Help-seeking behaviour of Chinese carers of people living with dementia

Wong, Siu Wan Lisa

Help-seeking behaviour of Chinese carers of people living with dementia

Wong, Siu Wan Lisa

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Publication Type:: Thesis
Issue Date:: 2019

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Wong, Siu Wan Lisa
dc.date.accessioned	2019-05-10T03:56:02Z
dc.date.available	2019-05-10T03:56:02Z
dc.date.issued	2019
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/133300
dc.description	University of Technology Sydney. Faculty of Health.	en_AU
dc.description.abstract	Background: The challenge of caring for a family member with dementia is exacerbated when carers do not seek support from others. The aims of the study were to explore: the socio-cultural factors involved in Chinese carers seeking or not seeking help with the care of a family member with dementia, and the enablers and the barriers to help-seeking in the caring role. Method: This exploratory, qualitative investigation employed semi-structured interviews with 16 Chinese people caring for a family member with symptoms of dementia. Nine participants sought help, and seven had not sought help. Results: Chinese cultural ideology influenced perceptions of caring responsibilities and help-seeking decisions in both groups. Barriers included: misinformation from medical practitioners, lack of information about and confidence in support services, and reluctance to seek help. Enablers included: acceptance of dementia, acknowledgement of the need for support, and availability of Chinese dementia support services. Conclusion: Maintaining Confucian social order, including protection of family honour, veneration of elders and filial piety, influence help-seeking as well as access to culturally sensitive and safe support services. These findings have the potential to improve service utilization and opportunities for Chinese carers by informing improved outreach and educational services that accommodate Chinese cultural beliefs and practices.	en_AU
dc.format	Thesis (PhD)
dc.language.iso	en_AU	en_AU
dc.relation	https://opus.lib.uts.edu.au/bitstream/10453/133300/6/02Whole.pdf
dc.rights	The author owns the copyright in this thesis including all reproduction and reuse rights for the work. The work may not be altered without the permission of the copyright owner. Attribution is essential when quoting or paraphrasing from this thesis.
dc.rights	au.edu.uts.lib/ppc
dc.rights	info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
dc.title	Help-seeking behaviour of Chinese carers of people living with dementia	en_AU
dc.type	Thesis	en_AU
utslib.copyright.status	open_access

Abstract:

Background: The challenge of caring for a family member with dementia is exacerbated when carers do not seek support from others. The aims of the study were to explore: the socio-cultural factors involved in Chinese carers seeking or not seeking help with the care of a family member with dementia, and the enablers and the barriers to help-seeking in the caring role. Method: This exploratory, qualitative investigation employed semi-structured interviews with 16 Chinese people caring for a family member with symptoms of dementia. Nine participants sought help, and seven had not sought help. Results: Chinese cultural ideology influenced perceptions of caring responsibilities and help-seeking decisions in both groups. Barriers included: misinformation from medical practitioners, lack of information about and confidence in support services, and reluctance to seek help. Enablers included: acceptance of dementia, acknowledgement of the need for support, and availability of Chinese dementia support services. Conclusion: Maintaining Confucian social order, including protection of family honour, veneration of elders and filial piety, influence help-seeking as well as access to culturally sensitive and safe support services. These findings have the potential to improve service utilization and opportunities for Chinese carers by informing improved outreach and educational services that accommodate Chinese cultural beliefs and practices.

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http://hdl.handle.net/10453/133300