title: Taking good care of myself: a qualitative study on self-care behavior among Chinese persons with a permanent colostomy.
abstract: In Chinese culture, as a possible consequence of Confucianism, caring for the sick is considered a moral obligation of family members, while self-care is only the basis of fulfilling filial piety. This qualitative study aims to explore the self-care behavior among persons with a permanent colostomy in a Chinese cultural context of emphasizing the role of family caregiving. Data from in-depth interviews with seven Chinese adults at a university hospital in southwest China were analyzed using content analysis. Informants' self-care behavior was characterized by "taking good care of myself," which underlined individuals' efforts to manage colostomy-related impacts involving: (i) taking care of my colostomy with a proper degree of independence; (ii) taking care of my life by dealing with limitations; (iii) taking care of my mood in a positive way. Findings revealed that informants' self-care behavior was linked to their Confucian beliefs in family obligations, and also influenced by a happy-go-lucky outlook of life, a likely product of Taoism. The information is useful for nurses to design a culturally appropriate care plan to improve self-care behavior and proper family caregiving.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Nursing, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai, Thailand; School of Nursing, Kunming Medical University.
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tao
authors.forename: Praneed
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Songwathana
authors.forename: Sang-arun
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Isaramalai
authors.forename: Qingxi
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002681:China; D003125:Colostomy; D003469:Culture; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012648:Self Care
keywords: Chinese culture; behavior; colostomy; qualitative; self-care; stoma