Studies have shown that social support has positive effects on health. However, immigrants were found not to be obtaining enough social support despite a high prevalence of chronic illness.

Qualitative inquiry using ethnographic techniques was used to explicate the role and nature of social support in middle-aged Korean Americans (KAs) who are managing chronic illness through an in-depth exploration of cultural knowledge and lived experience.

Purposeful, systematic and cumulative sampling was conducted based on the themes that emerged from the data. Ten in-depth interviews were conducted in Korean (4 males and 6 females).

Analysis occurred sequentially to the sampling. Using thematic analysis, themes were categorized and thoroughly explored until saturation was reached.

Eight themes were elicited: Family collaboration, God leads me, Finding a way to fit in, Self-enforcement, Not to be a burden, Prioritizing family not me, No one around me, and Stressful aid.

Findings revealed that there were varying degrees of utilization and satisfaction of social support among KAs with chronic illnesses. Specifically, themes were categorized into 4 distinctive modes of utilization ranging from receptive to unreceptive: Obtaining beneficial support described participants’ receiving patterns of social support exclusively from family or spiritual sources in the KA ethnic community. Integration as support illustrated not obtaining substantial support from their community while actively seeking assistance from mainstream resource as a result of successful acculturation. Limiting self from the available support indicated an attitude of not seeking for help regardless of the resource, choosing to manage their illness alone. Adverse effect of the help demonstrated social support as a source of conflict.

The findings suggest that even among homogenous ethnic minority participants (e.g., Koreans) experiences of social support differ. Interventions utilizing social support need careful assessment of an individual’s preference as an effective strategy in managing chronic illness.

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