title: Participation in treatment decision-making among Chinese-Australian women with breast cancer.
abstract: Using Confucian philosophy as a conceptual framework, this article examines the extent to which cultural values and language affect the participation preferences and experiences of the breast cancer treatment decision-making (TDM) process among Chinese women with breast cancer in Australia.
  
  
  
  Three focus groups were conducted with 23 Chinese-Australian women diagnosed with breast cancer in their native language (Mandarin and Cantonese). Each interview was translated and transcribed. Content analysis was used to uncover the major themes.
  
  
  
  Four typologies emerged: the patient as an active decision maker, the patient as a passive decision maker, the patient as a reluctant decision maker and the patient as a reluctant passive decision maker. Language barriers, cultural expectation of doctor's role and family role in Chinese culture appear as influential factors in TDM process among this group of women.
  
  
  
  Intervention to improve doctors' cultural sensitivities in order to help them assess women's role preferences in TDM and the ability of doctors to communicate in a culturally appropriate manner, may improve the process of breast cancer TDM among women from Chinese background.
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing and Midwifery, Western Sydney University, Locked bag 1797, Penrith, NSW, 2751, Australia. C.Kwok@uws.edu.au.
authors.forename: Cannas
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-6296-1144
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kwok
authors.affiliation: Sydney Nursing School, The University of Sydney, 88 Mallett St, Camperdown, NSW, 2050, Australia.
authors.forename: Fung Kuen
authors.initials: FK
authors.lastname: Koo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D044466:Asian People / Q000523:psychology*; D001315:Australia; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy*; D002681:China / Q000208:ethnology; D003144:Communication Barriers; D032903:Confucianism; D003657:Decision Making; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010358:Patient Participation; D010820:Physicians
keywords: Breast Cancer; MRM; TDM