Speaking identities in Chinese Immigrant Women’s Gynecological Examinations (62)
Tracks
Track 3
| Tuesday, April 21, 2026 |
| 9:20 AM - 9:40 AM |
| 50 Sussex, Upper Gallery |
Overview
Yutong Lu
Details
Learning Objectives: Analyze how Chinese immigrant women negotiate identity and agency during gynecological examinations through communication strategies such as preparation, humor, and small talk; Apply principles of Communication Accommodation Theory and patient-centered communication to design culturally responsive approaches that affirm patient identity and reduce power asymmetries in clinical encounters.
Speaker
Ms. Yutong Lu
Master Of Arts Student
University Of Ottawa
Speaking Identities in Chinese Immigrant Women's Gynecological Examinations
Abstract
Background
Gynecological examinations (GEs) often evoke issues of vulnerability and identity for Chinese immigrant women navigating Canadian medical systems (Niziurski, 2016; O’Laughlin et al., 2021). Rooted in cultural values like modesty and sexuality-related stigma (Ahmed et al., 2017; Pun et al., 2018), Chinese immigrant women may withhold expressions during GEs (Seo et al., 2018). Drawing on Communication Accommodation Theory (Watson et al., 2016) and Patient-centered Communication (Epstein & Street, 2007), this study explores how Chinese immigrant women express and construct their identity through communication with healthcare providers in the context of GEs.
Methods
Twelve semi-structured interviews were conducted via Zoom with Chinese immigrant women in Canada who had recently undergone gynecological examinations The data were analyzed using Braun and Clarke’s (2006) six-phase thematic analysis to examine how participants interpreted providers’ communication adjustments.
Results
Participants described feeling seen and respected when providers used empathetic tones, clear explanations, and active listening. While cultural values like modesty and gender preference shaped expectations, these were viewed as situational influences rather than fixed communication barriers, with many participants attributed their discomfort to individual personality. Many participants asserted agency by preparing for appointments, learning terminology, and using small talk or humor to reduce tension, actively managing how their identities were perceived. Notably, mutual adaptation, such as recognizing shared cultural backgrounds, helped reduce power asymmetries and fostered identity affirmation.
Discussion
Findings show that communication in GEs is also identity work, where patients and providers co-construct belonging, dignity, and cultural recognition. By showing how patients adjust through preparation, humor, and flexibility, the findings challenge the idea that only doctors accommodate. It reframes communication as shared, identity-affirming accomodation and calls for empathy as a clinical and moral imperative in healthcare communication.
Gynecological examinations (GEs) often evoke issues of vulnerability and identity for Chinese immigrant women navigating Canadian medical systems (Niziurski, 2016; O’Laughlin et al., 2021). Rooted in cultural values like modesty and sexuality-related stigma (Ahmed et al., 2017; Pun et al., 2018), Chinese immigrant women may withhold expressions during GEs (Seo et al., 2018). Drawing on Communication Accommodation Theory (Watson et al., 2016) and Patient-centered Communication (Epstein & Street, 2007), this study explores how Chinese immigrant women express and construct their identity through communication with healthcare providers in the context of GEs.
Methods
Twelve semi-structured interviews were conducted via Zoom with Chinese immigrant women in Canada who had recently undergone gynecological examinations The data were analyzed using Braun and Clarke’s (2006) six-phase thematic analysis to examine how participants interpreted providers’ communication adjustments.
Results
Participants described feeling seen and respected when providers used empathetic tones, clear explanations, and active listening. While cultural values like modesty and gender preference shaped expectations, these were viewed as situational influences rather than fixed communication barriers, with many participants attributed their discomfort to individual personality. Many participants asserted agency by preparing for appointments, learning terminology, and using small talk or humor to reduce tension, actively managing how their identities were perceived. Notably, mutual adaptation, such as recognizing shared cultural backgrounds, helped reduce power asymmetries and fostered identity affirmation.
Discussion
Findings show that communication in GEs is also identity work, where patients and providers co-construct belonging, dignity, and cultural recognition. By showing how patients adjust through preparation, humor, and flexibility, the findings challenge the idea that only doctors accommodate. It reframes communication as shared, identity-affirming accomodation and calls for empathy as a clinical and moral imperative in healthcare communication.
Biography
Yutong Lu is a Master of Arts student in Communication at the University of Ottawa, specializing in health communication and cultural perspectives in healthcare. Her research explores how Chinese immigrant women experience communication with healthcare providers during gynecological examinations, with a focus on cultural, linguistic, and interpersonal factors that influence patient comfort and agency.
COI Disclosure: I do not have an affiliation (financial or otherwise) with any for-profit or not-for-profit organizations
COI Disclosure: I do not have an affiliation (financial or otherwise) with any for-profit or not-for-profit organizations
