“Life is Bitter and Sweet”: The Lived Experience of Ethnic Minority Elders with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in Rural, Thailand

“I Could Have Stood a Little More Education Rather than Just: ‘Hey, you’re Diabetic Man, Make the Best out of It’”: Revisioning Diabetes Self-Management Education for Older Adults

“…Participants have a wealth of knowledge and life experiences, but may be overwhelmed by the burden of daily care associated with a new diagnosis of diabetes. Our results support the work by Pitchalard et al (2022) and Wallace et al (2019) , who found a good level of diabetes self-management is only reached when the necessary information is easy to access and it meets older persons’ needs, including education and cultural values.…”

“…Increasing rates of diabetes and its complications among older Canadians highlight the need for studies of DSME needs within this group to inform the development of meaningful interventions. Consistent with the literature, participants described how diabetes management is affected by the availability of, and access to, information (Byrne et al, 2022;Li et al, 2020;Pitchalard et al, 2022;Rachmawati et al, 2019). As an example, participants mentioned how their education was limited to receiving pamphlets on what to eat and how to avoid diabetes complications after diagnosis.…”

“…The care provided to someone with diabetes must be comprehensive, addressing the effects of this chronic condition on all aspects of their life ( Erdem & Korda, 2014 ; Pitchalard et al, 2022 ; Sherifali et al, 2015 ; Wallace et al, 2019 ). Health-care providers are a source of health information and coping skills that help individuals with diabetes to understand their condition, change their lifestyle and deal with negative emotions and symptoms ( Sherifali et al, 2015 ).…”

Centering strengths of traditional knowledge and culturally sensitive interventions: Strategizing provision of prediabetes wellness interventions for indigenous peoples and ethnic minorities in the United States and across Southeast Asia

“… 6 A recent hermeneutic phenomenological study was conducted to explore the lived experiences of ethnic minority elders with type 2 diabetes mellitus in rural areas of Thailand where health services and support are scarce. 7 The results highlighted the struggles of ethnic minority elders living with diabetes and the prevalent healthcare inequalities. Healthcare professionals working with ethnic minority individuals in underserved areas should strive to strengthen support systems and services underpinning traditional knowledge and intercultural approach to health.…”