Older Chinese and Filipino American Immigrants with Type 2 Diabetes and their Adult Child: A Qualitative Dyadic Exploration of Family Support.

Type 2 Diabetes (T2D) among older Asian American immigrants (AA) is a growing concern. Asian Americans represent 9% of diagnosed diabetes. Very little is known on how older Asian American immigrants with T2D navigate diabetes management, in particular the role of family support. This qualitative study examines Chinese and Filipino Americans, the two largest Asian subgroups in the US (4.2 million, and 3.6 million, respectively), and family support dynamics among adult children and their parents diagnosed with T2D. Ten dyads (n = 20) made up of adult children and aging parents participated in in-depth and dyadic interviews. Results indicate that family support occurs in a trajectory of stages. The following thematic patterns emerged in these dyads around support: independence, transitions, partnership, and stepping in. The findings point to various supportive stages that Asian American adult children and aging parents with T2D experience and the importance of developing supportive interventions for both adult children and aging parents at these various stages.

A qualitative exploration of the continuum of help-seeking among Asian American breast cancer survivors.

Breast cancer rates among Asian American women are increasing. Despite this, there are limited studies on help-seeking among this population. Through a qualitative exploration, this paper examines the help-seeking experiences of Asian American breast cancer survivors. Asian American women (n = 52) with early-stage breast cancer were interviewed. Findings illustrate a continuum of experiences including: keeping diagnosis personal and not asking for help, keeping diagnosis personal but asking for limited help, and sharing diagnosis and seeking support. Results indicate that seeking support is a complex process for Asian Americans with breast cancer, with implications for survivorship and quality of life.

Social Influence of E-cigarette Use among Asian Americans in California.

Objectives: The use of e-cigarettes is on the rise in the United States (US). An understudied facet of e-cigarette use is the influence of social groups. The purpose of the present article is to examine the role of social groups in the use of e-cigarettes among Asian Americans. Methods: We conducted 12 semi-structured interviews of Asian Americans who use e-cigarettes living in California. Interviews were transcribed and analyzed using thematic analysis. Results: Findings showed that e-cigarette use is normalized and encouraged among peer groups and social gatherings, anecdotal success stories of their peers who were able to quit or reduce their use of combustible cigarettes using e-cigarettes were motivating, and vape shops provided a space for socialization and belonging. Conclusions: The findings illuminate that e-cigarette use is a mediator in Asian American social groups as an activity for collectivity and connection. Public health researchers and practitioners can address nicotine use or addiction among Asian Americans through group or peer targeted prevention and intervention strategies.

Tiwala, Gaining Trust to Recruit Filipino American Families: CARE-T2D Study.

OBJECTIVE: Filipino Americans have greater risk for type 2 diabetes (T2D) and related complications compared to other Asian populations and non-Hispanic Whites. There are few diabetes intervention studies focused on Filipinos and limited evidence regarding the best recruitment strategies for this hard-to-reach population. METHODS: This article examined barriers and facilitators to recruitment of Filipino families for the "Caring for Asian Americans through Research and Education on T2D" (CARE-T2D) study, which took place in California from June 2018 through June 2019. RESULTS: Recruitment of 50 Filipino dyads (parent with T2D and adult child) were successfully met. Gaining trust through culturally tailored strategies was key in recruiting Filipino participants. Tiwala (gaining trust) strategies involved: 1) using Filipino staff as role models for research engagement and 2) incorporating narrative communications or "kuwentuhan" (Filipino cultural storytelling) with recruitment. Other facilitating strategies included in-person presentations at local colleges and organizations, Filipino community leaders' support, snowball sampling, previous study participant listservs, and posting fliers on family/friends' personal social media sites. Barriers to recruitment included research mistrust, confidentiality concerns, and risks of violating cultural values. CONCLUSION: To our knowledge, this is the first study to recruit Filipino family dyads. Findings will inform researchers and clinicians on how best to recruit Filipino families in community health-related research and public health programs.

Centering Ethnic Studies in Health Education: Lessons From Teaching an Asian American Community Health Course.

Anti-Asian racism and violence dramatically increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, recent studies and reports are showing that the health and well-being of Asian Americans are negatively affected. To address this urgent problem, the field of health education and public health must be equipped with the critical frameworks and concepts to analyze racism and White supremacy and how it affects the health and well-being of Asian Americans. We argue that using an ethnic studies lens in health education can help educators, researchers, and practitioners teach and train health educators to address racism experienced by Asian Americans during COVID-19 in relation to their health. We will discuss the elements of ethnic studies and demonstrate how to use it as a lens in understanding health disparities in the Asian American population influenced and exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Personal Motivations of Asian Americans Who Use ENDS: A Qualitative Study.

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to explore the motivations that encourage Asian Americans to use ENDS. In addition, it seeks to evaluate the underlying implications of Asian cultural beliefs and values that influence the use of ENDS. Methods: We conducted 12 semi-structured in-depth interviews among Asian Americans. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Results: Participants were influenced by Asian cultural values of filial piety and saving face which allowed them to either de-stigmatize or conceal the use of ENDS among their family members and peers. They also reported preferences for e-juice flavors reflective of food and products prominent in the Asian culture. Moreover, respondents also believed that ENDS use is less harmful than combustible cigarettes and reported experiencing perceived health benefits. Conclusion: Asian Americans who use ENDS are encouraged by the perception of their family members and value a sense of comfortability and familiarity when choosing their e-juice flavors. These results can help inform public health educators and researchers create culturally-specific health campaigns and interventions targeting the Asian-American population.

Keeping us all whole: Acknowledging the agency of African American breast cancer survivors and their systems of social support.

While all cancer patients face a bewildering array of treatments, side effects, and emotions, several researchers have shown that African American women with breast cancer experience greater stress and burdens because of unmet supportive needs associated with psychological distress, financial distress, and lower physical/functional well-being. Social support has been shown to improve health outcomes for African American breast cancer patients. The purpose of this paper is to understand the meaning of social support among African American women diagnosed with breast cancer. A total of 47 African American women with breast cancer participated in the in-depth qualitative interviews. Key findings indicate that social support was received in the context of the stability of the extended family network. Moreover, social support was received in the context of distributing the social support received among many members in their personal networks and that social support was only received on patient's own terms. The findings of this paper provide an understanding to the inter-relational and cultural meanings of receiving support by diverse cancer patients. In addition, the findings of this paper have implications for health care professionals working with African American breast cancer patients in understanding how social support can be received.

Qualitative Exploration of Sexual Health Among Diverse Breast Cancer Survivors.

Although the physical and emotional impact of surgical removal of partial or complete removal of the breast as well as effects of breast cancer treatment on the individual have been well documented, little research is available on sexuality and sexual health of breast cancer survivors in a relationship context. Sexual health concerns of breast cancer survivors remain an unmet need for many. The present study consisted of qualitative interviews with 135 racially diverse, female breast cancer survivors who completed treatment to better understand their perspectives on sexual health and management of sexual problems in their potential and existing relationships after breast cancer. Key thematic findings include that breast cancer survivors have to (1) adapt to the physical and emotional traumas of breast cancer surgery and treatment, (2) navigate complicated sexual communications with potential and existing partners, and (3) negotiate intimacy and closeness without sexual intercourse with existing partners. This study demonstrates the need for healthcare providers to discuss sexual health after breast cancer with all of their patients as it is a concern that faces single and partnered breast cancer survivors months and years after treatment.

"I don't have to explain, people understand": Acceptability and Cultural Relevance of a Mobile Health Lifestyle Intervention for Filipinos with Type 2 Diabetes.

BACKGROUND: Filipino Americans have the highest risk for obesity-related type 2 diabetes and related complications compared with all major Asian American subgroups. Identifying effective interventions to improve Filipino health outcomes are needed to reduce this health disparity. OBJECTIVE: To assess the acceptability and cultural relevance of the PilAm Go4Health program - a culturally adapted mobile health weight-loss lifestyle intervention including virtual social networking for Filipino Americans with type 2 diabetes. DESIGN SETTING PARTICIPANTS: Qualitative semi-structured post-program interviews explored perceptions of 45 Filipino Americans with type 2 diabetes in Northern California regarding their perceptions of the acceptability and cultural relevance of PilAm Go4Health. Participants' mean age was 57.6 years. Sixty-seven interviews were recorded, transcribed, and thematically analyzed by four independent coders. RESULTS: Over half (n=26, 57.8%) of the respondents found that a culturally tailored intervention program enhanced their engagement. All (n=45) of the respondents felt that mobile health technology promoted their self-efficacy. A majority of the respondents (n=29, 64.4%) expressed that they progressed from despair to self-efficacy as a result of their participation in the intervention. More than one-fourth of the participants (n=13, 28.8%) discussed that the intervention needed further cultural tailoring. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, PilAm Go4Health - a mobile health weight-loss lifestyle intervention - was acceptable and culturally relevant for Filipino Americans with type 2 diabetes. Findings may help inform clinician and researchers on effective intervention strategies for diabetes self-management when designing interventions for diverse populations.

The Role of Religiousness/Spirituality and Social Networks in Predicting Depressive Symptoms among Older Korean Americans.

This study (1) examined the effects of religiousness/spirituality and social networks as predictors of depressive symptoms in older Korean Americans and (2) compared the best predictors of depressive symptoms. A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 200 older Korean Americans residing in the New York City area in 2009. Best-subsets regression analyses were used to evaluate the best predictors of depressive symptoms. Nearly 30% of older Korean participants reported mild or severe depressive symptoms. The best model fit for depressive symptoms involved four predictors: physical health status, religious/spiritual coping skills, social networks, and annual household income. Social networks and religious/spiritual coping skills contributed significantly to the variance of depressive symptoms. Adding additional variables to the model did not enhance predictive and descriptive power. Religiousness/spirituality and social networks are important for coping with life stress and may be useful in developing effective health care strategies in the management of depression among older Korean Americans. Health education and intervention could be framed in ways that strengthen such coping resources for this population. Future research is needed to best guide prevention and intervention strategies.

Exploring Coping Strategies Among Young Asian American Women Breast Cancer Survivors.

In recent years, breast cancer rates among young Asian American women have been increasing. Despite increases in breast cancer among young Asian American women, little is known about how this population copes throughout diagnosis, treatment, and survivorship. This study was a qualitative exploration of how young Asian American women cope with breast cancer diagnosis, treatment, and survivorship. In-depth interviews with 22 young (under the age of 50) Asian American women diagnosed with early stage breast cancer were conducted. Through qualitative data analysis, three major themes emerged including moving from managing the emotions of others to expressing emotional vulnerability, moving from work and productivity to work-life balance, and moving beyond the family and reaching out to breast cancer survivors. At diagnosis, participants worked to maintain normalcy including caring for others and working during treatment. Once treatment was over, women worked to find ways to use their experience as a transformative one and also to develop more positive coping skills including expressing emotional vulnerability and reaching out to others. Further studies are needed to create and test culturally tailored supportive interventions that enhance positive coping tools among young Asian American women diagnosed by breast cancer.

Challenges in Cancer Self-management of Patients with Limited English Proficiency.

OBJECTIVE: This paper summarizes the barriers and challenges in cancer care reported from a validation project of a self-management intervention handbook from Chinese-American cancer patients with limited English proficiency (LEP). METHODS: Seven health-care providers (HCPs) and 16 Chinese-American cancer survivors with LEP were invited to validate a self-management intervention handbook through networking sampling method. Bilingual versions were developed and validated using the repeated translation process. Online and paper-based survey and interview were conducted to collect information on the perception of barriers and experiences on cancer care. Data were analyzed by the content analysis method. RESULTS: The HCPs reported a bilingual self-management handbook which is useful and feasible for patient self-management. The challenges in giving cancer care to LEP patients included: patients do not engage in discussion, different cultural health beliefs, unable to speak to patients in their primary language, and patients are less likely to discuss emotional and social challenges during treatments. The common barriers and experiences during cancer care included: limited understanding about treatment/medication and side effects, language barriers such as unable to communicate to make the decision, unable to understand information related to resources and do not know what questions to ask, and do not know what to expect during their cancer treatment. CONCLUSIONS: The current findings highlight the need of cancer self-management support for culturally diverse LEP cancer patients. Further research can include applying the supportive intervention to all LEP cancer patients.

Caring from Afar: Asian H1B Migrant Workers and Aging Parents.

With the growth in engineering/technology industries, the United States has seen an increase in the arrival of highly skilled temporary migrant workers on H1B visas from various Asian countries. Limited research exists on how these groups maintain family ties from afar including caring for aging parents. This study explores the experiences and challenges that Asian H1B workers face when providing care from a distance. A total of 21 Chinese/Taiwanese, Korean, and Indian H1B workers participated in in-depth qualitative interviews. Key findings indicate that despite distance, caring relationships still continue through regular communications, financial remittances, and return visits, at the same time creating emotional, psychological, and financial challenges for the workers. Findings highlight the need for further research in understanding how the decline of aging parent's health impacts the migrants' adjustment and health in the United States.

Development and Initial Validation of a Spiritual Support Subscale for the MOS Social Support Survey.

While spirituality and religious practices are important in coping with illness or other crises, there are few ways of assessing support that people receive from members of their spiritual communities. The goal of this study was to validate a new spiritual support subscale for the Medical Outcomes Study Social Support Scale (MOS-SSS). Questions for the subscale were formed based on responses of 135 breast cancer survivors who were interviewed about their cancer experience. Exploratory factor analysis resulted in four specific factors for the MOS-SSS: emotional/informational, tangible, affectionate, and spiritual support. The new spiritual support subscale has adequate reliability and validity and may be useful in assessing an area of support that is not always addressed.

Friends, Depressive Symptoms, and Life Satisfaction Among Older Korean Americans.

This study examined the interactive effects of social network support and depressive symptoms on life satisfaction among older Korean Americans (KAs). Using data from a sample of 200 elders in a large metropolitan area (M age = 72.50, SD = 5.15), hierarchical regression analysis was used to examine the interaction between social network support and depressive symptoms on life satisfaction among older KAs. After controlling for demographic variables, both social network support and depressive symptoms were identified as predictors for life satisfaction. Interaction effects indicated strong associations between higher social network support specifically from friends and lower depressive symptoms with higher levels of life satisfaction. Findings highlight the important role that friends play in terms of social network support for the mental health of older KAs, and the need for geriatric practitioners to monitor and assess the quality of social network support-including friendships-when working with older KAs.

Knowledge and fears among Asian Americans chronically infected with hepatitis B.

Asian Americans are disproportionately affected by hepatitis B (HBV) infection. In the USA, one in ten Asian Americans is infected with HBV. The purpose of the study was to explore knowledge, fears and follow-up care among Asian Americans chronically infected with hepatitis B. A sample of 154 completed an online survey which included demographic information, follow-up treatment information, and HBV knowledge and fears/concerns. Our findings indicate that there are differences by ethnicity and birthplace among Asian Americans in terms of follow-up care and treatment. In addition, our study indicates that there were substantial knowledge gaps regarding contracting HBV, transmission, and prevention. We found that HBV-infected respondents had many fears about their infection. Three primary concerns were identified: (a) concerns related to liver cancer and overall health, (b) transmission to loved ones, and (c) stigma. Our findings indicate that Asian Americans chronically infected with HBV need more education to manage HBV including information on the importance of follow-up treatment and care and education on preventing transmission, risk for liver cancer, and HBV impact on overall health.

Breast cancer and coping among women of color: a systematic review of the literature.

Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed form of cancer for women regardless of race/ethnicity. Women of color are diagnosed at later stages and experience greater mortality than their White counterparts. However, there has been comparatively little research on coping with breast among racial/ethnic minorities at time of diagnosis, during treatment, or in the course of survivorship. This is despite the fact that research has repeatedly shown that distress can impact disease progression and survival. The questions asked of this systematic literature review include: (1) What is known about coping with breast cancer among major racial/ethnic groups? (2) What are the strengths and gaps in research to date? Over 120 peer-reviewed published studies (1980-2012) were reviewed. A total of 33 met criteria for inclusion including 15 quantitative, 17 qualitative, and 1 mixed methods study. The majority of studies were small sample cross-sectional studies. Only five studies were longitudinal, and two randomized-controlled intervention trials sought to improve coping among survivors. The most common topic in both quantitative and qualitative studies was spirituality and coping among African American breast cancer patients. Thirteen studies included Latinas only or in combination with other groups. Only one quantitative and one qualitative study solely addressed the Asian American population exploring coping and adjustment. In the course of this systematic literature review, we elucidate what is known about coping with breast cancer among racial/ethnic minority women and identify priorities for future research.

"Leaving it to God" religion and spirituality among Filipina immigrant breast cancer survivors.

Many Filipinos have a powerful adherence to Catholicism. However, little is known about spirituality and religious involvement of Filipina Americans who have been diagnosed with breast cancer. Ten (n = 10) in-depth qualitative interviews with Filipina immigrant breast cancer survivors identified prayer to be the most common religious practice, followed by prayers by others and spiritual support from the Catholic Church. These findings can help clinicians and researchers understand the role of spirituality and religion in providing comfort and support for Filipina immigrant breast cancer patient as they face the stress of diagnosis and treatment.

"Trust in the Lord": religious and spiritual practices of African American breast cancer survivors.

Few studies have examined the role of religion and spirituality among African American breast cancer patients. This study explored how African American women cope with breast cancer through religious and spiritual practices. Forty-seven African American women who had completed treatment for breast cancer participated in in-depth interviews about their experiences. The majority of the women mentioned using both individual and communal religious and spiritual practices to cope with their breast cancer diagnosis and treatment. The main themes that emerged in terms of the types of religious and spiritual practices included: (1) attendance at religious services, (2) comfort through prayers of others, and (3) encouragement through reading Biblical scriptures. These practices helped women "trust in the Lord" throughout the many challenges of cancer from diagnosis through survivorship. Although this study is exploratory, the findings illustrate how African American women with breast cancer use religious and spiritual practices to cope with their diagnosis and treatment. For clinicians, the findings provides an understanding of spiritual and religious needs in diverse populations and the importance of referring patients onto spiritual and religious resources and support.

Destigmatizing hepatitis B in the Asian American community: lessons learned from the San Francisco Hep B Free Campaign.

Compared to any other racial/ethnic group, Asian Americans represent a population disproportionately affected by hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, a leading cause of liver cancer. Since 2007, the San Francisco Hep B Free (SFHBF) Campaign has been actively creating awareness and education on the importance of screening, testing, and vaccination of HBV among Asian Americans. In order to understand what messages resonated with Asian Americans in San Francisco, key informant interviews with 23 (n = 23) individuals involved in community outreach were conducted. A key finding was the ability of the SFHBF campaign to utilize unique health communication strategies to break the silence and normalize discussions of HBV. In addition, the campaign's approach to using public disclosures and motivating action by emphasizing solutions towards ending HBV proved to resonate with Asian Americans. The findings and lessons learned have implications for not only HBV but other stigmatized health issues in the Asian American community.