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Difficulties in health care for female Turkish immigrants with type 2 diabetes: a qualitative study in Vienna

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Summary

According to studies, type 2 diabetes mellitus (DMT2) is more commonly encountered among Turkish immigrants than resident populations in Europe and Turkish people living in Turkey. Within this context this study focused on female Turkish immigrants with DMT2 who are living in Vienna. The purpose of this study was to determine the needs, expectations, special conditions and cultural characteristics of Turkish women with DMT2 by gathering information about their own perceptions about DMT2, difficulties encountered during the diagnosis, treatment and their experiences living with the disease. A qualitative phenomenological design was utilized with a sample of 13 participants recruited from the Turkish mosques in Vienna. The interview guide, which included semi-structured questions, was based on previous studies conducted on DMT2 and immigration. Interviews were transcribed verbally from tape recordings, translated into German and each statement paraphrased for further analysis. The interviews indicated participants’ degree of knowledge about DMT2 and was the most significant factor affecting approaches to the disease. The most important difficulty for the participants was the re-organization of nutritional habits to DMT2 because of the Turkish cuisine culture. The results of this study can be utilized by the health care providers to gain an understanding of Turkish immigrants and DMT2. Thus, it will enable them to adapt their health care and education to meet the needs of this population better.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. The Department of Medical History and Ethic, Cerrahpasa Faculty of Medicine, University of Istanbul, Kocamustafapaşa Cd. No: 53 Cerrahpaşa, 34098, Fatih/İstanbul, Turkey

    Elif Biyikli Gültekin

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  1. Elif Biyikli Gültekin
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Correspondence to Elif Biyikli Gültekin.

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E. Biyikli Gültekin declares that she has no competing interests.

Ethical standards

Local ethics committee approval for the study was obtained from the relevant authority of the Medical University of Vienna (Nr: 411/2009).

Additional information

This study was conducted in 2010 as an undergraduate thesis at the Medical University of Vienna under the supervision of Dr. Ruth Kutalek.

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Biyikli Gültekin, E. Difficulties in health care for female Turkish immigrants with type 2 diabetes: a qualitative study in Vienna. Wien Klin Wochenschr 129, 337–344 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00508-017-1190-2

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