Client Interview Data
Individuals’ beliefs and health decisions are largely shaped by their cultural upbringing. The client interviewed for this paper identified as a Southern American born in Osteen, Florida. The interview was conducted casually, with the prepared questions acting as a springboard for discussion rather than a rigid guideline. I attempted to cultivate a relaxed atmosphere to encourage the client to be open about his cultural beliefs and upbringing by smiling and being enthusiastic. In response, the client was well-spoken, held steady eye contact, and had an amicable demeanor and regular speech rate. The personal space maintained was strictly professional, and the only touching involved was a firm but friendly handshake upon introduction.
The client’s beliefs about health, leisure, work, and education were consistent and well thought out. His current occupation is firefighting and ranching, and he considers his work a necessity for survival. Work-life balance and sufficient free time are considered a must to avoid burnout. The client believes that a basic high school diploma is important, but graduate school is not the only path to professional and material success. This perspective aligns with the fact that although they place a high value on educational and life attainment, postsecondary outcomes for Hispanic young adults are relatively low (May & Witherspoon, 2019). Furthermore, the client views birth as the most beautiful thing created and death as the ending point of all things, which coincides with the Catholic values prevalent in South America. The client’s health attitudes generally align with the South American experience described in scholarly literature.
The biggest difference between recent literature on South American health beliefs and the patient’s testimony is the latter’s disregard for folk medicine and folk religion. In modern Latino culture, community-based cultural healthcare providers that propose culturally-based alternative therapies are often the first-line intervention for primary care (Kaplan, 2017). In contrast, the client stated that he holds the utmost respect for Western healthcare delivery systems and does not pursue alternative therapeutical solutions. A possible explanation for this difference is that the client was born and grew up in Osteen, Florida, and has thus assimilated into standardized American health behavior. Although his cultural identity might stem from practices performed at home, as pertaining to cuisine, religion, or language, his health behavior does not align with the scholarly research conducted so far on South American culture.
The main healthcare concerns faced by the client as a second-generation South American immigrant are stress and poor mental health. Due to stronger familism, Hispanic immigrants generally display better physical and mental health than non-Hispanic Whites (Diaz & Niño, 2019). However, U.S.- and foreign-born Hispanics still suffer from “higher disability, depressive, metabolic, and inflammatory risk…relative to Whites” due to socioeconomic disadvantages and racial discrimination (Boen & Hummer, 2019, p. 434). Paradoxically, although their life span might be longer, it is more stressful (Boen & Hummer, 2019). Furthermore, stigma and religious values translate into Hispanics and Latinos seeking mental health support at about half the rate of non-Hispanic Whites when needed (Caplan, 2019). Potential therapeutic interventions to promote wellness and demonstrate respect for South American cultural rights, beliefs, and life experiences might involve decreasing disparities in the healthcare system and destigmatizing mental illness.
Personal Reflection
Not only clients but also healthcare providers are influenced by their cultural beliefs. I was born and raised in Jamaica but currently reside in the United States. In Jamaica, illness is often conceptualized as God’s punishment for improper religious behavior. Additionally, there is a strong belief that treatment should elicit instant bodily sensations so the patient can feel the cure working in the body (Brown et al., 2022). There is a strong emphasis on natural and accessible options such as bitter herbal tea to counteract the symptoms of practically all illnesses (Brown et al., 2022). However, I do not believe that these traditional Jamaican views have impacted my nursing care since I grew up in a Westernized household and received my education in the United States.
Nevertheless, it is undeniable that other beliefs, prejudices, and biases unrelated to Jamaican culture have influenced my thinking and nursing care to some extent. Firstly, the modern emphasis on individualism has resulted in me overestimating the role of individual responsibility when it comes to clients improving their physical and mental health. Sometimes I become frustrated with clients who refuse to adhere to their treatment plan without considering the psychological or sociological reasons that may have contributed to this behavior. Secondly, coming from a developing country, I often feel annoyed by privileged clients who criticize the American healthcare system without fully appreciating its benefits. I feel annoyed in these situations, although I maintain a professional demeanor. I am cognizant of most of my internalized prejudices and am actively seeking to root them out.
The knowledge from this assignment will enable me to provide better nursing care to clients from Hispanic and immigrant backgrounds. The research showcased the health disparities, socioeconomic disadvantages, and mental stigma faced by representatives of these cultures. In the future, I will remain conscious of the fact that Hispanics and Latinos rarely seek support due to religious reasons and attempt to ascertain their mental health status and stress levels in a more discretionary manner. Furthermore, I will always ask whether they are enjoying sufficient leisure time and if they have sought alternative culture-based therapeutic interventions before coming to the hospital. Studying the health beliefs of unfamiliar cultures is necessary for improving intercultural competence and providing better nursing care.
References
Boen, C. E., & Hummer, R. A. (2019). Longer—but harder—lives?: The Hispanic health paradox and the social determinants of racial, ethnic, and immigrant–native health disparities from midlife through late life. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 60(4), 434-452. Web.
Brown, R., Bateman, C. J., & Gossell-Williams, M. (2022). Influence of Jamaican culture and religious beliefs on adherence to pharmacotherapy for non-communicable diseases: A pharmacovigilance perspective.Frontiers in Pharmacology, 13, e858947. Web.
Caplan, S. (2019). Intersection of cultural and religious beliefs about mental health: Latinos in the faith-based setting. Hispanic Health Care International, 17(1), 4-10. Web.
Diaz, C. J., & Niño, M. (2019). Familism and the Hispanic health advantage: The role of immigrant status.Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 60(3), 274–290. Web.
Kaplan, M. A., & Zavaleta, A. (2017). Cultural competency the key to Latino health policy: A commentary.Journal of Hispanic Policy. Web.
May, E. M., & Witherspoon, D. P. (2019). Maintaining and attaining educational expectations: A two-cohort longitudinal study of Hispanic youth. Developmental Psychology, 55(12), 2649–2664. Web.