Asian Clients Research Articles

Ethnic Identity Protects and Internalized Racism Harms Health and Coping in Asian Americans Following COVID-19 Discrimination: A Mixed-Methods Study.

Mechanisms underlying the link between COVID-19 anti-Asian racial discrimination and psychological health are underexplored. This mixed-methods study examined the moderating effects of ethnic identity and internalized racism on the relationship between COVID discrimination and behavioral health outcomes among Asian Americans. We hypothesized that individuals with lower ethnic identity and higher internalized racism levels would demonstrate more adverse outcomes, including worsened psychological trauma and identity-avoidant behaviors, post-discrimination. Asian American participants (N = 215) responded to a Qualtrics survey, including qualitative and quantitative questions on COVID-related racism experiences, ethnic identity, internalized racism, trauma, and other subsequent effects. For qualitative analysis, participants were sorted into four subgroups defined by low- and/or high-ethnic identity and internalized racism scores, and we explored themes in participant reports of identity-related coping effects after racism. We additionally used hierarchical multiple regression analyses to quantitatively assess the moderating impact of ethnic identity and internalized racism on the relationship between COVID discrimination and trauma. Analyses revealed no moderating effects from the two identity variables. However, qualitative analyses identified themes of identity-promoting and identity-avoidant behavioral responses, and moderation analyses revealed that ethnic identity had a main effect on mitigating racial trauma, while internalized racism exacerbated both racial trauma and PTSD levels. This study identified ethnic identity and internalized racism as underlying causes to behavioral health outcomes for Asian Americans. Results offer mental health providers serving Asian clients insight into identity-related influences to help optimize culturally appropriate interventions and support initiatives of identity promotion to foster community engagement for this population.

Isn’t it time for forensic psychologists to stop using the term ‘gang’?

The concept of ‘gangs’ is poorly defined within legal and psychological literature. This article describes how methodological flaws in studies that apply the ‘gang’ label have perpetuated bias against Black and Asian males. Harms associated with the ‘gang’ label are discussed within the broader context of racism within the Criminal Justice System. Implications for forensic psychological practice in the areas of formulation, risk assessment and intervention planning with Black and Asian clients who have been labelled as ‘gang’ members are discussed. Feelings psychologists may experience upon acknowledging bias in their practice with those labelled as ‘gang’ affiliated are also explored. The article concludes by arguing why psychologists have a responsibility to stop using the term ‘gang’ and proposing alternative language and concepts to understand group related offending.

Translator Competence Requirements Perceived by Translation Clients in the Ever-Changing World

Although the roles of clients have been stressed by TS scholars for decades, the client-translator relationship is a relatively less explored topic. Asian clients' voices have been under-researched. This paper examines the competence requirements that Asian clients look for when hiring translators. It discovers whether there are changes in translator competences expected by clients over time. To achieve the objectives, the Optimale survey was replicated. Analyses are made based on 64 Asian clients participating in the present study and the data from the Optimale survey. It was found that both groups attach greater importance to quality than to speed and put more emphasis on experience than on qualifications. Translators' awareness of professional ethics and standards is stressed. Technological competences are emphasized. When it comes to translation competence, both groups have similar expectations: translators' ability to produce good-quality work followed by their ability to render materials in one or more highly specialized domains and use of translation memory systems.

Navigating Older Adults Service Provision during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Study of Bicultural and Bilingual Asian Human Service Workers

ABSTRACT The pandemic has spotlighted multiple long-standing inequities among marginalized populations. Of particular concern is the population of older Asian adults with limited English proficiency, who rely heavily on bicultural and bilingual Asian human service workers for culturally and linguistically appropriate service provision. With ever-evolving public health measures implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic, new challenges arose for bicultural and bilingual Asian human service workers to provide timely and appropriate care. To better understand the challenges among bicultural and bilingual Asian human service workers, this qualitative study explores how these workers changed their service provision in assisting older adults with limited English proficiency. Using the purposive sampling strategy, ten bicultural and bilingual Asian human service workers participated in the study that employed a phenomenological approach. Findings suggest that the workers need additional support to create a more comprehensive system of care for their older Asian clients who carry dual cultures and systems during the time of public health emergencies. Implications for social work and human service practice are offered.

Producing Ayurveda: Authenticity and Race in the Beauty and Wellness Industries

Producing Ayurveda:Authenticity and Race in the Beauty and Wellness Industries Hareem Khan (bio) Introduction In a 2021 article titled, "The Beauty Brands Placing Cultural Appreciation Over Appropriation," Roberta Schroeder described "plenty of promising brands... stepping in to fill" what she called an "authenticity void." In her view, "these niche brands are bringing ancient beauty rituals alive, connecting consumers to their heritage in a way that can't be imitated."1 The depths of this "authenticity void" raise the specter of contemporary global capitalism and reveal the constitutive ways racialized narratives around the consumption of beauty and wellness claim to be the antidote to this void. Ayurveda, as one manifestation of the "ancient" beauty and wellness rituals to which Schroeder alluded, is the overarching site for this study of authenticity. It is one of the oldest indigenous medical traditions of the Indian subcontinent, dating back thousands of years. Today it is often articulated as a set of practices, diets, applications, and regimens geared toward longevity and holistic health that has been made more visible by the burgeoning of Ayurvedic wellness and beauty industries represented by spas, clinics, credentialing courses, and skincare and makeup lines.2 Although integrated with the American wellness landscape for decades, Ayurveda has recently launched to the forefront of beauty and wellness discourses that draw on racialized conceptions of culture, identity, and authenticity. Unlike other forms of alternative medicine, Ayurveda is often [End Page 19] authenticated by its tethering to a particular understanding of India, Indians, and to some degree Hinduism. The early reception of Ayurveda in the United States also differs from other racialized medical systems due to its popularity among non-South Asian clients. Traditional Chinese medicine, for example, emerged out of "ethnic enclaves" and circulated via diasporic routes. Ayurveda, on the other hand, was disseminated through the language and embodiment of universality even while securing its links to India. As a result, its marketing as a "cultural commodity" activates unique forms of authenticity such that Ayurveda gets located to a racialized tradition while simultaneously deeming itself an inclusive ideology.3 These constructed proximities warrant a critical analysis of race-making, which underlies the production, circulation, and consumption of transnational wellness and aesthetic practices alongside producing the conditions of their global palatability. As one Ayurvedic practitioner I interviewed opined, "Ayurveda may have had its origins over there [India], but it belongs everywhere." Thus, what are the particular racialized narratives surrounding Ayurveda that allow it to be both specifically "over there" and generally "everywhere"? This article focuses on the accelerated growth of Ayurveda, its linkages to—and migrations from—the Global South, and its contemporary productions in the United States. Specifically, I am curious about the processes of racialization that structure the Ayurvedic beauty and wellness industries, which rely on an imagining of the Global South to bolster Ayurveda's legitimacy in the West. Scholarship on the visibility of Ayurveda in the West often focuses on its role as a cultural alternative to Western or allopathic medicine.4 Other studies explore Ayurveda's expansion into the wellness industries and the proliferation of Ayurvedic spas and resorts in India and globally.5 My work is shaped by this scholarship; however, it takes race as a central logic to understand how authenticity is given value in the global marketplace. Borrowing from Paola Bacchetta, Sunaina Maira, and Howard Winant's definition of global raciality as a network of "contextual relations of power," I analyze how racialized discourses utilized within the Ayurvedic beauty and wellness industries can be strategically invoked to secure the project of contemporary global capitalism.6 I explore multiple sites in these industries, set within and against the backdrop of Los Angeles, where the desire for authenticity is used to repudiate hegemonic institutions and values even while it simultaneously concretizes its commitment to the values and desires of neoliberal autonomy. The sites I explore include clinics where Ayurvedic treatments, consultations, and therapies are offered as well as Ayurvedic beauty and skincare companies that market and sell their products online and vis-à-vis social media. The authenticity that is commodified and sold at these sites affirms not [End Page 20] simply an authenticated practice or production of Ayurveda...

Factors Influencing Recovery and Well-Being Among Asian Survivors of International Criminal Sex Trafficking in an Urban U.S. City.

Sex trafficking is serious form of gender-based violence that results in profound adverse health outcomes, yet one that is poorly understood. New York City is a major hub for sex trafficking, with a significant but unquantified number of victims originating from East Asian countries and trafficked via illicit massage businesses. Peer-reviewed studies among Asian survivors of international criminal sex trafficking do not exist. The aim of this study is to qualitatively examine the factors at various levels of influence that impact the recovery and reintegration process of Asian criminal sex trafficking survivors in the United States from the perspective of survivors and front-line service providers. The study was guided by community-based participatory research and trauma-informed approaches, leveraging a collaboration with a well-established service provider organization. Ten in-depth interviews were conducted between 2018 and 2019 with three Korean survivors and seven key informants who were anti-trafficking service providers working with East Asian clients. Data were analyzed using a grounded theory approach. Survivors and service providers vocalized factors at multiple levels that either facilitate or impede recovery and well-being. Levels of influence included structural (e.g., poverty/debt bondage, immigration status, limited English proficiency), cultural (e.g., fatalism, collectivism), institutional (e.g., lack of culturally appropriate, trauma-informed care), interpersonal (e.g., exploitation, social support), and individual (e.g., resilience). Stigma was a crosscutting factor that spanned all levels of influence. This study highlights the voices of survivors and front-line service providers to understand the lives of an under-researched population of Asian sex trafficking survivors. Ultimately, the root, structural causes of survivor marginalization need to be addressed, which stem from the intersection of class-, gender-, and race-related inequities. While survivors continue to experience exploitation and marginalization post-trafficking, they also carry an enormous amount of resilience that must be leveraged in their path to recovery from trauma.

Culturally competent occupational therapy practice for south asians in the United States of America: A narrative review

Background: The concept of cultural competence in health care has gained significant attention in the past few decades due to increased diversity in the United States (US) population. However, studies suggested that occupational therapists in the US are not prepared for this cultural shift. Several research articles indicated that practicing clinicians are either not aware of the need for culturally competent practices or need the training to enhance knowledge on cultural competence to cater to people from South Asian backgrounds. Objectives: This study aims to understand cultural beliefs, the perception of health and illness, the meaning of occupations from the viewpoint of the South Asian clients to help explore culturally competent strategies for occupational therapy (OT) professionals in the US to ensure they provide applicable and culturally appropriate services to South Asian clients. Study Design: A narrative review. Methods: Keyword searches of databases such as PubMed and EBSCO, and the American Journal of OT were performed. The literature search identified and reviewed qualitative/quantitative studies (n = 13) and other articles/resources (n = 9) on cultural competency for South Asians in the United States of America from 2009 to 2021 in English language literature. Manual searches of other relevant journals and reference lists of primary articles were also done. Results: Analysis of the results of studies reviewed revealed three main themes, (1) role of critical thinking and self-awareness that promote or inhibit the use of culturally competent interventions, (2) prior experiences of OT practitioners with ethnically diverse communities, (3) cultural considerations such as common belief, family hierarchy, traditional medicines, and the use of educational material or therapy resources in the native language that may improve therapy outcomes for South Asian clients. Conclusion: Empowering cultural competency requires complex skills such as critical thinking, self-awareness, problem-solving, understanding the dynamics of discrimination, and understanding the service delivery systems. The background information on common behaviors, beliefs, and cultural considerations of South Asians will help devise meaningful client-centered interventions that match the social and cultural norms of South Asian clients, which can improve OT practice for this clientele in the US.

Multilevel Determinants of COVID-19 Vaccine Uptake Among South Asian Ethnic Minorities in Hong Kong: Cross-sectional Web-Based Survey.

BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a disproportionate effect on ethnic minorities. Across countries, greater vaccine hesitancy has been observed among ethnic minorities. After excluding foreign domestic helpers, South Asians make up the largest proportion of ethnic minorities in Hong Kong. It is necessary to plan for COVID-19 vaccination promotional strategies that cater to the unique needs of South Asians in Hong Kong.ObjectiveThis study investigated the prevalence of COVID-19 vaccine uptake among a sample of South Asians in Hong Kong. We examined the effects of sociodemographic data and factors at individual level (perceptions), interpersonal level (information exposure on social media), and sociostructural level (cultural) based on the socioecological model.MethodsA cross-sectional web-based survey was conducted on May 1-31, 2021. Participants were South Asian people aged 18 years or older living in Hong Kong; able to comprehend English, Hindi, Nepali, or Urdu; and having access to a smartphone. Three community-based organizations providing services to South Asians in Hong Kong facilitated the data collection. The staff of the community-based organizations posted the study information in WhatsApp groups involving South Asian clients and invited them to participate in a web-based survey. Logistic regression models were fit for data analysis.ResultsAmong 245 participants, 81 (33.1%) had taken at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine (one dose, 62/245, 25.2%; and both doses, 19/245, 7.9%). After adjusting for significant background characteristics, cultural and religious reasons for COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy were associated with lower COVID-19 vaccine uptake (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 0.83, 95% CI 0.71-0.97; P=.02). At the individual level, having more positive attitudes toward COVID-19 vaccination (AOR 1.31, 95% CI 1.10-1.55; P=.002), perceived support from significant others (AOR 1.29, 95% CI 1.03-1.60; P=.03), and perceived higher behavioral control to receive COVID-19 vaccination (AOR 2.63, 95% CI 1.65-4.19; P<.001) were associated with higher COVID-19 vaccine uptake, while a negative association was found between negative attitudes and the dependent variable (AOR 0.73, 95% CI 0.62-0.85; P<.001). Knowing more peers who had taken the COVID-19 vaccine was also associated with higher uptake (AOR 1.39, 95% CI 1.11-1.74; P=.01). At the interpersonal level, higher exposure to information about deaths and other serious conditions caused by COVID-19 vaccination was associated with lower uptake (AOR 0.54, 95% CI 0.33-0.86; P=.01).ConclusionsIn this study, one-third (81/245) of our participants received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. Cultural or religious reasons, perceptions, information exposure on social media, and influence of peers were found to be the determinants of COVID-19 vaccine uptake among South Asians. Future programs should engage community groups, champions, and faith leaders, and develop culturally competent interventions.

Reconstructing feminist perspectives of women's bodies using a globalized view: The changing surrogacy market in Japan.

This paper aims to evoke an alternative viewpoint on surrogacy, moving beyond popular Western feminist beliefs on the practice, by introducing the history and current context of East Asian surrogacy. To elaborate a different cultural perspective on surrogacy, this paper first introduces the East Asian history of contract pregnancy systems, prior to the emergence of the American invention of 'modern' surrogacy practice. Then, it examines Japanese mass media portrayals of cross-border surrogacy in which white women have become 'convenient' entities. The results of the analysis show how Japanese culture has adopted a rhetoric about the use of white women as convenient surrogate mothers in the global commercial surrogacy market. An essential aspect of surrogacy is the premise that a woman's reproductive function should be accessible to others. Past discussions among feminists have neglected this important point. Moreover, they share the assumption that white surrogacy clients are exploiters, who take advantage of women of colour as surrogate mothers. The current situation in Asia flips this perspective-with white women regarded as easier targets for exploitation by wealthy people of colour. For Asian clients, Westerners can be easily regarded as 'others' whom they can use for their reproductive needs. In today's globalized era, the surrogacy industry is no longer for affluent Westerners only. Considering this change, it is crucial to discuss surrogacy issues by reconstructing feminist perspectives with a globalized view, to help protect women's bodies, regardless of nationality, ethnicity, skin colour, or religion.

Counseling dropout, retention, and ethnic/language match for Asian Americans.

As a heterogeneous population, Asian Americans are typically studied as homogenous, as opposed to making distinctions among nationalities and first languages. The current study examined whether ethnic/language match and mismatch among 150 Asian client/counselor pairs predicted successful completion of counseling and number of treatment sessions while controlling for counseling dropout and retention predictors such as socioeconomic status and acculturation. The participant data were obtained from a deidentified database of clients and counselors at a community mental health center for Asian Americans in the Southwest region of the United States. The main finding was that ethnic/language matching of Asian client and counselor pairs predicted successful completion of counseling and number of treatment sessions. The results of the study suggest that, when feasible, ethnic/language matching of Asian American clients and counselors may minimize patient dropout from counseling. Given that this matching is usually unfeasible, the authors suggest several strategies for improving the retention of Asian-American clients (as well as other clients from international backgrounds) in counseling. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).

Translator Professionalism

In recent decades, Translation Studies scholars have highlighted the concept of translator professionalism as a multidimensional term related not only to practitioners' competency in the language domain, but also to their attitudes, behavior, and actions. This article empirically examines how translation clients in Asia perceive translator professionalism. The analysis is based on 72 clients in Asia. The findings suggest that clients perceive the translation occupation as vital to society but have divergent views on whether translation is a profession. They attach importance to translators' proactive behavior at work, such as their reliability. The clients have statistically different opinions on whether or not translators can share their work-related pictures and information in online communities. They also point out that the lack of a certification system affects the professional image of translators. This research allows translators, clients and scholars to have a more informed perception of translator professionalism perceived by Asian clients.

“Being Unfilial Condemns You to Hell”: Integrative Treatment for Social Anxiety Shaped by Domestic Abuse, Confucian Values, and Taoist Beliefs

Social anxiety is a common and treatable condition but less is known about how to adapt evidence-based approaches in a culture-sensitive way to Asian clients. We present the case of “Sally,” a 25-year-old Chinese Singaporean female who suffered from severe and long-standing social anxiety disorder (SAD), and secondary low mood. Contributing factors included a history of domestic abuse, as well as culturally influenced authoritarian parenting emphasizing the Confucian value of filial piety and reinforced by Taoist beliefs of karmic retribution and supernatural punishment. Treatment was based on Clark and Wells’s cognitive model of SAD with a focus on behavioral experiments, and was enhanced using a schema mode formulation and imagery rescripting to address relevant early memories that were at the origin of the social anxiety. Sally received a total of 42 sessions over the course of 21 weeks, during which she made steady progress toward recovery. Her self-reported depression and social phobia fell from the “severe clinical” range pretreatment to the “non-clinical” range posttreatment; these gains were maintained at 6 months follow-up. Sally’s functioning fully recovered, and she returned to work and school. While behavioral experiments for dropping safety behaviors were useful for overcoming the social anxiety, schema formulation was important for providing Sally with insight to her thought process, and imagery rescripting was crucial for weakening her self-criticism and internalized black and white thinking on filial piety. The significance of culture and religion in SAD, and the potential of adapting cognitive therapy in a culture-sensitive way is discussed.

Culturally Responsive Adlerian Counseling for East Asian Clients

Culturally Responsive Adlerian Counseling for East Asian Clients

How Menopause Symptoms and Attitude Impact Korean Women's Quality of Life After Adjuvant Treatment for Breast Cancer.

Attitudes toward menopause vary across cultures and influence women's experiences of menopausal symptoms, possibly leading to reduced posttreatment quality of life in breast cancer survivors. The aim of this study is to examine the effects of menopausal symptoms and attitudes on health-related quality of life in breast cancer survivors who were premenopausal at the time of diagnosis. A total of 139 women receiving chemotherapy with/without endocrine therapy were assessed with self-report questionnaires of established reliability and validity. Hierarchical regression was conducted to assess the impact of menopausal symptoms and attitudes on quality of life, while controlling for demographic characteristics. Overall, participants endorsed more than half of 46 symptoms, most at the level of mild symptoms, and most reported a less positive attitude toward menopause. Lower quality of life was significantly predicted by more menopausal symptoms endorsed and more negative attitudes when controlling for demographic factors associated with quality of life (R = 26.1%). Most participants experienced change from premenopause to postmenopause after the completion of adjuvant chemotherapy with or without tamoxifen. The results suggest that more menopausal symptoms and negative attitudes toward menopause may affect health-related quality of life considerably in chemotherapy-treated Asian breast cancer survivors. Healthcare professionals should develop a better understanding of the effects of menopausal symptoms and attitudes on quality of life by using a culturally relevant perspective based on patients' sociocultural backgrounds. Furthermore, these findings help healthcare professionals communicate with their Asian clients in a more informed way and provide culturally appropriate and individualized care.

Tips for Mental Health Providers Working with Southeast Asian Immigrants/Refugees [English, Vietnamese, and Spanish versions

Developing trusting and respectful relationships is critical to best addressing the mental health needs of Southeast Asians. This tip-sheet offers some culturally-informed strategies mental health providers can use to build strong therapeutic alliances with their Southeast Asian clients. Vietnamese and Spanish translations of this publication are available for download.

Serving some and serving all: how providers navigate the challenges of providing racially targeted health services

ABSTRACTObjectives: Racially targeted healthcare provides racial minorities with culturally and linguistically appropriate health services. This mandate, however, can conflict with the professional obligation of healthcare providers to serve patients based on their health needs. The dilemma between serving a particular population and serving all is heightened when the patients seeking care are racially diverse. This study examines how providers in a multi-racial context decide whom to include or exclude from health programs.Design: This study draws on 12 months of ethnographic fieldwork at an Asian-specific HIV organization. Fieldwork included participant observation of HIV support groups, community outreach programs, and substance abuse recovery groups, as well as interviews with providers and clients.Results: Providers managed the dilemma in different ways. While some programs in the organization focused on an Asian clientele, others de-emphasized race and served a predominantly Latino and African American clientele. Organizational structures shaped whether services were delivered according to racial categories. When funders examined client documents, providers prioritized finding Asian clients so that their documents reflected program goals to serve the Asian population. In contrast, when funders used qualitative methods, providers could construct an image of a program that targets Asians during evaluations while they included other racial minorities in their everyday practice. Program services were organized more broadly by health needs.Conclusion: Even within racially targeted programs, the meaning of race fluctuates and is contested. Patients’ health needs cross cut racial boundaries, and in some circumstances, the boundaries of inclusion can expand beyond specific racial categories to include racial minorities and underserved populations more generally.

Do received stereotypes about Asian clients apply to Chinese young adults? A survey of counselors in Chinese universities.

Do received stereotypes about Asian clients apply to Chinese young adults? A survey of counselors in Chinese universities.

Transformation of Sexual Expression in Taiwanese Women After Treatment for Gynecological Cancer.

Understanding the sexual experience of women after gynecological cancer is important for nurses caring for this population. Sexual experience should be studied within women's sociocultural context because it influences the construction of sex. However, the sexual experience of Chinese women after gynecological cancer has not been examined qualitatively. The aim of this study is to explore the sexual experience of Taiwanese women after treatment for gynecological cancer. Data for this phenomenological study were collected during in-depth, semistructured interviews with 11 women purposively recruited from outpatients of the gynecological clinic of a medical center in northern Taiwan. Interview data were analyzed using the Colaizzi method. Data analysis yielded 4 themes: (1) suffering from sexual changes and difficulties, (2) judgments and uncertainty about the appropriateness of sexual behavior, (3) maintenance and transformation of sexual expression, and (4) reinterpretation and reaffirmation of feminine value. This woman-centered view of the sexual experience of Taiwanese gynecological cancer survivors can help healthcare professionals understand and educate Chinese and Asian clients about women's sexual expression during and after cancer treatment. This woman-centered view of the sexual experience of Taiwanese gynecological cancer survivors can help healthcare professionals understand and educate women about possible alternative ways of sexual expression during and after cancer treatment.

The Significance of Family and Spirituality vis-à-vis Southeast Asian Clients: Culturally Sensitive Social Work Practice with Refugee Populations

Conscientious social workers would be remiss to exclude family and culture as essential aspects of life in social work practice. As a central part of Southeast Asian culture, family and spirituality are central components that may enhance the therapeutic potential of social work practice with Southeast Asian clients. Cultural sensitivity assumes the need to include practitioners who acknowledge and apply culturally specific principles in accordance with desired therapeutic outcomes. The ability of social workers to accurately perceive, conceptualize, and interact with Southeast Asian refugee clients is considered a necessity in a rapidly changing and complex world. This consideration must remain viable to sustain the integrity and prestige of the social work profession at-large.

Exploring the health visiting service from the view of South Asian clients in England: a grounded theory study.

The fact that health inequalities disproportionately affect the minority ethnic population is not new and projections are that the minority ethnic population will continue to increase. The importance of early intervention and the key role that health visitors can play in attempting to reduce health inequalities is well documented as is the requirement for health providers to establish culturally sensitive services. To date, much of the research has focused on the perspectives of healthcare professionals caring for minority ethnic clients in hospital-based settings and little is known about the perspectives of minority ethnic clients regarding the health visiting service (HVS). The aim of this study was to explore the perspectives of South Asians regarding their experiences with the HVS. The study was conducted in a small town in the South of England between March and June 2013. A qualitative study using a grounded theory approach was used to capture the perspectives of this group regarding their interactions with the HVS. The sample consisted of 15 participants and data were collected through audio-recorded semi-structured interviews and analysed using constant comparative approach. Three key categories were identified: 'understanding the health visitor's role', 'sensitivity of services' and 'the significance of family'. While clients valued one-to-one support from health visitors, there was some evidence of poor communication and ethnocentric tendencies within the service. It was found that South Asian clients distinguish between health and parenting advice, being more likely to accept health advice from their health visitor and more likely to accept parenting advice from their family. The findings, although limited in their generalisability, offer important insights into how South Asians perceive the service and will equip health visitors with a better understanding of how best to improve the experience of South Asian clients accessing the health visiting.