Exploration of Social Exclusion among Older Chinese Immigrants in the USA

Ling Xu (), Jia Li, Weiyu Mao and Iris Chi
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Ling Xu: School of Social Work, University of Texas at Arlington, 501 W Mitchell St., Arlington, TX 76019, USA
Jia Li: Department of Social Work, Faculty of Social Science, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
Weiyu Mao: School of Social Work, University of Nevada, Reno. 1664 N. Virginia Street, Reno, NV 89557, USA
Iris Chi: Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA

IJERPH, 2023, vol. 20, issue 3, 1-17

Abstract: Background: Older adults are vulnerable to social exclusion and its detrimental health outcomes. However, few existing studies focus on the social exclusion of older adults as immigrants and ethnic-minority individuals. To fill the gap, drawing on the conceptual framework of old-age vulnerability, this study explored the multi-dimensional experience of social exclusion for older Chinese immigrants in the U.S. and investigated how old age and immigration exacerbated older adults’ experiences of social exclusion. Method: The study included 24 in-depth face-to-face individual interviews in Los Angeles and employed thematic analysis on the qualitative data. Themes were identified until consensus was reached among the research-team members. Triangulation of multiple analysts was used to avoid analytic bias. Findings: Findings showed that older Chinese immigrants experienced social exclusion in the following dimensions: basic services; material and financial resources; social relations and activities; socio-cultural aspects; and neighborhood/territory/community. In addition to age-related factors, immigration-related factors, including changes in physical and socio-cultural environments and legal status, also contributed to older immigrants’ extra vulnerabilities to social exclusion. Conclusions: This study provides useful information and strategies for human and healthcare service providers to find ways to overcome social exclusion and enhance older Chinese immigrants’ social inclusion in the U.S.

Keywords: accumulating disadvantages; older Chinese immigrant; social exclusion; socio-cultural environment (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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