The influence of Chinese culture and customs on the beliefs and health-related behaviours of Chinese women with gestational diabetes mellitus: A qualitative study

ObjectiveThe study aimed to explore the influence of Chinese culture and customs on the beliefs and health-related behaviours of Chinese women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM).MethodsThis descriptive qualitative study conducted semi-structured interviews with 15 Chinese women between November 2022 and January 2023. The interview data were analysed using thematic analysis.ResultsThree major themes are found: (1) beliefs in health, (2) beliefs in illness and GDM and (3) beliefs in health-related behaviours. They worried about the negative effects of GDM on the infant and family, so they actively sought medical advice to maintain health. However, it is challenging for them to balance adhering to healthcare professionals' advice and avoiding practical difficulties in the impact of the Chinese sociocultural context.ConclusionThis study emphasizes the influence of Chinese culture and customs on the beliefs and health-related behaviours of women with GDM. Healthcare providers should recognize the influence of Chinese culture, customs and beliefs on women with GDM and their families, in order to provide individualized education to help them maintain health-related behaviours. What is already known about this topic?The prevalence of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is increasing in China and affects 14.8% of pregnant women.Some personal beliefs about illness and health can lead to inadequate self-care behaviours and thus failure to achieve optimal self-management and health goals.Factors of Chinese sociocultural content and Chinese traditional culture and customs may have different influences on Chinese married women's beliefs in health, illness and health-related behaviours.What this paper adds?Influenced by Chinese culture and customs, Chinese women's perspectives on gestational diabetes are bidirectional. They fear the negative effects of the disease on infants' and families' health and actively seek help, while some try to balance following professional advice and practical difficulties, such as diet control and self-glucose monitoring.The low-risk self-management awareness, lack of adequate healthcare knowledge, and self-care practice in Chinese women with GDM are one of the factors that lead to practical difficulties in GDM management.Understanding the impact of traditional Chinese culture and customs on the beliefs and health-related behaviours of women with GDM, well-trained healthcare professionals can disseminate personalized health education to individuals, families and communities to improve GDM management in these women.The implications of this paper:Health providers need to constantly update the GDM guidelines with Chinese cultural characteristics based on the cultural acceptance and customs of Chinese women with GDM in order to offer them individualized care and scientific advice.The findings of this study could act as a clinical resource for health professionals to investigate the impact of differences in culture and customs across countries or regions on individual beliefs and health-related behaviours in different populations.