Defining Cultural Care for Immigrant Women Through Leininger's Sunrise Model: A Qualitative Study.
Hafize Dağ Tüzmen, Betül Bayrak, Yağmur Sürmeli Akbal
PMID 41821262WHAT IT FOUND
Immigrant women in Türkiye described care barriers that go beyond language.
They reported feeling judged by staff, needing female caregivers for privacy, and relying on family for support. Nurses should anticipate these cultural and structural needs rather than assuming language fluency solves access.
Key findings
01Participants reported experiencing prejudice and racism from healthcare staff, particularly nurses, which altered how they communicated and engaged with services.
02Privacy and gender concordance were critical; many women stated they preferred female nurses or doctors and felt embarrassed discussing women's health issues.
03Family and close social networks were the primary source of caregiving support, with friendships often described as a 'second family' after migration.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
Read the rest of this summary
You get three full summaries a month, free, and we do not ask for a card. Search, the TL;DRs and your library stay unlimited either way.
What it does not show
The sample was limited to immigrant women who spoke Turkish, excluding non-Turkish speakers who may have greater barriers to care. The study was conducted in a single province (Konya), limiting generalisability to other regions or countries. Recruitment was via social media, which may bias the sample towards women with digital access and social networks. The reliance on Turkish-speaking researchers without professional health interpreters may have missed nuances in cultural concepts. As a qualitative study, it describes experiences and perceptions but does not measure clinical outcomes or the effectiveness of specific nursing interventions.
Declared interests
The study was supported by KTO Karatay University and TUBITAK. The authors declared no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret the identified barriers as evidence that cultural competence training has been tested and proven to improve health outcomes. This study describes the problems immigrant women face, but it does not evaluate any specific nursing intervention or solution.