Self-Management Approaches and Life Space Mobility of South Asian Older Immigrant Women with Osteoarthritis in Edmonton, Canada

• Author / Creator

  Nisa, Saba Un

• Background: South Asian (SA) older immigrant women in Canada, encounter distinctive challenges in self-managing chronic diseases like osteoarthritis (OA) and maintaining life-space mobility (LSM). Self-management is vital to dealing with chronic diseases because it enables individuals to actively engage in their healthcare, leading to better symptom control, improved well-being, and greater independence in daily life. This study aims to explore the self-management experience and LSM of SA older immigrant women with OA in Canada.
  Methods: A qualitative descriptive approach was used to interview 12 participants either in person or on the phone interviews. The participants were SA immigrant women aged 60 years or above and suffering from knee and hip OA. Two participants completed walk-along interviews in their neighborhoods. We used purposive sampling and participants were recruited through a developed screening questionnaire for confirmation of hip and knee OA. A thematic analysis was conducted following the steps outlined by Braun and Clarke.
  Findings: We categorized our findings into three themes: (1) Immigration status as a barrier to the management of OA, (2) participants’ beliefs in health and osteoarthritis management, and (3) the impact of OA on LSM. We found that older SA immigrant women encountered challenges in managing healthcare costs due to their immigration status. Additionally, women faced difficulties accessing and utilizing healthcare services, such as experiencing long wait times for treatment. Moreover, OA significantly affected their daily activities, religious practices, and social interactions, which limited their LSM.
  Conclusion: Collaborative efforts within communities are essential to develop and implement effective strategies that address the unique barriers faced by this demographic

• Subjects / Keywords

  • Qualitative research
  • Walk-along interview
  • Immigrants
  • Older adults
  • Osteoarthritis
  • Self management

• Graduation date

  Fall 2024

• Type of Item

  Thesis

• Degree

  Master of Nursing

• DOI

  https://doi.org/10.7939/r3-eqw8-9s15

• License

  This thesis is made available by the University of Alberta Library with permission of the copyright owner solely for non-commercial purposes. This thesis, or any portion thereof, may not otherwise be copied or reproduced without the written consent of the copyright owner, except to the extent permitted by Canadian copyright law.