title: Social support as experienced by Chinese and Israeli husbands of women with breast cancer: a comparative study.
abstract: The purpose of this research was to compare the experience of social support of Israeli and Chinese husbands of women with breast cancer. Social support was examined from three different sources: wives, friends and family, and the healthcare team. This study is part of a larger descriptive comparative study investigating the husbands' adjustment to their wives' diagnosis of cancer. A convenience sample of 50 husbands from each cultural framework was selected. Support from family and friends and the healthcare team was measured by items from the Social Support Questionnaire (SSQ), the Psychosocial Adjustment to Illness Scales (PAIS) and questions developed by the authors. Israeli husbands reported significantly higher levels of support in all three areas. Chinese husbands were significantly more interested in joining a support group. The results of this study show that culture has an impact on spousal responses to their wives' illness. In developing appropriate breast cancer nursing, nurses need to practice sensitivity and awareness of the cultural differences in order to provide culturally sensitive family oriented nursing care. This study is an ongoing effort of collaboration between nursing professionals from the far east and the middle east.
authors.affiliation: Henrietta Szold Hadassah Hebrew University School of Nursing, P.O.B. 12000, Jerusalem 91120, Israel. ikadmon@hadassah.org.il
authors.forename: Ilana
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kadmon
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Woloski-Wruble
authors.forename: Jiang
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yongqin
authors.forename: Qiang
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Wan-Min
authors.forename: Freda
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: DeKeyser
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000451:nursing; D002681:China; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D005195:Family Relations; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007557:Israel; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011368:Professional-Family Relations; D012944:Social Support; D018454:Spouses / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology*