Aotearoa New Zealand Tongan Residents’ Attitudes to Chronic Cough and Access to Healthcare
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Physiotherapy New Zealand
Abstract
Little is known about the unique attitudes of Aotearoa New Zealand Tongan residents to chronic cough and healthcare access. Chronic cough is synonymous with respiratory conditions and delayed assessment and management may result in detrimental effects on quality of life, hospital admission, and mortality. Talanoa were undertaken with seven Tongan adults to explore attitudes to chronic cough and healthcare access that may facilitate or inhibit diagnosis and management. Three key themes were constructed representing disruption to dimensions of the Fonua model of health and an imbalance between the interconnectivity of life’s dimensions: (1) “feeling the cold” and the “warmth of remedies”; (2) the multidimensional impact of cough and action/inaction taken; and (3) discrepancies between understanding and accessing cough care, including respiratory physiotherapy. Study findings highlight the importance of increased community understanding of chronic cough and why and how to better access care pathways. Appreciation of the unique cultural nuances and health models of diverse patient populations, including Tongan, is essential to enhance engagement and ensure culturally responsive practice is provided. The promotion and marketing of respiratory physiotherapy in cough management is also required so that people understand, access, and engage with therapies to optimise their respiratory health.Description
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New Zealand Journal of Physiotherapy, ISSN: 0303-7193 (Print); 2230-4886 (Online), Physiotherapy New Zealand, 52(3). doi: 10.15619/nzjp.v52i3.454
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The New Zealand Journal of Physiotherapy is registered on Scopus, and since 2012, has offered Open Access publication of all content. Present and future journal articles are freely accessible as well as past journals that have been published from 2012 onwards. There are no author fees for publication.