Abstract
This research explored the facilitators and barriers experienced by older Chinese immigrants in the Parent Resident Visa category when accessing and utilising primary care (PC) in Christchurch, New Zealand. A qualitative descriptive design using a purposive volunteer sampling strategy was employed in the study. Nine older Chinese immigrants, four women and five men, were recruited from one local Chinese community centre in Christchurch, New Zealand. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews with participants in their chosen language, such as Mandarin or Cantonese. All data were digitally recorded, transcribed, and translated into English for analysis. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the data through a six-phase approach of "familiarising with data, generating initial codes, searching for themes, reviewing themes, defining and naming themes and producing the report" (Braun and Clarke, 2006, p. 16-23).
The results of this study identified four main themes: healthcare-seeking behaviours; engagement with primary care; navigating healthcare services; and support networks. Results concluded that the enablers and obstacles that affect the access and use of primary care services by older Chinese immigrants are influenced by the factors relating to three broad areas: individual; service providers; and organisational. The new findings of this study reflect that the nurse-led services in the primary care setting facilitated by Chinese language speaking nurses have provided effective nursing care for older Chinese immigrants. This practical measure should be supported by clinical practice.