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Ageing as older Chinese immigrants in Europe—a qualitative systematic literature review considering perspectives from older immigrants, relatives, and professionals

Xu, Hongxuan LU ; Stjernswärd, Sigrid LU orcid ; Glasdam, Stinne LU orcid ; Gulestø, Ragnhild Julante Andersen and Fu, Cong LU (2025) In Frontiers in Public Health 13.
Abstract
Introduction: As the Chinese immigrant population in European countries ages, it is important to gain a deeper understanding of Chinese immigrants’ ageing processes from a life course perspective by recognising the complex interactions between social, cultural, and institutional constructs and dynamics. This article aimed at exploring how older Chinese immigrants in Europe handle everyday lives in respect to ageing from the perspectives of older Chinese immigrants, their relatives, and health/social care professionals.

Methods: The study is registered in PROSPERO (CRD42023455411), and the PRISMA 2020 checklist guided the study. A qualitative systematic review was conducted through searches in the databases CINAHL, Embase,... (More)
Introduction: As the Chinese immigrant population in European countries ages, it is important to gain a deeper understanding of Chinese immigrants’ ageing processes from a life course perspective by recognising the complex interactions between social, cultural, and institutional constructs and dynamics. This article aimed at exploring how older Chinese immigrants in Europe handle everyday lives in respect to ageing from the perspectives of older Chinese immigrants, their relatives, and health/social care professionals.

Methods: The study is registered in PROSPERO (CRD42023455411), and the PRISMA 2020 checklist guided the study. A qualitative systematic review was conducted through searches in the databases CINAHL, Embase, PsycINFO, Medline/PubMed, SocINDEX, Web of Science, and pearl search in Scopus (last search 3 September, 2023). Inclusion criteria were: (1) Studies about Chinese immigrants’ everyday lives, living, and ageing, or studies focusing on their use of health/social care services, (2) Perspectives of Chinese immigrants in Europe, their relatives, and related health/social care professionals, (3) Qualitative peer- reviewed studies published in English, and (4) publications from 2000–2023. The initial search retrieved 842 publications. Seventeen publications were included and analysed through a thematic analysis.

Results: The results presented the included studies’ characteristics and four themes: Everyday life as an older adult mirrored the life lived, Work and working conditions as significant for ageing, Cultural complexes that shape social identities, Immigrants’ social position as significant for encounters with health and social care professionals.

Discussion: Older Chinese immigrants’ everyday lives related to ageing were not only dynamically influenced by social, interpersonal, and institutional factors accumulated in their life trajectories, but reflected the process of constructing social and cultural identity in their new homeland. Future policies should promote culturally responsive healthcare, social services, and employment support to address the unique ageing experiences of older Chinese immigrants.

Systematic review registrations: The systematic review has been registered on PROSPERO and the registration number is CRD42023455411. (Less)
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author
; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Chinese immigrants, Europe, ageing, dying, Systematic literature review, culture
in
Frontiers in Public Health
volume
13
article number
1492356
publisher
Frontiers Media S. A.
external identifiers
  • pmid:40260171
ISSN
2296-2565
DOI
10.3389/fpubh.2025.1492356
project
Chinese immigrants in Sweden - ageing and dying in a new homeland
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
fa894a1a-8619-4ba7-b07a-27d6cf091a27
date added to LUP
2025-04-07 07:54:20
date last changed
2025-07-08 03:00:12
@article{fa894a1a-8619-4ba7-b07a-27d6cf091a27,
  abstract     = {{Introduction: As the Chinese immigrant population in European countries ages, it is important to gain a deeper understanding of Chinese immigrants’ ageing processes from a life course perspective by recognising the complex interactions between social, cultural, and institutional constructs and dynamics. This article aimed at exploring how older Chinese immigrants in Europe handle everyday lives in respect to ageing from the perspectives of older Chinese immigrants, their relatives, and health/social care professionals.<br/><br/>Methods: The study is registered in PROSPERO (CRD42023455411), and the PRISMA 2020 checklist guided the study. A qualitative systematic review was conducted through searches in the databases CINAHL, Embase, PsycINFO, Medline/PubMed, SocINDEX, Web of Science, and pearl search in Scopus (last search 3 September, 2023). Inclusion criteria were: (1) Studies about Chinese immigrants’ everyday lives, living, and ageing, or studies focusing on their use of health/social care services, (2) Perspectives of Chinese immigrants in Europe, their relatives, and related health/social care professionals, (3) Qualitative peer- reviewed studies published in English, and (4) publications from 2000–2023. The initial search retrieved 842 publications. Seventeen publications were included and analysed through a thematic analysis.<br/><br/>Results: The results presented the included studies’ characteristics and four themes: Everyday life as an older adult mirrored the life lived, Work and working conditions as significant for ageing, Cultural complexes that shape social identities, Immigrants’ social position as significant for encounters with health and social care professionals.<br/><br/>Discussion: Older Chinese immigrants’ everyday lives related to ageing were not only dynamically influenced by social, interpersonal, and institutional factors accumulated in their life trajectories, but reflected the process of constructing social and cultural identity in their new homeland. Future policies should promote culturally responsive healthcare, social services, and employment support to address the unique ageing experiences of older Chinese immigrants.<br/><br/>Systematic review registrations: The systematic review has been registered on PROSPERO and the registration number is CRD42023455411.}},
  author       = {{Xu, Hongxuan and Stjernswärd, Sigrid and Glasdam, Stinne and Gulestø, Ragnhild Julante Andersen and Fu, Cong}},
  issn         = {{2296-2565}},
  keywords     = {{Chinese immigrants; Europe; ageing; dying; Systematic literature review; culture}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{04}},
  publisher    = {{Frontiers Media S. A.}},
  series       = {{Frontiers in Public Health}},
  title        = {{Ageing as older Chinese immigrants in Europe—a qualitative systematic literature review considering perspectives from older immigrants, relatives, and professionals}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2025.1492356}},
  doi          = {{10.3389/fpubh.2025.1492356}},
  volume       = {{13}},
  year         = {{2025}},
}