Cultural Barriers to Initiating Insulin Therapy in Chinese People With Type 2 Diabetes Living in Canada

Abstract

RESUME The purpose of this qualitative pilot study was to determine some of the cultural barriers to initiating insulin therapy among Chinese individuals with type 2 diabetes living in Canada. Data were collected using 5 intensive semi-structured interviews and subjected to framework analysis for emergent concepts and themes. Subjects revealed barriers to accepting insulin therapy that were consistent with the general literature. However, these barriers were highly influenced by factors specific to the Chinese culture: associating injections with healthcare practitioners and disease severity; problems with translation between English and Chinese; distrust of Western medicine; and greater familiarity with/easier access to traditional Chinese medicine. Le but de cette etude pilote qualitative etait de determiner quelles etaient certaines des barrieres culturelles a la mise en route de l’insulinotherapie dans la population chinoise atteinte de diabete de type 2 habitant au Canada.