Journal of Pediatric Oncology Nursing
Volume 28, Issue 3, 2011, Pages 169-178

Cultural Beliefs and Coping Strategies Related to Childhood Cancer: The Perceptions of South Asian Immigrant Parents in Canada (Article)

Banerjee A.T. , Watt L. , Gulati S. , Sung L. , Dix D. , Klassen R.* , Klassen A.F.
  • a McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
  • b McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
  • c McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
  • d Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
  • e BC Children's Hospital, Vancouver, British Columbia, United States
  • f Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
  • g McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to describe cultural beliefs and coping strategies related to dealing with childhood cancer identified through a qualitative study of the caregiving experiences of first-generation South Asian immigrant parents of children with cancer. A constructivist grounded theory approach was employed. Families with a child at least 6 months postdiagnosis were recruited from 5 Canadian pediatric oncology centers. In-depth semistructured interviews were conducted in English, Hindi, Punjabi, or Urdu with a sample of 25 South Asian parents. Analysis of interviews involved line-by-line coding and using the constant comparison method. The following 2 central themes related to culture and coping emerged: (a) cultural beliefs about childhood cancer being incurable, rare, unspeakable, and understood through religion and (b) parental coping strategies included gaining information about the child's cancer, practicing religious rituals and prayers, trusting the health care professionals, and obtaining mutual support from other South Asian parents. These cultural beliefs and coping strategies have important implications for health care providers to understand the variations in the perceptions of childhood cancer and coping in order to implement culturally sensitive health care services. © 2011, SAGE Publications. All rights reserved.

Author Keywords

beliefs Coping South Asian culture childhood cancer qualitative

Index Keywords

psychological aspect neoplasm Neoplasms human middle aged Asia statistics Adaptation, Psychological ethnology qualitative research Humans Adolescent male Canada Emigrants and Immigrants female preschool child Infant Child, Preschool adaptive behavior cultural factor Parent-Child Relations Article adult migration Cultural Characteristics attitude to health child parent relation Child
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-80053304998&doi=10.1177%2f1043454211408106&partnerID=40&md5=c9fb8933be60f72603d608773afc709c
DOI: 10.1177/1043454211408106
ISSN: 10434542
Cited by: 19
Original Language: English