The aim of this article is to review the methods, innovations, and dilemmas reported in nursing research on chronic illness with ethnically diverse families. Articles published by nurse researchers were systematically searched using Medline, CINAHL, and PsychINFO for the years 1990 to 2000, with follow-up to methodological articles. Research was selected if it sampled families from diverse ethnicities living in the United States and employed family conceptualizations or measures. Four classes of research were identified that (a) examine the appropriateness of various research instruments for use with ethnically diverse families; (b) examine families of varied ethnicities, but report what is common, rather than unique to each ethnic group; (c) examine family processes in a single diverse ethnic group; and (d) compare family processes in at least two ethnic groups. Methodological recommendations for future research are offered.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
AAN Expert Panel on Culturally Competent Nursing Care
. (1992). Culturally competent health care. Nursing Outlook, 40, 277-283.
2.
Chesla, C. A.
(1999). Becoming resilient: Skill development in couples living with non-insulin dependent diabetes. In H. McCubbin, A. Thompson, & J. Futrell (Eds.) The dynamics of resilient families: A qualitative approach. Madison, Wisconsin: University of Wisconsin Press.
3.
Cohen, M.
(1999). The technology dependent child and the socially marginalized family: A provisional framework. Qualitative Health Research, 9(5), 654-668.
4.
Demi, A. S.
, & Warren, N. A. (1995). Issues in conducting research with vulnerable families. Western Journal of Nursing Research, 17(2), 188-202.
5.
Dilworth-Anderson, P.
, Burton, L. M., & Johnson, L. B. (1993). Reframing theories for understanding race, ethnicity and families. In P. G. Boss, W. J. Dougherty, R. LaRossa, W. R. Schumm, & S. K. Steinmetz (Eds.), Sourcebook of family theories and methods: A contextual approach (pp. 627-646). New York: Plenum.
6.
Dumas, J. E.
, Rollock, D., Prinz, R. J., Hops, H., & Blechman, E. A. (1999). Cultural sensitivity: Problems and solutions in applied preventive intervention. Applied & Preventive Psychology, 8, 175-196.
7.
Elfert, H.
, Anderson, J. M., & Lai, M. (1991). Parents’ perceptions of children with chronic illness: A study of immigrant Chinese Families. Journal of Pediatric Nursing, 6(2), 114-120.
8.
Feetham, S. L.
(1984). Family research: Issues and directions for nursing. In H. Werley & J. U. Fitzpatrick (Eds.), Annual Review of Nursing Research (pp. 2, 3-25). New York: Springer-Verlag.
9.
Fisher, L., Chesla, C., Bartz, R., Gilliss, C., Kanter, R., Lutz, C., Mullan, J., & Skaff, M. (1997). Manuscript in preparation.
10.
Fisher, L.
, Chesla, C., Skaff, M., Gilliss, C., Mullan, J., Kantor, R., Bartz, R., Kanter, R., & Lutz, C. (2000). The family and disease management in Hispanic and European American patients with type 2 diabetes. Diabetes Care, 23(3), 267-272.
11.
Fisher, L.
, Ransom, D. C., & Terry, H. L. (1993). The California Family Health Project VII. Summary and integration of findings. Family Process, 32, 69-86.
12.
Gates, M. F.
, & Lackey, N. R. (1998). Youngsters caring for adults with cancer. Image: Journal of Nursing Scholarship, 30(1), 11-15.
13.
Germino, B.
, Mischel, M. H., Belyea, M., Harris, L., Ware, A., & Mohler, J. (1998). Uncertainty in prostate cancer: Ethnic and family patterns. Cancer Practice, 6(2), 107-113.
14.
Gilliss, C.
, Highley, B., Martinson, I., & Roberts, B. (Eds.). (1989). Toward a science of family nursing. Menlo Park, CA: Addison-Wesley.
15.
Graham, S.
(1992). “Most of the subjects were white and middle class”: Trends in published research on African Americans in selected APA journals, 1970-1989. American Psychologist, 47, 629-639.
16.
Hanson, J.
(1988). Parental self-efficacy and asthma self-management skills. Journal of the Society of Pediatric Nurses, 3(4), 146-154.
17.
Hautman, A. M.
, & Bomar, P. (1995). Interactional model for recruiting ethnically diverse research participants. Journal of Multicultural Nursing & Health, 1(4), 8-15.
18.
Holder, B.
, Turner-Musa, J., Kimmel, P. L., Alleyne, S., Kobrin, S., Simmens, S., Cruz, I., & Reiss, D. (1998). Engagement of African American families in research on chronic illness: A multisystem recruitment approach. Family Process, 37(2), 127-151.
19.
Leavitt, M.
, Martinson, I. M., Liu, C., Armstrong, V., Hornberger, L., Zhang, J., & Han, X. (1999). Common themes and ethnic differences in family caregiving the first year after diagnosis of childhood cancer: Part II. Journal of Pediatric Nursing, 14(2), 110-122.
20.
Ledlie, S. W.
(1999). Diagnosis disclosure by family caregivers to children who have perinatally acquired HIV disease: When the time comes. Nursing Research, 48, 141-149.
21.
Marin, G.
, & Marin, B. V. (1991). Research with Hispanic populations. Newbury Park, CA: Sage.
22.
Martinson, M. I.
, Leavitt, M., Liu, C., Armstrong, V., Hornberger, L., Zhang, J., & Han, X. (1999). Comparison of Chinese and Caucasian families caregiving to children with cancer at home: Part I. Journal of Pediatric Nursing, 14(2), 99-109.
23.
Miles, M. S.
, Wilson, S. M., & Docherty, S. L. (1999). African American mothers’ responses to hospitalization of an infant with serious health problems. Neonatal Network, 18(8), 17-25.
24.
Munet-Vilaro, F.
, & Egan, M. (1990). Reliability issues of the Family Environment Scale for cross-cultural research. Nursing Research, 39, 244-247.
25.
Popenoe, D.
(1993). American family decline, 1960-1990: A review and appraisal. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 55, 527-555.
26.
Rankin, S. H.
, Gailbraith, M. E., & Huang, P. (1997). Quality of life and social environment as reported by Chinese immigrants with non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus. Diabetes Educator, 23(2), 171-177.
27.
Rehm, R. S.
(1999). Religious faith in Mexican-American families dealing with chronic childhood illness. Image: Journal of Nursing Scholarship, 31(1), 33-38.
28.
Rei, R. M.
, & Fong, C. (1996). The Spanish version of the Parental Stressor Scale: Pediatric intensive care unit. Journal of Pediatric Nursing, 11(1), 3-9.
29.
Rogler, L. H.
(1999). Methodological sources of cultural insensitivity in mental health research. American Psychologist, 54(6), 1-10.
30.
Sowell, R. L.
, & Misener, T. R. (1997). Decisions to have a baby by HIV infected women. Western Journal of Nursing Research, 19(1), 56-70.
31.
Sowell, R. L.
, Phillips, K. D., & Misener, T. R. (1999). HIV infected women and motivation to add children to their families. Journal of Family Nursing, 5(3), 316-331.
32.
Staples, R.
(1994). The Black family: Essays and studies. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.
33.
Sterling, Y. M.
, Peterson, J., & Weekes, D. P. (1997). African-American families with chronically ill children: Oversights and insights. Journal of Pediatric Nursing, 12(5), 292-300.
34.
Young, J. B.
(1995). Black families with a chronically disabled family member: A frame-work for study. Association of Black Nursing Faculty Journal, 6(3), 68-73.
