Reaching common ground: Protocol for a qualitative study to explore Korean immigrant patient experiences in shared decision-making with primary care physicians

Shared decision-making is central to patient-centered care, yet immigrant patients, particularly East Asian immigrants, are underrepresented in shared decision-making research. Cultural norms and language barriers may shape the decision-making experiences and preferences of East Asian immigrants. Further, existing research on East Asian immigrant patient preferences and experiences is often non-purposive and conflicting. This hermeneutic phenomenological study explores Korean immigrant patients’ experiences and preferences in their therapeutic relationships with Canadian primary care providers, focusing on the elements of “caring” and “sharing” in shared decision-making. Twelve adult Korean immigrant participants will be recruited through a purposive criterion and convenience sampling approach via both active and passive recruitment methods. Participants must have or have had permanent resident status in Canada, have immigrated to Canada from South Korea in the economic category, and have a family doctor or have seen the same primary care physician at a walk-in clinic at least three times. Interviews will be conducted in Korean or English and analyzed through an inductive analysis approach. This study is currently in the recruitment stage. Findings will be shared to participants, the communities involved and published in a peer-reviewed journal presented as aggregate, de-identified themes.