Examining the health and healthcare experiences of older Vietnamese Canadians who have chronic conditions

Older immigrants in Canada have poorer health and projected health outcomes as well as a harder time seeking and accessing healthcare compared to their younger, non-immigrant counterparts. Although previous research has explored the barriers that older immigrants face, the experiences of older Vietnamese immigrants have not been thoroughly examined. Older Vietnamese immigrants have been studied in other contexts, like the United States and Australia, where researchers found evidence of multifaceted barriers to health, including limited English proficiency, low health literacy, and social/cultural influences on health behaviours. Building on this research, the purpose of my study was to explore the health and healthcare experiences of older Vietnamese immigrants in Canada, who have at least one chronic condition. Intersectionality theory was also used to further understand how health is influenced by various systems of oppression. I conducted semi-structured interviews with eight older Vietnamese immigrants, aged 53-70 (average age 62). Six participants were interviewed twice, and two participants were interviewed once. The data were audio-coded and thematically analyzed. Three themes were identified. The first theme, “Finding a doctor who cares about you is hard”, compared the participants’ lack of adequate care in Vietnam with their experiences of receiving quality care for the first-time post immigration. The second theme, “You just have to try your best”, encompassed the participants’ difficulties with managing their health and accessing care as well as their complex feelings of gratitude and indebtedness to Canada. The last theme, “At this age I can’t be strong and healthy anymore”, identified the ways that participants’ health experiences and perceptions had changed as they aged in Canada, especially as they reflected on the ways that war and poverty had influenced their health decisions. These findings are discussed in relation to past research and recommendations for future research, healthcare policy, and healthcare practice are also provided. Through a deep exploration of the health and healthcare experiences of older Vietnamese immigrants in Canada, this study has further unraveled the complex ways that history, identity, and immigration influence health while also highlighting the importance of incorporating marginalized populations within healthcare research.