Faculty of Pharmacy, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.
Discipline of Medicine, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia; Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Diabetes Centre, Sydney, Australia.
Women Birth. 2019 Feb;32(1):e17-e23. doi: 10.1016/j.wombi.2018.03.001. Epub 2018 Nov 12.
Gestational diabetes mellitus is one of the most common complications of pregnancy. Women with Gestational diabetes are at increased risk of serious health outcomes, such as pre-eclampsia, obstructed labor, and the development of Type 2 diabetes later in life. Chinese migrants, the third largest cultural group in Australia, are more likely to develop Gestational diabetes than Australian-born women. However, to date, Gestational diabetes self-management has not been investigated in this population.
To explore the understanding and self-management experiences of Gestational diabetes among Chinese migrants.
Data were collected through individual semi-structured face-to-face interviews. Participants were recruited from the antenatal clinic at the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim and thematically analyzed.
Although the majority of participants demonstrated a good understanding of Gestational diabetes, some did not understand the principles behind healthcare advice and faced challenges in self-management. Confusion about self-monitoring of blood glucose and fear of insulin were also evident. Participants relied on both formal and informal sources of information. Some had difficulty obtaining adequate support. Cultural influences on self-management included meeting family needs, Chinese diet and use of Chinese medicines.
To assist Chinese women with Gestational diabetes to better self-manage their condition, there is a need for clinicians to: (1) provide more effective diabetes education to ensure clear understanding of self-management principles; (2) actively elicit and respond to women's confusion and concerns; (3) provide women with adequate practical support; and (4) develop greater cultural awareness.
妊娠期糖尿病是妊娠最常见的并发症之一。患有妊娠期糖尿病的女性发生严重健康后果的风险增加，例如先兆子痫、分娩受阻以及日后发展为 2 型糖尿病。在澳大利亚，中国移民是第三大文化群体，他们患妊娠期糖尿病的风险高于澳大利亚出生的女性。然而，迄今为止，尚未对此人群的妊娠期糖尿病自我管理进行研究。
探讨中国移民对妊娠期糖尿病的理解和自我管理经验。
通过个人半结构化面对面访谈收集数据。参与者从皇家阿尔弗雷德王子医院的产前诊所招募。对访谈进行了录音、逐字转录和主题分析。
尽管大多数参与者对妊娠期糖尿病有较好的了解，但有些参与者不理解医疗保健建议背后的原则，在自我管理方面面临挑战。对自我监测血糖的困惑和对胰岛素的恐惧也很明显。参与者依赖正式和非正式的信息来源。有些人难以获得足够的支持。对自我管理的文化影响包括满足家庭需求、中国饮食和使用中药。
为了帮助患有妊娠期糖尿病的中国女性更好地自我管理病情，临床医生需要：（1）提供更有效的糖尿病教育，以确保对自我管理原则的清晰理解；（2）积极引出并回应女性的困惑和担忧；（3）为女性提供足够的实际支持；和（4）提高文化意识。
