Building Resilience for Advance Care Planning (ACP) in Chinese Americans

The overall objective of this pilot study is to develop a culturally tailored resilience-building intervention for Chinese Americans with cancer or heart disease in Chicago. A qualitative analysis of semi-structured interviews will be conducted to identify how religious leaders addressed death-related topics with Chinese Americans with cancer, heart disease, or hypertension in Chicago. In addition, a mixed-method study using surveys and focus groups to understand the readiness, support, and resources of Chinese Americans living in Chicago to participate in ACP discussions with their family. Finally, a usability study will ask Chinese Americans with cancer, high blood pressure, or heart disease, and their family members, to share feedback on an ACP pamphlet designed for Chinese Americans.

Group 1

Inclusion criteria

for religious leaders:

• Age ≥ 18 years of age;
• Having served as a chaplain, pastor, or monk at a health care setting or religious organization in Chicago;
• Being able to read and respond to questions in English or Mandarin;
• Having experience in having end-of-life discussions with Chinese Americans in Chicago.

Exclusion criteria

Unwilling to provide consent.

Group 2

Inclusion criteria

for Chinese Americans living in Chicago:

• Age ≥ 18 years of age;
• Identifying themselves as first- or second-generation Chinese Americans;
• Being able to read and respond to questions in Mandarin or English.

Exclusion criteria

Unwilling to provide consent.

Group 3

Inclusion criteria

for Chinese Americans with experience in end-of-life care discussions:

• Age ≥ 18 years of age;
• Identifying themselves as first- or second-generation Chinese Americans;
• Having experience discussing end-of-life care decisions with others;
• Being able to read, write, and respond to questions in either English or Mandarin.

Exclusion criteria

Unwilling to provide consent.

Group 4

Inclusion criteria

for Chinese Americans with cancer, hypertension, or heart disease:

• Age ≥ 18 years of age;
• Self-identify themselves as first- or second-generation Chinese Americans/immigrants;
• Having a diagnosis of chronic diseases, such as cancer, hypertension, or heart disease;
• Being able to read and respond to questions in Mandarin;
• Being of the non-Hispanic Asian race/ethnicity.

Exclusion criteria

• Having cognitive impairment per a Short Portable Mental Status Questionnaire with more than 3 errors, or
• Being born in the US.

Inclusion criteria

for their family members:

• Age ≥ 18 years of age;
• Being able to read and respond to questions in Mandarin;
• Having a family member who is self-identified as a first or second-generation Chinese American/immigrant and has been diagnosed with chronic diseases, such as cancer, hypertension, or heart disease.

Exclusion criteria

Unwilling to provide consent.