Health professionals interface with cultural conflict in the delivery of type 2 diabetes care

Objective: This study explored the knowledge and experiences of
health professionals (HPs) caring for South Asian patients with
type 2 diabetes (T2D).
Design: Fourteen HPs, who supported patients with T2D, were
interviewed. The recruitment strategy employed purposeful and
theoretical sampling methods to recruit HPs who worked across
primary and secondary care settings.
Main Outcome Measures: Grounded Theory (GT) methodology
and analysis generated a theoretical framework that explored HP’s
perceptions and experiences of providing diabetes care for South
Asian patients.
Results: A GT, presenting a core category of Cultural Conflict in
T2D care, explores the influences of HP’s interactions and delivery
of care for South Asian patients. This analysis is informed by four
categories: (1) Patient Comparisons: South Asian vs White; (2)
Recognising the Heterogeneous Nature of South Asian Patients;
(3) Language and Communication; (4) HPs’ Training and Experience.
Conclusions: The findings consider how the role of social comparison, social norms, and diminished responsibility in patient
self-management behaviours influence HPs’ perceptions, implicit
and explicit bias towards the delivery of care for South Asian
patients. There was a clear call for further support and training to
help HPs recognise the cultural-ethnic needs of their patients.