Digital technology, diabetes and culturally and linguistically diverse communities: A case study with elderly women from the Vietnamese community

Abstract

Objective: To report the processes and outcomes of a case study on digital technology, diabetes and culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities. Design: The qualitative study was based on a literature review, consultations and testing of a framework through workshops and an interactive information session. Setting: Consultations, workshops and an information session conducted in western regions of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Method: A framework was designed to address the needs of CALD community members to self-manage chronic conditions using innovative digital technology strategies. This was based on the literature review and 20 consultations held with representatives from health service providers and community organizations. The framework was tested with the assistance of the Quang Minh Buddhist Temple through consultations, workshops and an interactive information session about diabetes, YouTube and digital video cameras, in which 38 elderly women from the Vietnamese community participated. A descriptive and thematic analysis of participant feedback was conducted to determine lessons for future practice. Results: Participant feedback indicated that the information session achieved its goal of raising awareness of ways to use and access diabetes information using digital technology. However, participants noted areas for enhancement and improvement, including more focused and targeted engagement with peer-led techniques, the digital proficiency of participants and digital technology preferences based on age and cultural background. Conclusion: Digital technology was used to improve diabetes awareness information with elderly Vietnamese women, demonstrating the potential for application with others from CALD communities. However, there are continuing challenges in this approach, indicating the need for nuanced community engagement strategies that consider cultural context and familiarity with different kinds of digital technology.

Living Arrangements and Psychological Well-Being of the Older Adults After the Economic Transition in Vietnam

“…The ICT has been seen to provide a convenient and effective approach to communicate with others, and it also has assisted the older adults in receiving information that interests them. Especially the older adults who have been experiencing some illness gain benefit from the resources provided by peer groups, which are credible and updated regularly (Fokkema & Knipscheer, 2007;Cresci & Jarosz, 2010;Pan & Jordan-Marsh, 2010;Näsi, Räsänen, & Sarpila, 2012;O'Mara, 2012;Choi & Dinitto, 2013;Heart & Kalderon, 2013;Tsai, Shillair, Cotten, Winstead & Yost, 2015;Hall, Bernhardt, Dodd & Vollrath, 2015). The emotional support among peer group members has also been a positive impact of using ICT (Gustafson et al, 2015).…”

“…The health related information has usually been accessed from health-related internet sites (Heart & Kalderon, 2013) and the e-health service of the local authority (Hall, Bernhardt, Dodd, & Vollrath, 2015;Levy, Janke & Langa, 2014). Older adults who have been suffering chronic illness have the possibility to get specific information on their disease (O'Mara, 2012).…”

Diabetes Beliefs, Culturally Influenced Self-Management Practices, and Interventions Among Vietnamese Adults: A Systematic Review

“…While a vast amount of literature exists describing interventions to promote DSM, very few studies have been conducted in Vietnamese populations. Only two intervention studies, one from the United States (Wennerstrom et al, 2015) and one from Australia (O’Mara et al, 2012) were identified in this review. Both utilized community-based participatory research methods and included a small sample size.…”

“…Due to the scant number of studies that have tested DSM interventions among Vietnamese populations and the further limitations of self-reported data and cross-sectional study designs within these studies, it remains unknown whether intervention delivery by CHWs is effective in improving population health outcomes. Wennerstrom et al (2015) and O’Mara et al (2012) reported intervention approaches did not report specific theoretical foundations of the interventions, yet their community-based approaches indicate the importance of assuring linguistic and cultural congruence in intervention development.…”

“…Participants' feedback indicated that the information session achieved its goal of raising awareness of ways to use and access diabetes information using digital technology. Furthermore, supporting mechanisms, such as face-to-face contact, language, and an interactive group session involving a respected member of the community from the same racial, cultural, and linguistic background, increased awareness and engagement with technology (O'Mara et al, 2012). The researchers underscored the need for tailored community engagement strategies that consider cultural context and familiarity with various kinds of digital technology in intervention design.…”