Conceptions of Dementia Among Vietnamese American Caregivers

Abstract

Understanding cultural conceptualizations of dementia and caregiving can assist health and social service providers to work more effectively with elders and their families. Interviews with nine Vietnamese American family caregivers in the San Francisco Bay Area were tape-recorded, transcribed and then content-analyzed for dementia labels and attributions. Labels fell into three main categories: (1) lân and closely related folk idioms that refer to age-cognitive decline and confusion in older adults, (2) folk and professional terms that refer to medical illness, and (3) folk and professional terms for mental illness or craziness. Attributions fell into four categories: (1) normal age-related, (2) physiological, (3) psychosocial, and (4) spiritual/religious. An additional theme that emerged from the analysis was the sense of obligation for family members to care for elders and the reluctance to use outside supportive and long term care services.

What do Korean American immigrants know about Alzheimer's disease (AD)? The impact of acculturation and exposure to the disease on AD knowledge

“…A significant number of Korean American immigrants believed AD to be a part of the aging process and the majority (70%) misinterpreted forgetfulness over age 75 as a precursor of AD whereas only 26% of White older adults considered so (Ayalon and Areán, 2004). These findings corroborate findings from qualitative studies on Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese Americans who prominently thought memory loss was a normal part of aging (Braun et al, 1996;Hinton et al, 2000;Jones et al, 2005;Yeo et al, 2001;Zhan, 2004). This view may stem from Asian cultural norms that old age is a period of mental and physical deterioration and memory problems and related behaviors are generally expected to occur (Zhan, 2004).…”

Reexamining the Relationships Among Dementia, Stigma, and Aging in Immigrant Chinese and Vietnamese Family Caregivers

“…The methods of participant selection are described elsewhere (Hinton & Levkoff 1999; Yeo et al 2001). The goal of the overall study was to compare the meanings families assign to dementing illness and help-seeking responses associated with the care of a relative with dementia across different ethnic groups.…”

The sociocultural context of caregiving experiences for Vietnamese dementia family caregivers.

“…In Vietnam, this orientation towards the group or family is reinforced by the practice of having multiple generations in a family live together (Braun, Takamura, & Mougeot, 1996). Allegiance to parents, or filial piety, is strongly valued in traditional Asian cultures (Uba, 1994; Zane & Yeh, 2002), and is a part of Vietnam’s heritage influenced by Chinese culture (Yeo, Tran, Hikoyeda, & Hinton, 2002). Filial piety is characterized by respect, honor, fidelity, devotion, dutifulness, and sacrifice on the part of children for their parents (Chen, 1982).…”

“…Filial piety is characterized by respect, honor, fidelity, devotion, dutifulness, and sacrifice on the part of children for their parents (Chen, 1982). The importance of deference and obligation of younger towards older family members is also reinforced by the practice of ancestor worship, which is based on the idea that a family unit transcends time and space (Yeo et al, 2002). Practicing filial piety means that children unquestionably obey their parents and respect their needs and wishes, even into adulthood.…”

“…Among many Vietnamese, symptoms of dementia are usually attributed to normal aging, physiological, psychological, or spiritual/religious causes (Yeo et al, 2002). A number of key idioms or labels are used to describe someone with dementia, including lân, which translates as “confusion.” Traditional Vietnamese views of health may be influenced by moral/religious traditions that stem from Taoism, Confucianism, and Buddhism (Yeo et al, 2002). Often, spiritual or folk beliefs about dementia overlap with causes from the biomedical model of dementia (Hinton, Franz, Yeo, & Levkoff, 2005).…”