ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: In this study we aimed to identify sociocultural and systemic factors influencing diabetes management among South Asian (SA) caregivers in Peel Region, Ontario. METHODS: Twenty-one semistructured interviews were conducted with SA caregivers using a qualitative descriptive design. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis and intersectionality analysis. RESULTS: Themes identified included: 1) prioritizing family caregiving over diabetes self-management; 2) labour market impacts on diabetes self-management; and 3) challenges navigating Canadian health and social service systems. SA caregivers described social, economic, and systemic challenges impacting type 2 diabetes management. Systemic factors influencing diabetes management included discrimination and inequities in labour policies and lack of social and health resources funding. Recommendations by caregivers included whole-family, community-based, culturally tailored approaches to diabetes prevention and management strategies. CONCLUSIONS: Providing support with system navigation, encouraging family-based approaches, and addressing the social determinants of health could be beneficial for supporting SA families with diabetes management and prevention.
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: Individuals from South Asian communities are known to have a higher likelihood of developing type 2 diabetes (T2D), which is often attributed to individual lifestyle and behavioural factors. This focus on individual responsibility can position communities as complicit in their illness, compounding stigmatization and systemic discrimination. In this article, we explore the social determinants of health (SDOH) that influence health behaviours among South Asian adults with T2D from a service provider's perspective. METHODS: Using a qualitative descriptive design, we conducted semistructured interviews with 12 community, social and health-care service providers. We used thematic analysis and the analytical concept of intersectionality to explore how different social locations and SDOH impact T2D management for South Asian adults. RESULTS: Three themes were identified: 1) managing challenges with settlement process, labour policies and job market disparities take priority over T2D management; 2) poor working conditions and low socioeconomic status reduce access to health care and medication; and 3) there are social, economic and cultural barriers to implementing diet and exercise recommendations. CONCLUSIONS: Service providers identified social, economic and systemic factors as influencing the higher prevalence of T2D among South Asian individuals. They also identified their important roles in providing culturally appropriate supports to address SDOH and described advocacy for changes to policies and practices that reinforce systemic racism. The providers further suggested that more equitable employment policies and practices are needed to address the systemic factors that contribute to the higher risk of T2D among South Asian adults in the Peel Region.
