Becker Gay
Institute for Health and Aging, University of California, San Francisco, Calif 94143-0646, USA.
Ann Fam Med. 2003 Jul-Aug;1(2):113-8. doi: 10.1370/afm.39.
To describe Filipino Americans' cultural traditions surrounding bodily awareness, especially how the principle of balance informs their views, and the link to self-management of chronic illness.
This qualitative study used semistructured interviews with 85 Filipino Americans between the ages of 46 and 97 years. Volunteers were recruited from numerous health care sites in 1 geographic location in the United States. Respondents had 1 or more chronic illnesses. Taped and transcribed interviews were coded and evaluated for themes.
The concept of balance was central to Filipino Americans' portrayal of bodily awareness of signs and symptoms related to chronic illnesses, as well as to actions they took to manage their chronic illnesses. Efforts were made to control chronic illnesses through a variety of self-care practices. Diet posed a particular challenge because of the symbolic importance of food in Filipino culture and its use in the maintenance of social relationships.
The ways in which Filipino Americans combine attention to the body, values of balance and harmony, and emphasis on social well-being result in heightened attention to bodily processes. Filipino Americans' emphasis on bodily awareness suggests that this particular cultural strength can be used to enhance chronic illness management. Awareness of the cultural traditions of Filipino Americans can facilitate patient education about how to manage chronic illnesses.
描述美籍菲律宾人围绕身体意识的文化传统，特别是平衡原则如何影响他们的观点，以及与慢性病自我管理的联系。
这项定性研究对85名年龄在46至97岁之间的美籍菲律宾人进行了半结构化访谈。志愿者是从美国一个地理位置的众多医疗保健机构招募的。受访者患有一种或多种慢性病。对录音和转录的访谈进行编码并评估主题。
平衡的概念对于美籍菲律宾人对与慢性病相关的体征和症状的身体意识的描述以及他们为管理慢性病所采取的行动至关重要。人们通过各种自我护理措施来努力控制慢性病。饮食构成了一个特殊的挑战，因为食物在菲律宾文化中具有象征意义，并且在维持社会关系中发挥着作用。
美籍菲律宾人将对身体的关注、平衡与和谐的价值观以及对社会福祉的强调相结合的方式，导致对身体过程的关注度提高。美籍菲律宾人对身体意识的强调表明，这种特殊的文化优势可用于加强慢性病管理。了解美籍菲律宾人的文化传统有助于开展关于如何管理慢性病的患者教育。
