Hmong American women living with diabetes.
OBJECTIVE
To understand how to better care for Hmong women with diabetes using nursing theory praxis.


METHODS
Qualitative phenomenologic design, specifically community-based collaborative action research based on Margaret Newman's theory of health as expanding consciousness (HEC).


METHODS
Five Hmong women with Type 2 diabetes and HgbA1c levels over 7.0 were recruited from a community-health clinic. Audiotaped in-home interviews were conducted and data were analyzed to identify common patterns and then developed into a play by the research team with the help of a female Hmong playwright. Community dialogue about the findings generated meaningful actions for health.


CONCLUSIONS
This study indicates the value of nursing praxis rooted in the theory of health as expanding consciousness and the importance of engaging communities to identify meaningful patterns of health and needed actions.


CONCLUSIONS
Evidence-based practice is lacking in the care of Hmong women with diabetes. Community-based collaborative action research rooted in the HEC perspective is a new way to envision models of care.
Yang
Avonne
A
Master of Science in Nursing-Nurse Educator, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC, USA. ayang5@uncc.edu
Xiong
Dal
D
Vang
Eslee
E
Pharris
Margaret Dexheimer
MD
D000328:Adult; D001213:Asian / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002391:Catchment Area, Health; D003153:Community Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D014744:Vietnam / Q000208:ethnology; D014932:Women's Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*