Dominican Republic Essay
Introduction to the Culture of the Dominican Republic
¡Bienvenidos a la Republica Dominicana! Home to nearly 10 million people, with 1 million living in its capital, Santo Domingo, the Spanish-speaking Dominican Republic is the second largest Caribbean nation. It shares the island of Hispaniola with Haiti, and lies 947 miles from the state of Florida. It is a popular tourist destination, and is in fact is the most popular in the Caribbean. But beyond the tourism and attractions, there are millions of citizens with health concepts nobody has heard of. For example, the head man of the family could be in terrible health, but will not change his dietary options or consider health care recommendations, out of concern for his “breadwinner” …show more content…
status. Taking time off of work is considered “frivolous” and unnecessary. In the Dominican Republic, illness and disease is thought to be related to evil spirits, called envoi, to babies and children, called The Evil Eye, or changes in heat or cold, called dirty blood. However, traditional practices are used and are very popular, coming from the Caribbean's African influence. Traditional healers are called Espiritistas, Curanderos, or Brujos. Treatments for serious diseases are used as they are in the Unites States, however, a traditional healer will “calm down” patients emotionally, provide support and advice, and help patients achieve greater serenity and composure throughout the duration of the illness. Yet, even in sickness and health, Dominicans are very welcoming and are known for kissing cheeks, a handshake with direct eye contact and a warm smile. They are also known for saying “God Bless You” at the birth of a child, but will not go to a cemetery while sick because it will lead to death of that illness. Another belief of theirs is the best way to become closer to God is through intermediaries like the clergy, curers, saints, and witches. Many Dominicans do participate in the modern healthcare system, and even though they do have a wide belief system that is hard to satisfy, it is possible.
The Infancy Stage
Most children in the Dominican Republic begin their lives the same as infants in other modern countries. Sadly, there are a few that will start off in poverty-like conditions. Like any other baby, they will start to develop motor skills and they begin to recognize what's familiar. Their brain begins to grow and establish nerve connections. They begin to respond to sounds, light, and touch and become able to express their feelings, wants, and needs. In most Dominican families, both parents work, so it is important that an infant has lots of interaction with others their age in order to develop social skills. Many of the babies born in the DR will grow to be healthy and intelligent children. However, 23 in every 1000 babies born will die of complications.
The Early Childhood Stage
According to UNICEF Dominican Republic, children’s early development used to be solely in the hands of parents and the extended family. However, nowadays, poverty, diseases, poor nutrition, lack of birth registration, violence, absence of quality services, breakdown of traditional family structures and other factors, hinder parents’ ability to provide the care, affection and security that children need in order to develop their full potential. This is the case in certain parts of the DR. Families without a steady income may not have enough money for the proper nutrition a growing child needs, so this will affect their physical appearance. On the other hand, this is the time of a child’s life when they will begin to go to school and become more socially interactive with children outside of their family. As a child performs more complex actions, their nerve system begins to mature and their larger muscles begin to develop. They are now using multi-word sentences regularly and develop better memory.
The Late Childhood Stage
According to a LiveStrong article by Karen Hellesvig-Gaskell, late childhood is considered to be the ages of 9 through 12. Up until this point, most children have been growing at fairly predictable rates, with the exception of children living in poverty or with disease. Now, all bets are off due the often wild fluctuations in physical development. One preteen can be in a completely different growth phase than another child who is the exact same age. The disparity in physical development may continue well into adolescence, when growth patterns even out. This is the time of a child’s life where they will begin to mature physically, however, most children in the Dominican Republic have already aged well mentally doing tasks that adults or parents would take on instead. They are very social and many enjoy activities like kiteboarding and surfing.
The Adolescence Stage
The teenage years are full of fun for young men and women living in the Dominican Republic. They are on the verge of independence and ready to go on to college and university. At this time in their life, they are almost fully developed adults and their brain is almost finished growing. However, a growing problem in the capital of the DR is increasing pregnancy of girls between the age of 13 and 18. Nearly 400 girls a month are reported to be pregnant, and sadly, most of them are infected with HIV/AIDS. The spike in numbers is blamed on irresponsible parents and family breakdown. This example shows how Dominican teenagers are developing not only physically with a pregnancy, but emotionally and mentally.
The Early Adulthood Stage
In this stage of life, one’s brain will reach it’s maximum weight and stop growing. Their adult height will have been reached, and they are a fully developed young man or woman. They have great social and motor skills, and most likely have a job that earns them 4,900 pesos a month, which is the minimum wage in the DR. As a young adult, one can control their feelings and emotions better than they could as a child. Their personality is well developed and they are confident in what they do. They have since left university are are beginning to find their place in the world.
The Middle Adulthood Stage
Aging is inevitable. Starting at age 35, signs are apparent, such as gray and thinning hair, wrinkles, the need for glasses, and some hearing loss. Internally, changes are taking place as well, with decline in the major organs,such as the lungs, heart and digestive system. Women will undergo menopause sometime between the ages of 42 and 51. Developmentalists call these forms of aging primary, meaning that the changes are inevitable and happen to everyone regardless of race, ethnicity, culture or socioeconomic class. However, secondary aging, including smoking, drug and tobacco use, which is common in the Dominican Republic, will make one age much faster than normal. Intelligence level will also slowly begin to decline.
The Late Adulthood Stage
Late adulthood begins at age 65. Your health begins to not necessarily decline, but slow. Many people experience memory loss, or dementia. Your respiratory and circulatory systems begin to work slowly and blood vessels become visible on your face, arms and legs. Your body also begins to decrease in size. Many people this age are retired and live out their days in comfort and tranquility. However, people who have experienced secondary aging in the middle adulthood stage are more likely to experience health complications. The life expectancy for Dominicans is 75 years for males, and 80 for females.
The Healthcare System of the Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic has been given very good ratings from foreign medical practices all around the world.
They are #1 in surgery out of all of the Latin American countries, and the majority of medical needs can be found on the island. There are two popular insurance systems; One will reimburse you for bills that you have already paid, the other will pay a portion. There are also three different medical systems which are based off of income. The first is a socialized system for the indigent and extremely poor of the country. The government is supposed to provide free care to people of this system, given that they are going to the correct facility. The second is the Social Security system, for those who earn less than RD$4,000 per month. However, it only provides coverage for the workers themselves and maternity services for their husbands or wives. Children are not covered. The third is private clinics, which in reality are what we call hospitals. The population of those in poverty and the system success rate combined leave much to be desired, but the system is still new and growing. There are not enough facilities, staff and supplies to provide the entire county, but without the systems, less than 10% of the Dominican population could afford private medical
services.
¡Bienvenidos a la Republica Dominicana! Home to nearly 10 million people, with 1 million living in its capital, Santo Domingo, the Spanish-speaking Dominican Republic is the second largest Caribbean nation. It shares the island of Hispaniola with Haiti, and lies 947 miles from the state of Florida. It is a popular tourist destination, and is in fact is the most popular in the Caribbean. But beyond the tourism and attractions, there are millions of citizens with health concepts nobody has heard of. For example, the head man of the family could be in terrible health, but will not change his dietary options or consider health care recommendations, out of concern for his “breadwinner” …show more content…
status. Taking time off of work is considered “frivolous” and unnecessary. In the Dominican Republic, illness and disease is thought to be related to evil spirits, called envoi, to babies and children, called The Evil Eye, or changes in heat or cold, called dirty blood. However, traditional practices are used and are very popular, coming from the Caribbean's African influence. Traditional healers are called Espiritistas, Curanderos, or Brujos. Treatments for serious diseases are used as they are in the Unites States, however, a traditional healer will “calm down” patients emotionally, provide support and advice, and help patients achieve greater serenity and composure throughout the duration of the illness. Yet, even in sickness and health, Dominicans are very welcoming and are known for kissing cheeks, a handshake with direct eye contact and a warm smile. They are also known for saying “God Bless You” at the birth of a child, but will not go to a cemetery while sick because it will lead to death of that illness. Another belief of theirs is the best way to become closer to God is through intermediaries like the clergy, curers, saints, and witches. Many Dominicans do participate in the modern healthcare system, and even though they do have a wide belief system that is hard to satisfy, it is possible.
The Infancy Stage
Most children in the Dominican Republic begin their lives the same as infants in other modern countries. Sadly, there are a few that will start off in poverty-like conditions. Like any other baby, they will start to develop motor skills and they begin to recognize what's familiar. Their brain begins to grow and establish nerve connections. They begin to respond to sounds, light, and touch and become able to express their feelings, wants, and needs. In most Dominican families, both parents work, so it is important that an infant has lots of interaction with others their age in order to develop social skills. Many of the babies born in the DR will grow to be healthy and intelligent children. However, 23 in every 1000 babies born will die of complications.
The Early Childhood Stage
According to UNICEF Dominican Republic, children’s early development used to be solely in the hands of parents and the extended family. However, nowadays, poverty, diseases, poor nutrition, lack of birth registration, violence, absence of quality services, breakdown of traditional family structures and other factors, hinder parents’ ability to provide the care, affection and security that children need in order to develop their full potential. This is the case in certain parts of the DR. Families without a steady income may not have enough money for the proper nutrition a growing child needs, so this will affect their physical appearance. On the other hand, this is the time of a child’s life when they will begin to go to school and become more socially interactive with children outside of their family. As a child performs more complex actions, their nerve system begins to mature and their larger muscles begin to develop. They are now using multi-word sentences regularly and develop better memory.
The Late Childhood Stage
According to a LiveStrong article by Karen Hellesvig-Gaskell, late childhood is considered to be the ages of 9 through 12. Up until this point, most children have been growing at fairly predictable rates, with the exception of children living in poverty or with disease. Now, all bets are off due the often wild fluctuations in physical development. One preteen can be in a completely different growth phase than another child who is the exact same age. The disparity in physical development may continue well into adolescence, when growth patterns even out. This is the time of a child’s life where they will begin to mature physically, however, most children in the Dominican Republic have already aged well mentally doing tasks that adults or parents would take on instead. They are very social and many enjoy activities like kiteboarding and surfing.
The Adolescence Stage
The teenage years are full of fun for young men and women living in the Dominican Republic. They are on the verge of independence and ready to go on to college and university. At this time in their life, they are almost fully developed adults and their brain is almost finished growing. However, a growing problem in the capital of the DR is increasing pregnancy of girls between the age of 13 and 18. Nearly 400 girls a month are reported to be pregnant, and sadly, most of them are infected with HIV/AIDS. The spike in numbers is blamed on irresponsible parents and family breakdown. This example shows how Dominican teenagers are developing not only physically with a pregnancy, but emotionally and mentally.
The Early Adulthood Stage
In this stage of life, one’s brain will reach it’s maximum weight and stop growing. Their adult height will have been reached, and they are a fully developed young man or woman. They have great social and motor skills, and most likely have a job that earns them 4,900 pesos a month, which is the minimum wage in the DR. As a young adult, one can control their feelings and emotions better than they could as a child. Their personality is well developed and they are confident in what they do. They have since left university are are beginning to find their place in the world.
The Middle Adulthood Stage
Aging is inevitable. Starting at age 35, signs are apparent, such as gray and thinning hair, wrinkles, the need for glasses, and some hearing loss. Internally, changes are taking place as well, with decline in the major organs,such as the lungs, heart and digestive system. Women will undergo menopause sometime between the ages of 42 and 51. Developmentalists call these forms of aging primary, meaning that the changes are inevitable and happen to everyone regardless of race, ethnicity, culture or socioeconomic class. However, secondary aging, including smoking, drug and tobacco use, which is common in the Dominican Republic, will make one age much faster than normal. Intelligence level will also slowly begin to decline.
The Late Adulthood Stage
Late adulthood begins at age 65. Your health begins to not necessarily decline, but slow. Many people experience memory loss, or dementia. Your respiratory and circulatory systems begin to work slowly and blood vessels become visible on your face, arms and legs. Your body also begins to decrease in size. Many people this age are retired and live out their days in comfort and tranquility. However, people who have experienced secondary aging in the middle adulthood stage are more likely to experience health complications. The life expectancy for Dominicans is 75 years for males, and 80 for females.
The Healthcare System of the Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic has been given very good ratings from foreign medical practices all around the world.
They are #1 in surgery out of all of the Latin American countries, and the majority of medical needs can be found on the island. There are two popular insurance systems; One will reimburse you for bills that you have already paid, the other will pay a portion. There are also three different medical systems which are based off of income. The first is a socialized system for the indigent and extremely poor of the country. The government is supposed to provide free care to people of this system, given that they are going to the correct facility. The second is the Social Security system, for those who earn less than RD$4,000 per month. However, it only provides coverage for the workers themselves and maternity services for their husbands or wives. Children are not covered. The third is private clinics, which in reality are what we call hospitals. The population of those in poverty and the system success rate combined leave much to be desired, but the system is still new and growing. There are not enough facilities, staff and supplies to provide the entire county, but without the systems, less than 10% of the Dominican population could afford private medical
services.