Korean American Older Adults: A Guide To Managing Your Health

Korean Americans are at high risk of cancer, especially of the liver and stomach. 

Discovering cancer early leads to better results. So:

• Talk with your healthcare professional about any new symptoms. Cancer can be hard to find and treat if you ignore things happening in your body.

• See your healthcare professional quickly if you experience any of the following: feeling a lump in your breast; developing new breathing problems, a long-lasting cough, or coughing up blood; or finding blood in your urine or feces.
• Ask your healthcare professional to screen for cancer so it can be found earlier.

Avoid alcohol, stop smoking, and eat a healthy diet low in salt and fat to decrease your risk of getting cancer.

Diabetes causes high blood sugar levels and leads to other health problems, including damage to your eyes, teeth, heart, kidneys, and feet. Diabetes can get worse if you eat unhealthy foods, do little exercise, or have overweight or obesity. 

Talk with your healthcare professional about how to eat healthier, exercise, and take the medications you
may need. Some tips include:

• Decrease carbohydrates in your diet, such as white bread and pasta
• Eat more vegetables and low-calorie foods
• Drink water (preferred) or sugar-free beverages instead of sugary beverages
• Increase your exercise. It is recommended to exercise for 30 minutes per day, five days a week, but any amount of physical activity is good for your health.

Your healthcare professional will check your blood sugar, blood pressure, cholesterol, and kidney function. Check your feet daily and report any skin problems (cuts, wounds) to your healthcare professional immediately. Have your eyes checked every year and see a dentist every 6 months.

Your risk of having a heart attack or stroke is higher if you have high blood pressure, heart failure, diabetes, obesity, smoking, or do little physical activity. 

Eating foods low in fat and salt is important. Eating lots of vegetables and fruits with little meat and few sweets can lower your risk also. Limit the alcohol you drink to no more than one drink per day for women and two drinks per day for men.

Reducing your risk of having heart disease or a stroke involves:

• Eating foods low in fat and salt.
• Eating lots of fruits and vegetables and little meat and few sweets.
• Limiting the alcohol you drink to one drink per day for women and two for men.
• Getting daily exercise
• Quitting smoking
• Controlling blood pressure
• Taking recommended medications.

Talk to your healthcare professional about how to reduce your risks and follow their advice.

Be aware of immediate risks to your health. 

If you have chest pain and/or shortness of breath, you might be having a heart attack. If so, you need to call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room right away. 

Strokes happen when the brain’s blood supply is blocked or stopped, or a weakened vessel ruptures and bleeds. Brain cells can die within minutes. If you have trouble speaking, weakness on one side of your body, severe headache, or loss of vision or balance you need to call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room right away.

There are higher rates of untreated Hepatitis B infections in Asian immigrant populations. Hepatitis B is an infection that can spread through body fluids. It is important to test for Hepatitis B and receive vaccination. 

If a person with Hepatitis B doesn’t get treatment, they can have serious liver disease later in life.

Tell your healthcare professional if you have never been tested for or vaccinated against Hepatitis B.

Korean Americans are at high risk of having osteoporosis. Decreased dairy intake, from lactose intolerance or cultural dietary preferences, can increase the risk of having lower bone density.

Women older than 65 years and older adults with a history of broken bones need a bone density test to test for osteoporosis, a disease that weakens your bones and can more easily break them. Getting regular exercise and eating foods high in calcium and vitamin D can help your bone strength. There are a few medicines to treat osteoporosis which your provider can prescribe. These medicines can reduce the chances that you will break a bone.

There are steps you can take to keep your bones as healthy as possible:

• Eat foods high in calcium and vitamin D, such as milk (with vitamin D added), yogurt, green leafy vegetables, and fish
• Take calcium and vitamin D supplement pills or gummies if you do not get enough from the food that you eat
• Get physical activity for at least 30 minutes a day, most days of the week
• Avoid smoking
• Limit the amount of alcohol you drink to no more than 1 to 2 drinks a day
• There are a few medicines to treat osteoporosis which your doctor can prescribe. These medicines can reduce the chances that you will break a bone.

Preventing or discovering disease can limit damage to your body. Seeing your healthcare professional at least once a year will help you discover diseases early so that they are easier to treat and you have better results.

Your healthcare professional will discuss preventive healthcare with you. For example:

• Tuberculosis and hepatitis B testing.

• Cancer screenings are important. Some common screening tests are mammograms, prostate exams, and colonoscopies.
• Vaccinations, including flu, pneumonia, shingles, RSV, and COVID-19 shots, can prevent serious infections. If you are concerned about getting vaccinations, ask your healthcare professional for more information.
• Let your healthcare professional and pharmacists know if you take home remedies, herbs, vitamins, or supplements. These professionals can help make sure these remedies are safe with your other medications and treatments.

Tuberculosis is an infection that spreads easily through the air. Serious symptoms include coughing blood, losing weight without trying, or sweating so much at night that you need to change your clothes or sheets. You need to report symptoms like these to your healthcare professional right away.

Let your provider know if you have ever been diagnosed, treated, or been vaccinated for TB. They may need to offer you medication treatment.

Your healthcare team can include physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, nurses, nursing assistants, social workers, pharmacists, therapists, and others. Each team member has special training to help you in different ways.

Your healthcare team will want to know about you, your culture, and what is important to you! You will receive the best care by sharing your cultural beliefs and health care practices. These beliefs and practices can affect your health and healthcare treatments. See the Tip Sheet on Cultural Considerations when Communicating with Your Healthcare Team for helpful suggestions.

Note that if you have immigrated to the United States, your immigration history may be an important part of your personal story. If your healthcare professional knows your history, that will let them know if you have an increased risk of diseases that are common in other countries. It will also help your healthcare professional to know how much access you had to health care before coming to the United States. This information can be sensitive, but we encourage you to share this with your healthcare professional.