Coping with breast cancer survivorship in Chinese women: the role of fatalism or fatalistic voluntarism.

BACKGROUND: The existing knowledge on fatalism in the field of cancer has arisen largely from the cancer prevention and screening literature. Little is known about the role of fatalism in cancer survivorship, particularly within Chinese population. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to explore the role of fatalism in coping with breast cancer survivorship in Chinese women. METHODS: In-depth interviews were conducted on 29 participants selected from those who attended a local cancer self-help organization in China. Interview transcripts were transcribed and analyzed using qualitative content analysis. RESULTS: Although they actively engaged in emotional regulation and self-care management to cope with survivorship, participants believed in fatalism and accepted their inability to change the final outcome of cancer. Such contradictory behavioral and cognitive aspects of coping reported by participants highlighted the role of a complex belief system involving Ming in positively influencing the interpretation of fatalism and the actual coping efforts taken. CONCLUSIONS: Findings suggest that fatalism related to coping in the Chinese context combined 2 elements: fatalistic belief in and acceptance of the way things are as well as the exertion of personal efforts over the situation. As such, it seems more effectively depicted in terms of the emerging concept "fatalistic voluntarism." IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: When planning intervention for Chinese population, incorporating fatalistic voluntarism as a cognitive belief system in the process of adaptation to survivorship may be more culturally relevant for facilitating their coping behaviors.

A survey of lifestyle risk factors for cardiovascular health among young Hong Kong Chinese women: implications for long-term cardiovascular health.

PURPOSE: To establish baseline data in a population of young Chinese women from which lifestyle risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD) and the implications for long-term cardiovascular health can be examined. METHODS: In a cross-sectional postal survey, a 125-item questionnaire (a translated version of the Minnesota Women's Health Survey) assessing lifestyle risk factors and perceptions of health was mailed to 987 Hong Kong Chinese nurses aged 26 years and returned by 617, yielding a response rate of 63%. RESULTS: Of the women surveyed, 7% reported they smoked, 21% consumed alcohol regularly, and 32% exercised regularly. Ten percent reported being overweight or obese, 31% were underweight, and 8% used oral contraception. The findings have important implications for the long-term cardiovascular health of this group of young women health professionals. CONCLUSIONS: Baseline data of lifestyle cardiovascular risk factors demonstrate that approximately two thirds of the women in this study are at risk of developing CVD when the findings are interpreted within the classification of CVD risk in women developed by the American Heart Association. Further research is necessary to assess women's awareness of risk factors and perceived personal risk.

Effect of music on procedure time and sedation during colonoscopy: a meta-analysis.

AIM: To integrate results from different studies in examining the effectiveness of music in reducing the procedure time and the amount of sedation used during colonoscopic procedure. METHODS: An electronic search in various databases was performed to identify related articles. Study quality was evaluated by the Jadad's scale. The random effect model was used to pool the effect from individual trials and the Cohen Q-statistic was used to determine heterogeneity. Egger's regression was used to detect publication bias. RESULTS: Eight studies with 722 subjects were included in this meta-analysis. The combined mean difference for the time taken for the colonoscopy procedure between the music and control groups was -2.84 with 95% CI (-5.61 to -0.08), implying a short time for the music group. The combined mean difference for the use of sedation was -0.46 with 95%CI (-0.91 to -0.01), showing a significant reduction in the use of sedation in the music group. Heterogeneity was observed in both analyses but no publication bias was detected. CONCLUSION: Listening to music is effective in reducing procedure time and amount of sedation during colonoscopy and should be promoted.

Investigating Hong Kong's Filipino domestic workers' healthcare behavior, knowledge, beliefs and attitudes towards cervical cancer and cervical screening.

The aim of this study was to investigate Hong Kong Filipino domestic workers health behaviors, knowledge, beliefs and attitudes about cervical screening and cancer. A concurrent cross sectional survey design used a snowball method of recruitment was used because of the acknowledged problematic access to a random sample of immigrant women. A total of 98 female domestic helpers were actively recruited through designated recreation centers. The women were between 24-45 years old (mean = 37.9, SD = 7.7). The majority of these women were employed as full-time domestic helpers (91%), were earning less than dollar 4000 Hong Kong dollars/month (92%), were married (82%), with children (91%), were non-smokers (88%), and had at least a secondary level of education (100%), with 66% of these women having completed post-secondary education. While the majority of women had previously heard about cervical smears (78%) more than half (53%) reported never having a cervical smear taken. Women who had a prior cervical smear had significantly more knowledge about cervical smears and cervical cancer (mean = 51.34, SD = 2.5) than those who never had a cervical smear (mean = 49.72, SD = 3.2). Recommendations are made for culturally tailored mass screening programmers out of office hours and health information to be provided in both written and oral Tagalong. Doctors and nurse ideally of Filipino origin should be used to deliver health messages that prioritize the importance of self protection for the family and future fertility issues, culturally prized within Filipino society.