussion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, the Midlife Women's Symptom Index (MSI), a recently developed measurement scale for symptoms experienced during the menopausal transition, is presented with its psychometric properties. This was a cross-sectional study including (a) an expert review among 20 women's health experts and (b) a psychometric test among 77 middle-aged women. The instruments for the psychometric test were 19 questions on sociodemographic characteristics, the MSI, and the Menopausal Symptom Checklist (MSC). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, K-R 20, and item analysis. The reliability and validity of the MSI were supported among middle-aged women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Because a limited amount of women's health research using Internet-based data collection methods has been done, very little is known about the methodological and ethical issues that are unique to this emerging research practice. The purpose of this article is to inform the future directions of Internet usage in women's health research based on the practical issues raised in an Internet survey of 62 midlife Asian women in the United States. The issues include (a) potential selection biases, (b) ethical concerns, (c) a low response rate, (d) frequent consultations, and (e) potential data entry errors. Based on the discussion of the issues, future directions for Internet research are proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research on women's work and health largely has failed to incorporate gender into the models of the processes through which work influences well-being. In this article, the research on women's work and health is critiqued from a feminist perspective; male-oriented and ethnocentric views on women's work are negated, and gender and socioeconomic issues are highlighted and included in the picture of women's work. Male-centered and ethnocentric views and assumptions on women's work are prevalent in the whole research process, and methodological limitations due to the distorted views are indicated. Based on the critique, some implications for future research on women's work and health are proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The menopausal transition needs to be understood in terms of the multiple mediating factors within the context in which women experience it. For immigrant women especially, the menopausal experience is complicated by multiple transitions and social marginality, so it cannot be adequately explained without considering this complexity. In this paper we review the literature on the menopausal transition of a group of vulnerable immigrant women in two ways: describing the transitions themselves (menopause, immigration, and housewife to employee), and describing factors that mediate the menopausal transition experience (family norms, meaning of menopause and women's work, and health practices). We emphasize the context and suggest areas of needed research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]