Sense of Community and Quality of Life Among Older Korean Immigrants Living in an Urban Ethnic Enclave during the Covid-19 Pandemic

Background and Purpose:

The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly disrupted community structures and social life, posing challenges to the mental and physical health of older adults, especially those from ethnic minority backgrounds such as Korean immigrants. Previous studies have emphasized the importance of social connections, support networks, and cultural continuity in promoting the mental and physical health of older adults within these populations. This study investigates the relationship between sense of community and quality of life among older Korean immigrants living in a large, urban ethnic enclave. The study draws on Social Capital Theory, which posits that social networks and the resources embedded within them can have a significant impact on an individual’s quality of life. I test the hypothesis that a sense of community, as a type of social capital characterized by social connections, trust, and reciprocity, will be associated with study participants’ quality of life.

Methods:

In August 2022, I conducted face-to-face interviews with a non-probability sample of 286 community-dwelling adults aged 60 and above in Queens, New York. Sense of community was measured by the Brief Sense of Community Scale (BSCS) (theoretical range 0-32, M=19.8, SD=7.27), an 8-item scale with 4 domains, each with 2 items: Membership, influence, integration and fulfillment of needs, and shared emotional connection. I used the EUROHIS-QOL 8-item index to assess quality of life (QoL) (theoretical range 0-32, M=19.5, SD=5.5). The instrument measures physical health and functioning, psychological quality of life, social relationships, and living environment. I used hierarchical multiple regression to examine the association of sense of community and quality of life, controlling for relevant covariates such as sociodemographics (age, gender, marital status, income, level of education, employment status, living arrangement), depressive symptoms and self-rated health. I used SPSS 27.0 for the analyses.

Results:

A multiple regression model explained 44% of the variance in quality of life. F(10,275)=21.65, p<.001. Higher level of sense of community was associated with a better quality of life. (β=.223, p<0.001)). Better depressive symptoms (β=-.706, p<0.001) and worse self-rated health (β=2.898, p<0.001) were associated with worse quality of life.

Conclusions and Implications:

This study highlights the importance of fostering a strong sense of community among older adult immigrants, particularly in the context of public health crises. Sense of community plays an important role in the quality of life of older Korean immigrants in this sample and it may serve as a protective factor against adverse outcomes in public health emergencies such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Policymakers, researchers, and community organizations should collaborate to develop and implement culturally appropriate policies and programs aimed at promoting older adults' sense of community in post-pandemic contexts. The study also highlights the need for more research on the associations between sense of community, mental health, and quality of life among older adult immigrants from various ethnic backgrounds. Understanding their unique experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic can inform the development of targeted interventions to enhance their quality of life and resilience in and beyond future public health emergencies.