Understanding Culture Care Practices of Caregivers of Children with Cancer in Taiwan

Abstract

This ethnonursing method (Leininger, 1985) was used to explore the emic perspectives (insider's perspectives) of cultural care practices of caregivers who have children with cancer in Taiwan. Forty key and general informants, including 34 family caregivers and 6 nurses, were interviewed in a medical center located in the central region of Taiwan. The results and conclusions included the emer gence of significant themes such as caregivers' use of all cultural knowledge (folk and Western) that was available to them and that became available to promote the best and most appropriate methods of health care for the child. The second theme was the influence of cultural context on caregivers' decision-making for the child's overall health and care. The third theme was the caregivers' promotion and expectation of a care practice of unconditional giving for the purpose of recovery from the illness and well-being for the child with cancer. The results of this study could promote culturally competent care for Taiwanese caregivers and children with cancer. Nurses would be able to understand and integrate generic and professional care and promote culturally congruent professional care to Taiwanese caregivers who have children with cancer.

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