Cross-cultural comparison of health perceptions, concerns, and coping strategies among Asian and Pacific Islander American elders

Abstract

This article compares the health perceptions, concerns, and coping strategies among elders in two Asian and Pacific Islander American communities. The qualitative comparison is conducted between elder Chamorros of Guam and elder Chinese of the United States, using a focused ethnography for data collection and the grounded theory method for cross-cultural analysis. The health perceptions of these two communities are manifest in two themes: (a) a sense of holism among body, mind, and spirit and (b) an orientation toward others. The health concerns of these two communities include universal experiences of aging, structural elements within the American health care system, and cultural changes impacting health. A significant coping strategy is adaptation to changes while maintaining continuity. Finally, implications for the delivery of culturally appropriate health care services to Asian and Pacific Islander American elders are discussed.