Traditional Perceptions of Health & Wellness
In the Hispanic culture, spiritual and religious influences play a major role in health, illness and daily life. Health is viewed as a gift for good behavior or a punishment for wrongdoing.
Suffering and Fatalism
- Illness or health problems perceived as a misfortune, out of person's control
- Health problems are considered a test of faith
Magico - Religious
- God's will
- God will make you better if He wants you to be healed
- Problems that are primarily spiritual in nature are treated with prayer and ritual
- Candles with pictures of saints are found in many homes and are often part of altars in the living room or bedrooms. Each saint has a specialized and general religious function
Health is synergistic or the continuum of body, mind, and spirit. Physical or mental illness among Hispanics may be attributed to an imbalance between the person and the environment. Influences include emotional, spiritual, and social state, as well as physical factors.
Folk illnesses are health problems associated with members of a particular group and for which the culture provides etiology, diagnosis, prevention, and regimen of healing; and which also have psychological and/or religious overtones.
Foods and health conditions are identified as "Hot" or "Cold" and relate to physical or mental imbalance. Cold diseases or conditions are defined as those conditions in which vasoconstriction or decreased metabolic rate are present. In contrast, hot diseases or conditions are described as conditions in which vasodilatation and increased metabolic rate are present. Health is synergistic of the continuum of body, mind, and spirit. Therefore conditions are treated with opposite modality in order to restore balance. Examples are as follows:
Cold Diseases and Conditions
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Hot Diseases and Conditions
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References:
Kemp, C. (2005). Mexican and Mexican-Americans: Health beliefs & practices. Retrieved from https://bearspace.baylor.edu/Charles_Kemp/www/hispanic_health.htm
National Alliance for Hispanic Health. (2001). Quality health services for Hispanics: The Cultural competency component. Retrieved from
http://www.hrsa.gov/CulturalCompetence/servicesforhispanics.pdf
Valdez, F. O. (2011). Cultural perceptions of health and the use of health care services among migrant farm workers in Maine. Retrieved http://www.mainemigrant.org/2011/11/cultural-perceptions-of-health-and-the-use-of-health-care-services-among-migrant-farm-workers-in-maine/
References:
Kemp, C. (2005). Mexican and Mexican-Americans: Health beliefs & practices. Retrieved from https://bearspace.baylor.edu/Charles_Kemp/www/hispanic_health.htm
National Alliance for Hispanic Health. (2001). Quality health services for Hispanics: The Cultural competency component. Retrieved from
http://www.hrsa.gov/CulturalCompetence/servicesforhispanics.pdf
Valdez, F. O. (2011). Cultural perceptions of health and the use of health care services among migrant farm workers in Maine. Retrieved http://www.mainemigrant.org/2011/11/cultural-perceptions-of-health-and-the-use-of-health-care-services-among-migrant-farm-workers-in-maine/