Self‐care behaviours and related cultural factors among Chinese immigrants with cardiovascular disease in western countries: an integrative review

Abstract

Aims and objectives This review aimed to demonstrate the self‐care behaviours of first‐generation Chinese immigrants with cardiovascular disease in western countries and identify related cultural factors. Background Self‐care is the cornerstone to mitigate disease symptoms and maintain health status. Chinese immigrants to western countries, operating within a cross‐cultural context, may find self‐care to manage their cardiovascular disease challenging. Design An integrative review was conducted. Methods Seven databases were searched Scopus, ProQuest Health & Medicine, Medline (Ovid), Embase (Ovid), AMED (Ovid), PsycINFO and CINAHL, with output limited to peer‐reviewed studies published from 2000 to 2020 in English or Chinese. Initially, 2037 papers were screened. Six papers were retained and critiqued using the Joanna Briggs Institute critical appraisal tools. Deductive and inductive approaches were utilised to analyse the findings. The PRISMA 2020 checklist informed review reportage. Result In general, Chinese immigrants with cardiovascular disease took an active role in management of their cardiovascular disease, including through diet and activity adaptation and adherence to western medication. Families also played a significant role in disease decision‐making and management. However, language and cultural barriers impeded their access to health information and resources in host countries. Relevance to clinical practice Understanding self‐care behaviours and associated cultural factors among Chinese immigrants with cardiovascular disease is important to improve nurses’ culturally sensitive practices and provide tailored health education interventions to promote self‐care behaviours among immigrant populations. The scarcity of literature on self‐care behaviours among Chinese first‐generation immigrants with cardiovascular disease indicates the need for further research in this area. Development of culturally and linguistically sensitive health resources and education programs is urgently needed.

Cultural Adaptation and Psychometric Validation of a Cardiac Knowledge Questionnaire for Chinese Immigrants

“…The CADE-Q SV has proven to be both adaptable and useful for multiple language groups; therefore, it is a good instrument to consider for further adaptation to other languages and, now, other immigrant populations 24,49–51 . Given the rapid growth of the Chinese and other immigrant populations in global migration, it is increasingly crucial that instruments be translated and validated in suitable samples, including language groups that have different backgrounds 3,52 . For example, in this study, we have recruited a group of Chinese immigrants living in the community from the metropolitan area of Sydney who originally came from different parts of China (and other related regions) with various socioeconomic statuses.…”

“…In this study, sensitivity analysis has shown that lower education levels and poor English proficiency were associated with poor disease-related knowledge in Chinese immigrants with CHD. Similarly, previous studies have also indicated that language and cultural barriers, as well as inadequate health literacy, have impeded Chinese immigrants with CHD from accessing health-related information and reliable resources, particularly those aimed at promoting healthy lifestyles of nutrition and exercise 6,7,25,52 . Therefore, there is a need to use CADE-Q SV (simplified Chinese version) to understand their disease knowledge levels and improve their knowledge and healthy behaviors in clinical practice aligned with the delivery of culturally sensitive patient educational interventions.…”

Online Health Information-Seeking Behaviours and eHealth Literacy among First-Generation Chinese Immigrants

“…The influence of language proficiency extends beyond an individual’s social and economic participation. For instance, inadequate language proficiency directly leads to poor access to health information, health services, and communication with healthcare providers [ 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 ]. Additional information access barriers are related to cultural disparities between immigrants and healthcare providers in the host countries, and socio-economic disadvantages among migrant populations [ 13 , 14 ].…”

Spanish version of the Self‐Care of Chronic Illness Inventory: A validation study amongst community‐dwelling older adults with chronic multimorbidity

“…The MRT‐SCCI also argues that individuals' motivation to engage in self‐care is influenced by their ability to detect, interpret and manage symptoms, as well as their skills, experience, self‐efficacy, cognitive and functional abilities, social support and access to healthcare (Riegel, Jaarsma et al, 2019). Self‐care is not only a complex, multifactorial process but also a unique phenomenon influenced by each individual's reality (de Maria et al, 2022; de Maria, Ferro, et al, 2021; Zeng et al, 2021).…”