Hispanic Culture And Health Beliefs Essay

Different cultures have different systems of health beliefs to explain the causes of an illness, the way it can be treated and who can be involved in the process. Hispanics and Asians have similarities and differences in their system of health beliefs.
The Hispanic culture has a strong family and religion bond that is very similar to that of the Asian culture. Each culture has its own distinct cultural beliefs and customs that makes it unique. In the Hispanic culture older individuals are viewed as wiser, and more knowledgeable when it comes to health and illness issues. This is also similar to the Asian culture, where they rely on information given to them by the older and wiser. Fatalistic views are shared by many Hispanic patients who view illness as God’s will or divine punishment brought about by previous or current sinful behavior. Hispanic patients may prefer to use home remedies and may consult a folk healer, known as a curandero (Poma, 1983).
As the population of Hispanics increase in the USA, physicians are encouraged to learn more about their health beliefs in order to treat them in the best way possible. In addition to obvious difficulty with oral communication, Hispanics
Similarly to the Hispanic group, physicians and healthcare providers should take their time to be familiar with the concepts of the Asian health beliefs. Health beliefs can have a profound impact on the clinical care of Asian patients in the United States, affecting the accuracy of health histories and compliance with treatment recommendations from the healthcare providers. In the Asian culture, it is believed that health is a state of balance between the physical, social, and super-natural environment. It is assumed that the body is whole, and each part of it is intimately connected. Each organ has a mental as well as a physical function (Spector,