A limited number of studies address the health issues of adults and fewer include elders in their sample. Often when elders are included, they comprise only a small portion of the total sample.
For example, Cha (2003) conducted a study in Colorado that included health history surveys on 40 subjects with 13 (32.5%) elders between the ages of 60 and 86 years. Findings identified that elders had a high incidence of:
- cerebral vascular accident
- diabetes
- hypertension
- arthritis
- muscle aches
Mob Laug
In addition, elders frequently reported mob laug (“old age pain”), a condition that is caused from injuries or overuse from performing heavy work at a younger age. In addition, women may eventually suffer from mob laug, which they believe resulted from insufficient rest or a noncompliance to the traditional Hmong dietary restrictions that are expected during the first 30 days post partum. Mob laug may be manifested as a generalized pain throughout the body or localized in the back, chest, arms, or legs, which becomes more severe in cold or rainy weather (Cha, 2003), and which may be difficult to cure.
Other Health Concerns
Other reported health concerns, including but not limited to elders, include a high prevalence of
- myocardial infarction
- kidney dysfunction
- bladder stones
- gout
- cancer
(Cha, 2003)
