Aging, Health, And Grandparenthood: The Lived Experience Of Recently Immigrated Aging Chinese Men In The U.s. Healthcare System

Chinese men were among the first Asians to immigrate in large numbers to meet American labor demands. Two centuries on, Chinese men continue to immigrate for economic reasons. Despite this long history, explicit and implicit systematic sociopolitical marginalization lead to the under-investigation of health behaviors and needs of Chinese men in the United States (U.S.). Specifically, perspectives on aging for low-income, immigrant Chinese men are limited. This study explores health experiences of recently immigrated low-income elder Chinese men residing in the US, identifying cultural constructs, social determinants, and understandings of health. Informed by phenomenology using a reflective lifeworld research approach, four aging Chinese immigrant men participated in serial face-to-face, audio-recorded open-ended interviews. Analysis revealed these men resided in public housing, with no more than 10 years of US residency prior to interview. They reported satisfaction with US healthcare but faced challenges in healthcare access. Language barrier was cited as the primary obstacle, as well as financial limitation. More existentially, these men entered the US as caregivers for grandchildren. As the grandchildren age of out their care, these men miss home. Nevertheless, the men feel resigned to U.S. residency in light of familial “pull” keeping them from returning home