Christie Beck Boswell and Dr. Leslie Miles & Janelle Macintosh, College of Nursing
Introduction.
Little is currently known about the diabetes incidence rate in Russia. Although it is currently reported that approximately eight million people in Russia currently have a diagnosis of diabetes1, other reports suggest that Russia has underreported this number by three to four times2. This exploratory study sought to learn more about Russian nursing students’ perceptions about the incidence and management of diabetes in Russia. We used a focus group style discussion to learn more from the students.
Methodology.
Russian and American nursing students were paired together in January 2013 and began interacting with each other via the Internet. The nursing school curriculum of the selected Russian nursing students included participation in English classes, and they were deemed proficient English speakers by their faculty. American nursing students travelled to Russia in May 2013 for face-to-face communication and further peer-to-peer collaboration. In Russia, a focus group was conducted with the Russian nursing students in order to better understand their knowledge of diabetes.
Participation in the focus group was voluntary, and all participants signed a consent form that was written in Russian. Upon return to the United States, we used word counts and thematic analysis to describe the Russians’ knowledge and perceptions about diabetes.
Results.
Our experiences in Russia provided us with insights that were far more cultural than clinical. After conducting the focus group with the Russian nursing students, we realized that we were unable to collect all of the data that we had hoped regarding the Russian nursing students’ knowledge and perceptions about diabetes. Although we did not gather the data we anticipated, we did learn about the impact of the Russian culture on research experiences in Russia. Specifically, we became aware of our own cultural naivety, the Russians’ lack of research experience, and the importance of timing. We were able to share our experiences and new knowledge gained at the Brigham Young University College of Nursing Research Conference on November 14, 2013.
Discussion.
As mentioned above, our experience conducting research in Russia provided us different knowledge than we anticipated gaining. The lessons learned, however, were invaluable. Through the course of our experience we learned about the impact of culture on research in Russia. We also learned ways that we could improve future research opportunities in Russia.
Although we were aware of some cultural differences that we would encounter, we underestimated our own cultural naivety. Without realizing it, we reinforced several cultural and financial stereotypes that the Russians had about Americans. Additionally, even though the Russian nursing students and faculty could communicate well, we underestimated the language barrier that would still exist. In the future, we would recommend making greater efforts to interact with the Russian nursing students and faculty in the way that they wanted to interact. We learned that they favored events such as talent shows or theatrical productions, over other activities. Participation in such activities may help build relationships between Russian and American nursing students and bridge the cultural gap.
The Russians’ lack of familiarity with research played a role in their limited participation in the focus group. Research procedures that seem routine in the United States, such as consent forms and IRB approval, were uncommon practice in Russia. Our explanations of the forms and request for their completion were met with some wariness. Our translator was helpful as we tried to explain this, but there was still some uncertainty from the Russian nursing students. In the future, we would recommend placing greater emphasis on the Internet interactions between the Russian and American nursing students in the months leading up to the visit to Russia. Although efforts were made by the American Nursing students to connect with the Russian students, these attempts were not always successful. Increased interactions prior to the Russia visit may have helped build a stronger relationship of trust between the two groups of students prior to the focus group.
Additionally, the timing of the focus group did not necessarily promote a successful focus group. The time allotted for the focus group was at the end of a long morning of student presentations and just prior to lunch. The Russian nursing students who participated in the focus group were tired and ready for a break. Some students participated in the discussion, but many were content to wait out the time until they were dismissed to go to lunch. After the lunch break, Russian and American nursing students were able to play games and engage in other nursing activities together. This seemed to build camaraderie between the students that opened up communication channels further. In the future, we would recommend trying to schedule the focus group after playing games, during a “tea break”, etc. in order to facilitate better communication.
Conclusion.
Cultural awareness is a continual work in progress. It is not something that happens overnight. It is, however, a crucial element in the research process. Although we did not gather the data we anticipated, we gained valuable information about the impact of culture on research and how we can improve in the future.
References
- Population Reference Bureau (2012). Diabetes in Russia. Retrieved from http://cindi.gnicpm.ru/Main%20Part%20English.pdf
- Diabetes in Russia: Problems and Solutions. Retrieved from http://www.novonordisk.com/images/about_us/changing–diabetes/PDF/Leadership%20forum%20pdfs/Briefing%20Books/Russia%20II.pdf