우리나라는 2017년 고령사회에 진입하였고, 기대수명 증가와 더불어 여성노인의 비율이 증가하고 있다. 특히 농촌노인인구 중 여성노인은 2010년 50.1%에서 2017년 58.7%로 지속적으로 상승하고 있고, 나이가 많아질수록 배우자 없이 홀로 사는 경향이 높다. 상당수의 농촌여성노인들은 혼기를 놓친 아들과 함께 동거하면서 정서적지지 및 농사를 위한 노동력을 제공 받지만, 아들의 결혼은 생전에 해결해 놓고 가야 할 과제이자 큰 부담이다. 농촌여성노인은 혼자 아들의 결혼문제를 해결하기 위한 방안으로 우리나라와 외형과 문화가 유사한 베트남 여성을 아들의 배우자로 맞이하게 된다. 언어 및 문화적 차이로 인한 다양한 문제들이 존재하지만 아들 가정을 위해 베트남며느리가 한국 내 가족구성원으로 살아 갈 수 있도록 끝없이 보살피며 힘든 삶을 살아간다. 대부분의 연구들이 가족 내 사회적 약자를 외국인며느리로 특정하여 진행한 연구였고, 여성노인 관점에서 진행된 연구는 드문 실정이다. 이에 본 연구는 Max van Manen의 해석학적 현상학적 연구방법을 이용하여 농촌여성노인이 베트남며느리를 맞이하여 뒷바라지하는 체험의 의미와 본질을 탐색하고자 하였다.
본 연구의 참여자는 J군에 거주하는 베트남며느리를 둔 농촌여성노인을 목적적 표본 추출 방법을 통해 총 8명의 참여자를 선정하였다. 자료수집 기간은 2017년 1월부터 2017년 11월까지 진행하였고, 자료수집 방법은 면대면 심층면담과 관찰을 통해 이루어졌으며, 면담 횟수는 연구 참여자 별로 2~6회, 면담시간은 90분에서 2시간 정도로 자료가 포화될 때까지 수집하였다. 연구 참여자와의 면담 내용은 녹취 후 반복해서 들으며 반성하였고, Max van Manen이 제시한 전체론적, 선택적, 세분적 방법으로 분석함으로써 본질적 주제를 도출하였다. 연구자의 개인적 경험, 어원추구, 관용어구 및 문학과 기타 작품 등을 참고하여 농촌여성노인의 베트남며느리 뒷바라지 체험과 관련된 이해를 높이고자 하였다.
연구 결과 첫 번째 본질적 주제는‘혼기를 놓친 아들을 위해 먼 타국에서 며느리감을 구하려고 발 벗고 나섬’으로 혼기를 놓치고 혼자 늙어 가는 아들을 위해 베트남며느리를 얻기로 결정하기까지의 내용이다. 두 번째 본질적 주제는‘생면부지 며느리를 기다리며 설렘과 염려가 교차함’으로 아들의 결혼이 성사된 후 베트남며느리를 기다리면서 부터 첫 대면할 때까지를 표현하였다. 세 번째 본질적 주제는‘서로 낯설고 달라 부대끼나 며느리에게 정성을 쏟음’으로 베트남며느리를 만나 함께 살아가면서 문화와 사고방식 및 세대차이로 인한 여러 문제로 고단하지만 아들가정의 평안을 위해 며느리를 정성껏 보살피는 것에 대해 그리고 있다. 네 번째 본질적 주제는‘내가 아는 방식대로 며느리를 손수 챙기고 가르침’은 말이 통하지 않는 베트남며느리에게 태교, 산후조리, 손주 양육 및 집안일 등 자신의 알고 있는 방식대로 직접 시범을 보여주며 알려주는 것을 기술하였다. 다섯 번째 본질적 주제는‘나의 낙(樂)인 손주를 보면서 고달픈 삶을 버티며 며느리를 끌어안음’으로 건강하게 자라는 손주를 보며, 비록 베트남며느리가 자신을 챙기지 않아 서운한 마음도 들지만 며느리의 마음을 편하게 해주기 위해 사돈의 경제적 지원까지 감당하는 것을 묘사하였다. 여섯 번째 본질적 주제는‘며느리 눈치를 살피고 숨죽이며 며느리 비위를 맞춰 나감’으로 아들 부부가 변함없이 잘 살 수 있도록 늘 지켜보았고, 몸은 힘들지만 자신이 일 할 수 있을 때까지는 도와주고 싶은 마음에 한없이 인내하며 며느리의 기분을 맞추기 위해 자신의 목소리를 줄이고 살아가는 체험을 구술하였다. 일곱 번째 본질적 주제는‘며느리가 자신의 몫을 할 수 있도록 알게 모르게 챙기며, 입지를 세워줌’으로 이웃과 가족들 앞에서 기를 살려주고, 집안일을 도맡아 하면서까지 한국에 생활하는 것이 불편하지 않도록 힘껏 도와주며, 놓친 일은 뒤에서 묵묵히 채워주는 것에 대해 서술하였다. 여덟 번째 본질적 주제는‘내가 없더라도 집안의 대소사를 감당 할 며느리가 있으니 내 소임 다한 것 같아 홀가분함’으로 가족과 이웃 간에 잘 어울리며, 나를 대우해 주는 아들 부부가 있어 든든하였다. 이제는 집안의 대를 잇고, 제사 지내 줄 며느리가 있어 내 할 일 다 한 것 같아 죽어도 여한이 없으며, 조상들 보기에 면목이 있고, 떳떳한 마음이 들었다고 표현하였다.
본 연구 결과는 농촌여성노인의 베트남며느리 뒷바라지 체험에 관한 이해를 탐색함으로써 베트남며느리를 둔 농촌여성노인의 삶에 대한 심층적인 이해와 새로운 시각을 제시하였다는 데 의의가 있다. 또한 농촌여성노인들의 교육수준에 맞는 맞춤형 건강관리 간호중재 및 여성건강 교육 프로그램을 개발하는 데 기여할 수 있을 것이다.

As the life expectancy increases, the percentage of the elderly women in Korean communities is increasing. In particular, the rural elderly population is 16.7% of the total rural area population, and the older they are, the more likely they are to be living alone. Many rural elderly women live together with their sons who have missed the appropriate age window for marriage and receive emotional support and labor for farming, but the marriage of their son is a task to be solved and a big burden.
The elderly in rural areas chose Vietnamese women for their similarities in appearance and culture with Koreans after deep contemplation over their son''s marriage problems. However, there are various problems due to differences in language and culture, and the elderly women dedicate endless effort for their sons'' family to keep the marriage functional so that the Vietnamese daughters-in-law can live as member of their family in Korea. Therefore, it is necessary to carry out a study on the meaning and essence of elderly women''s experiences of supporting their Vietnamese daughters-in-law.
The purpose of The study isto explore themeaning and essence of the lived experience and practical knowledgein rural elderly women''s perspective in relation to the Vietnamese daughter-in-law using Max van Manen''s (2000) research methodology. Hermeneutic Phenomenology, based on the paradigm of embodiment, provides a philosophical perspective for The study. The study question is“what is the lived experience of rural elderly women in their perspectives in relation to the Vietnamese daughter-in-law?”
Participants of The study were 8 people who live with a Vietnamese daughter-in- law. Their average age was 76and the average period living with their Vietnamese daughter-in- law was 7 years. The data was collected through purposive sampling. The in depth interview was carried out for an average 90 minutes to 2 hours and the range of interview frequency was 2 to 6 times from February to November of 2017. Semi-structural interviews were conducted and tape was recorded with the participants’ consent. Recorded tape was transcribed immediately after interview was completed by the researcher. If necessary, additional phone interview or visit was made to enrich and saturate the data.
To collect various sources of the experiences on the basis of culture, 1 essays, 5 documentary films, 1 magazine and 1 Blog related to elderly women with Vietnamese daughter-in-law were searched.
The results of The study revealed the following 8 essential themes and 28 themes ; 1stessential theme was ‘making a lot of effort to obtain a daughter- in- law from a foreign country for the aged-bachelor son’. This involved participants’ desireto have her son to marry Vietnamese rather than Korean woman because of the latter''s high marriage requirements.
2nd essential theme was ‘Having mixed emotions of joy and concern while waiting for the daughter-in-law without acquaintance, the perfect stranger, to come home’ After the marriage ceremony in the Vietnam, the aged-bachelor returns on his own. The participants are busy preparing things for the Vietnamese daughter-in-law until she arrives at Incheon Airport. It was the experience of meeting the Vietnamese daughter-in-law for the first time.
3rd essential theme was ‘Treating the Vietnamese daughter-in-law with great care on top of physical and mental exhaustion from unfamiliarity and cultural difference from each other’ Though they experienced difficulties in communicating due to differences in culture, way of thinking, generation difference, frustration, costume burst, tiredness, and so on, the participants have been treating Vietnamese daughter-in-law heartfully.
4th essential theme was ‘Teaching and looking after the Vietnamese daughter-in-law in my own way’ The participants have taught and taken care of the Vietnamese daughter-in-law by demonstration and surveillance in their own way in terms of post partum care, nurturing grandchildren and house chores.
The 5th essential theme was ‘withstanding wearisome life by having pleasure from looking after grandchildren and embracing the daughter-in-law’. On behalf of the very young daughter-in-law’, they nurture their grandchildren and also take care of theirdaughter-in-law during her postpartum period. They even withstood stress of providing financial support for the daughter-in-law’s family through the energy gained from the grandchildren.
6th essential theme was ‘holding back her true feelings of discomfort at the situation just for the peace within the family.’ The daughter-in-lawcares more for her own than the participants. Even though this situations causes a great deal of stress she continues to persevere and allow it so that her son’s family can be happy.
7th essential theme was ‘strengthening the daughter-in-law’s position in the family by supporting her in secret.’ Participants recognized hergood behaviors in front of their neighbors or family to empower her. Also, they taught them how to do fundamental activities such as house keeping, nurturing grandchildren and shopping etc. They helped the daughter-in-law to adapt to Korea as soon as possible.
8th essential theme was ‘feeling honorable and lighthearted by having the daughter-in-law playing her role well in my absence after fulling their duties for the family and the ancestors in heaven.’ They felt proud because they fulfilled her duty for the family such as having continued the family line byhaving their aging and single son married. They were happy to see their Vietnamese daughter- in ?law adjusted well enough to help the neighbors who were in a similar situations as they were. Also, Vietnamese daughter- in ?law seemed to get along well with their neighbors and relatives. The participants were proud of themselves having grandchildren, who will hold memorial services for the ancestors after they passed away. They had fulfilled their long-cherished wish so that they are ready to die.
The study is very meaningfulbecause it explored the meaning and essence of the in-depth experiences of the rural elderly women with their Vietnamese daughter-in-law. It provided rich information to develop community mental health nursing interventions to manage all the conflicts arising between the rural elderly women and the Vietnamese daughter-in-law. In terms of nursing education, this study results can be utilized for health education that promotes in-depth understanding of multi-culture families. For the nursing research, the study probed the various health problems experienced by rural elderly women with Vietnamese daughters-in-law from the perspectives of the rural elderly women. Finally, for the aspect of nursing policy, the study identified the need for the development of tailored education programs and support programs to match the level of understanding of rural elderly women and to promote their understanding of Vietnamese daughters-in-law. For a further study suggestion, there are needs to study the experiences of the grandchildren with their Vietnamese mother or with the son to develop a practicaland comprehensive community nursing intervention based on the perspectives of all family members.