Factors Affecting Quality of Life for Korean American Cancer Survivors: An Integrative Review

Problem Identification: Understanding of Korean American cancer survivors’ quality of life (QOL) within a cultural context is limited. This article examines factors associated with the QOL of Korean American cancer survivors.

Literature Search: A systematic literature search was conducted of PubMed, CINAHL®, Google Scholar, and EBSCO databases from January 2000 to January 2014.

Data Evaluation: The studies were assessed for the relevance to the purpose of the review. Each study was rated on a two-point scale using an 11-item quality criteria checklist.

Synthesis: The 13 studies that met the criteria for inclusion included 7 descriptive, 5 qualitative, and 1 mixed-method.

Conclusions: Social support, communication, and acculturation were key factors associated with Korean Americans’ QOL. Cultural differences were evident for Korean Americans versus other Asian American ethnic groups.

Implications for Practice: More innovative and culturally driven research is needed to understand each minority group’s cultural barriers, as well as to improve cancer survivors’ QOL. Improving the doctor–patient relationship is critical to promoting better cancer experiences for Korean American cancer survivors.