Social Work - Theses
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ItemAn exploratory study into the understanding health professionals have about the impact of culture on the experience of Vietnamese patients diagnosed with cancer.( 2013)Primary research focused on health professional understanding of the impact of culture on the cancer experience of Vietnamese patients does not exist in Australia. Australia’s population continues to grow in diversity with more cultures merging and emerging through waves of migration and the birth of new generations. The Vietnamese population represents one of the most recent waves of migration to Australia, with the Vietnamese population in Australia more than tripling over the past 30 years. However, there remains no published research about how this population gives meaning to their experience of cancer; a disease which has significant impacts on health, wellbeing and quality of life. This exploratory study was based at Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Australia’s only tertiary public hospital dedicated to cancer treatment, research and education. It aimed to describe demographic characteristics of Vietnamese patients and explore the understanding of health professionals about the impact of culture on the cancer experience of Vietnamese patients and their family. This study employed a Practice-Based Research (PBR) methodology across three Phases including Clinical Data Mining (CDM), health professional focus groups and clinical case studies. Results from this research describe the demographic detail of the Vietnamese patient population attending the specialist cancer centre and reveal that there is an absence of comprehensive psychosocial assessment by health professionals and therefore limited referral for support services such as social work. Outcomes from the focus groups illustrate the complex awareness that health professionals have of culture and the challenges this presents in providing cancer care for this population. Recommendations from this study suggest a model of targeted education for health professionals and interpreters to increase cultural and psychosocial competence in providing cancer care for this population. It is recommended that an evidence-informed model of care, integrating a Vietnamese Cultural Advocate into the cancer system, as cultural interface between health professionals, health system and patient and family would be of benefit to the care received by Vietnamese patients and their families.