Abstract
Background: Healthcare providers tend to have a future orientation when discussing disease risk with patients. It is unclear whether this approach is effective with south Asians relative to Whites residing in Canada.
Methods: This was an exploratory study in which south Asian (100) and White (100) people were surveyed using the Zimbardo Time Perspective Inventory. Mean subscale scores and their ranking were compared between ethnic, ethnic and sex, as well as ethnic and age groups.
Results: South Asians had higher present-fatalistic and future time orientation scores than Whites. South Asians who had immigrated >5 years ago (and who were older), had higher present-fatalistic, but not future orientation scores, than those who had immigrated more recently or who were Canadian-born (and were younger). Women (particularly south Asian women) had higher past-negative and present-fatalistic scores than men. South Asians >65 years had higher past-negative, present-hedonistic, and present-fatalistic than Whites. Past-positive was differentially ranked highest by the greatest proportion of both south Asians (39%) and Whites (66%).
Conclusions: Present-fatalistic orientations are associated with certain subgroups of the south Asians studied (those who had immigrated to Canada >5 years previously, were older, or were women). The findings question the appropriateness of delivering future-oriented health promotion interventions to south Asians, who may be more fatalistic.