The Struggle for Balance: Culture Care Worldview of Mexican Americans About Diabetes Mellitus

The purpose of this study was to describe, explain, and interpret perspectives, perceptions, meanings, symbols, and lifeways to explicate the culture care worldview about Diabetes Mellitus (DM) for Mexican American participants. Leininger's Culture Care Diversity and Universality Theory served as an organizing framework Interviews were conducted with thirty Mexican American key participants without DM. Four phases of analysis of ethnonursing method revealed thirteen categories, five patterns and three themes. The categories were: Health; faith and religion; natural living; tranquility and stress; strong emotions; susto; immigration; life in US; family advice and support; cultural beliefs; treatments of diabetes; care; and communication. The patterns were a pattern of: Concern about DM with much confusion and uncertainties about the disease; maintaining balance and body defenses towards health; integrating self-care, generic and professional values in care; adaption to change and stressors; and valuing nursing and professional care. The themes American participants value balance and health yet have many uncertainties and concerns about Diabetes Mellitus that impact their culture care worldview; Mexican American participants' culture care worldview of Diabetes Mellitus integrates self-care with generic and professional care values, beliefs and practices; and Mexican American participants' culture care worldview of professional care of Diabetes Mellitus, emphasizes culturally acceptable, compassionate, personalized care, based on communication, mutual trust and respect, provided within the context of the family that supports the person's struggle for balance, health, wellbeing and function. The Struggle for Balance: Culture Care Worldview of Mexican Americans about Diabetes Mellitus Pictorial Model, Hernandez © 2013 was abstracted by author, from study literature, findings and themes. Implications and recommendations for nursing theory, practice, education, policy and research were described.

Name thesis:degree_name

PhD

Level thesis:degree_level

Immediate Access

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Nursing

Year dc:date.available

2013

Author dc:creator

• Hernandez, Jesus Antonio

Contributors dc:contributor

• Rick Zoucha
• William Cody
• Shirley Smith

• Culture care
• Diabetes Mellitus
• Leininger
• Mexican Americans
• Nursing
• Worldview

Language dc:language

English

Repository record dc:identifier

https://dsc.duq.edu/etd/650

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:dsc.duq.edu:etd-1666