Running Head: CULTURAL VIEWS IN HEALTHCARE

Cultural Views in Healthcare
Tina Carbajal
Grand Canyon University
Family Centered Health Promotion-NRS429V
July 5, 2012

Cultural Views of Healthcare Today’s healthcare changes are due to advances in technology and research, and at the same time provides services to various cultures. As healthcare workers it is in the best interest of the patient to acknowledge the patient’s values and beliefs. A patient’s care can be provided completely if nurses can remind themselves that this is part of who the patient is. The changes in technology allow nurses to have the equipment necessary to do their jobs efficiently. Healthcare professionals realize that this does not provide any knowledge of the patient’s background or beliefs’, therefore obtaining more information is vital. This is where it becomes necessary to assess the patient and understand their views on healthcare based on cultural beliefs and values. Nurses who are culturally competent have obtained prior knowledge about the patient’s culture. The Heritage Assessment Tool is an effective method that provides basic information about the patient and their background. The tool will help the nurse understand the patient to some extent but there is much more to be added in regards to culture and how it is applied during health related issues.
Culture can be interpreted in many ways but one definition seems to cover the bases. "Culture: learned and shared human patterns or models for living; day- to-day living patterns, these patterns and models pervade all aspects of human social interaction. Culture is mankind's primary adaptive mechanism" (Damen, 1987, p. 367). Society is separated by these experiences which forms unique groups. Without culture, society would be boring and not interesting.
Three individuals were interviewed and compared on cultural values and beliefs. The first person was an Asian-American female. Her name is Angela. She has two brothers. Her mother is from Thailand, and her father is from the United States. The family lived in Thailand until Angela was 5 then they moved to the states because her father was in the Air-Force. The family is like many other families in that it’s made up of two different cultures. Angela shares the beliefs of her mother and father. From her mother’s side, she loves Thai food and enjoys preparing it for the family. She isn’t fluent in her native language she can understand it to some extent. The family usually eats rice, vegetables, lean meat such as chicken, fish, and pork. She also enjoys traditional Thai festivals. The Thai water festival is celebrated once a year to show thanks for the rainy season which helps the rice crops. Then from her father’s side she is not as conservative as most Asians are. In regards to health care issues, she doesn’t form close relations with her doctor, the view is to be professional. This trait is found mostly in American society. Asians are usually very modest in regards to their bodies. The females feel more comfortable with a female nurse or doctor for their medical care (Carteret, 2011). Their process of healing is not only physical but spiritual. This culture tends to use herbal remedies for treatment and try to avoid medical services. Family is the highest priority for Asians. Unfortunately, Angela can’t be close to her extended family on the mother’s side since they live in Thailand. She does state that her mom has learned to build relationships with other people of the same culture here. Her father’s side of the family live about two hours away and they will visit them about once a month. She considers herself lucky to be a part of two different cultures.
The second gentleman interviewed is from Cuba. His name is Jorge. His parents came to the states back in the late 1960s. His primary language is Spanish. Jorge is very close to his mother, she was a single parent. He has a brother and sister by a different father. His father was out of the picture when Jorge was very young. He grew up in Miami where the population is predominantly Cuban. His diet consists of rice, beans, and meat. Jorge is extremely close with his family. This is obvious in most of the Hispanic cultures. Cubans have higher incomes than other Hispanic cultures, earning $35,000 or more annually (Carteret, 2011). They can afford insurance for healthcare needs. Most of the Hispanic cultures form close relationships with their health care provider. Jorge grew up surrounded by his culture until leaving for college. He became accustomed to the American culture quickly. He noticed that some families are not quite as close as his, leaving the elderly sometimes feeling helpless. It was unheard of to leave a family member in a nursing home. He believed that family should take care of each other.
The third person was from Egypt. Her name is Hala. Her family migrated to the states when her mother was 14 and her father was 23. Their native language is Arabic, which Hala is very fluent in. She has one brother. They have a close relationship with family members. Their diet is much like the other cultures except that they prefer goat’s milk instead of cow’s milk and lamb versus beef (Jacobs, 2011). Hala and her spouse both prepare their traditional foods. They do not have children at the present time, but agree that they would raise their children based on their cultural values and beliefs. Hala states that all women from her culture are raised to be very modest. The women of this culture are very gender specific, they prefer female nurses and doctors and spouses in the room during exams (Hammond, White & Fetters, 2005). Hala explains that the sick person relies on family members to make health decisions and that patients prefer not to be involved in self-care when sick. The patient will preserve their energy for healing.
Looking back at these interviews there are many similarities and differences. All three cultures viewed family as the most important aspect of their lives. Second, their diets were somewhat similar, especially that they like to prepare their own meals. Third, their cultures are maintained even in adulthood and they tend to pass it on to the next generation. Health Issues are a little different whereas the Asian culture does not like to seek out medical care but the other two cultures do. The similarity revolves around modesty. All three cultures place high emphasis on modesty and privacy. It is vital not to stereotype people based on their ethnicity either, not all people have maintain their traditional cultural values. People that have migrated to the states early in their childhood can become accustomed to the Western views. Nurses must be able to communicate with their patients to assess where the patient stands as far as culture values and beliefs. Leininger’s theory explains that culture is part of the patient’s healthcare, as nurses we must provide care that is not bias but at the same time not to forget to respect the patient’s wishes based on their cultural values (Creasia & Friberg, 2010).

References

Damen, L. (1987). Culture learning: The fifth dimension in the language classroom. (p. 367). Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley. Retrieved 05 July 2012 from http://www.carla.umn.edu/culture/definitions.html
Jacobs, J. (2011, August 24). Arabic diet. Retrieved 06 July 6, 2012 from http://www.livestrong.com/article/525312-arabic-diet/
Hammond, M., White, C., & Fetters, M. (2005). Opening cultural doors: Providing culturallysensitive healthcare to arab american andamerican muslim patients. American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 193. Retrieved from http://www.scribd.com/doc/4963805/Opening-cultural-doors-Providing-culturally-sensitive-healthcare-to-Arab-American-and-American-Muslim-patients
Creasia, J., & Friberg, E. (2010). Conceptual foundations: The bridge to professional nursing practice. (5 ed., p. 109). St. Louis, Missouri: Mosby.