Canadian Punjabi Sikh men's experiences of lifestyle changes following myocardial infarction: cultural connections.

OBJECTIVE

To describe how culture underlies Canadian Punjabi Sikh men's experiences of adopting lifestyle changes following myocardial infarction (MI).

DESIGN

Qualitative, interpretive design. In-depth, individual interviews were conducted with 27 Canadian Punjabi Sikh men post-MI. Data were analysed using constant comparative methods.

RESULTS

Cultural influences were identified in Punjabi Sikh men's descriptions of their experience of adopting lifestyle changes. Actions related to self-care, rehabilitation and lifestyle change post-MI were embedded in collectivist family and community contexts. Three themes, derived from the data, were found to intertwine with these contexts; they related to food consumption, physical exercise and faith and religion.

CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS

These findings highlight how collectivist ideals influence Canadian Punjabi Sikh men's adoption of lifestyle changes post-MI. The content and processes by which healthcare providers deliver heart health and rehabilitation to Canadian Punjabi Sikh men might be guided, at least in part, by the collectivist cultural practices underpinning our findings.