Although my dad acquired health insurance through his job later in life, the lack of exchange with health professionals as well as cultural barriers caused my parents to be skeptical of doctors, a skepticism that I too developed. Whenever someone had a medical issue, home remedies were the immediate course of action. When I developed gallstones, the doctors suggested surgery, but my mother refused until we tried her treatment first. This meant I had to drink half a cup of olive oil, an herbal tea that acts as a laxative and then sleep on my right side to get the stones out. It didn’t work. For me, the knowledge of science in school and my immersion into western culture subdued this distrust of health professionals. Furthermore, a stint of cancer in a close family member had us spending most of our time in hospitals- an experience that showed me the healing powers of a different kind of medicine I had not grown up with. I had developed an appreciation of all medicines and learned that the form of medicine my parents trusted and the form of medicine I had become passionate about did not have to be mutually exclusive. That is, when I decided to become a doctor I found that this made me more aware of a holistic view of medicine that many patients of different cultural backgrounds value.
It was my third year in college when I realized I wanted to be a primary care practitioner after volunteering in a student run clinic that provided health services to the underserved Latino
For instance, in Lia’s case, asking these questions, a doctor may have learned that according to her family, soul loss was the cause for her ailment and that the family believed she should receive a little medicine and a little natural remedies. Whether she takes this to mean that the family did not understand western medicine and thus, it would be beneficial to Lia to push for the treatment she deemed right despite the family’s disapproval or he takes this to mean that she should limit the extent and changes in Lia’s medication in order to gain better cooperation from the family, makes a huge difference to Lia’s health. Therefore, it is essential to educate medical professionals to interpret their answers in a way that can improve the quality of the patient’s care. Furthermore, doctors may be resistant to asking these questions thinking that they waste precious time indulging delusions instead of treating the patient. However, as Neil and Peggy came to realize, all the medicine in the world is ineffective if the physician cannot communicate to the patient and get them to comply with the doctor’s request. Consequently, it is also important to inform the medical staff of the reasoning behind these questions and appeal to their innate desire to elicit the best outcome with the least harm, cost and time by educating them in the long term advantageous of being culturally-competent in their medical
Through my experience with the healthcare field, I have seen that low socioeconomic status, culture, and access are the major contributors to the health disparities today. Whether it is not being able to afford health insurance/medical costs, a culture that’s attitude and beliefs does not put much value on preventative care, or simply not having appropriate transportation to the doctor, all these factors work together against the patient. Medical professions can best tackle these issues by first knowing and understanding the needs of the population in which they practice. Theoretically, if one is aware of specific needs then those needs can be better addressed, whether they are financial or cultural needs. Also, medical professionals can work
The case study of Lia Lee is interesting and serves as a cautionary tale as it explores the consequences of cultural misunderstanding. In this case both the parents and medical staff sought the same thing; they both wanted Lia to have a positive outcome. Unfortunately, both groups had distinct ideas regarding how to achieve the common objective. This division was rooted in each sides individual cultural beliefs.
Many Alaskan Natives and Native Indians, also known as American Indians, share the same or similar views on health and medicine. Their definition of “traditional medicine” incorporates medicine and religion, various chants and rituals, and being one with Earth (Broome, B., Broome, R., 2007). “In the United States we are challenged to think about health care from our tradition as a cultural melting pot. Therefore, we must address the large range of individual health care needs from populations living the inner-city and suburbia to those in rural environments.” (O 'Brien, Anslow, Begay, Pereira, & Sullivan, 2002). It is important for healthcare workers to understand the views of American Indians in order to integrate their traditional medicine as well as western medicine. Examining areas such as common health conditions, treatments, and attitudes towards health, natural and alternative health will lead to a better capability of providing culturally competent care.
Through her research, Leininger established an outline to further explain the importance of culturally competent care and the challenges presented throughout societies and healthcare institutions. The most obvious need for cultural sensitivity is the ongoing immigration throughout the world. As more people from different parts of the world enter into one area, different cultures will be present. The people that migrate to a new region or country will have the expectation that respect will be shown for their beliefs, particularly in the healthcare setting. This includes the use of technological advances in medicine. Some cultures may not understand or trust the delivery of care that is based on new technology (Andrews & Boyle, 2016).
We will consider three families of differing cultural heritage, and explore how each of these cultures influences perceptions of health care.
Comparing the three interviews, it is apparent that all three cultures could require a different healthcare approach. It is interesting to see the family dynamics, and pasts all play a role in their healthcare decision-making and thoughts. Being aware that each family dynamic is unique it is important to avoid stereotypes, and get
It was dark and there were so many noises around me as I slowly woke up and recalled I was in a hospital with abdominal pain. I then heard a familiar voice say “Sweetie, wake up! Wake up!” I opened my eyes to a blurry image of my mother. “Shhh… don't make any noises. We're leaving now. Just act like you are fine. We'll try to sneak out before anyone notices”, my mother said. She explained later that she could not afford to pay hospital bills, so we had to leave before any physician checked over. Living in Vietnam, I was filled with resentment towards their healthcare system, as people were rejected treatment and left to perish in the streets. As a child, I therefore never considered medicine as a career. My spark for medicine was unforeseen until I went on a high school field trip at INOVA Fairfax Hospital in Virginia. Hovering over the glass ceiling of the operating theater, I watched doctors performing coronary bypass surgery while witnessing the heart beat stronger and stronger. At this magical moment, I was overwhelmed by the power of medicine to save people’s lives.
There is nothing worse than being in physical pain or being ill. There are many diseases that often go untreated and this is due to people not going to the doctor. In the video Cultural Competence in Healthcare For Providers the patients interviewed knew little to no english. When they seek healthcare professionals it is because they feel ill or were hurt. When asked to reschedule some may not come back due to fear of the same situation. Cultural competency is not an optional skill to learn, it is a necessity for all dietitians and health care professional, regardless of their specialty (Curry, 2000; Sindler, 2001). When working with diverse populations we need to be able to help each and every single person when they are their most vulnerable
In addition to my professional experiences, I’ve had personal experiences that further highlight how important it is to be sensitive to other cultures and the human condition. Last year I lost my father after a 4 year battle with cancer. The experience I had as his primary caregiver has made me more appreciative of the human condition. Throughout the years of doctor’s appointments and procedures, I
These people used alternative medicines and don’t feel comfortable confiding in their provider about their use of a variety of medicinal herbs or other alternatives to prescription medication to treat their health problems. The cultural disconnect was present as alternative/complimentary medicines are valued as a culture, and “modern” practitioners cast judgment on their usage. This cultural disconnectover the use of these alternative medicines puts a fear in them that results to their not getting proper medical treatment which further put them at risk when they do seek care (Page-Reeves et al., 2013)
Cultural competence begins with self-awareness of our own values and biases, and is fortified by seeking cultural knowledge from others (OMH, 2001). Nurses might be tempted to oppose some parents beliefs on how they should help their family member receive healthcare or treatment but the best thing to do it to just recommend what is best to their patients. Amani agrees that nurses should recommend the physicians treatment over her father's way of treatment because she mentioned that her father did not have a problem arguing with the nurses when they disagreed with his viewpoints. In this case, the nurses repeated their recommended treatment to her father even after he discussed how he was going to fix the problem.
My patient past surgical history is prime example of using "Western" medicine interventions to treat acute or chronic illness. She has a history of tonsillectomy, adenoidectomy, and cesarean sections. When asked do she have any beliefs or practices relating to fertility, she answered " I don’t believe in birth control because children are a gift from god". I continued the conversation by asking how do she celebrate pregnancy and she stated " my sister and mother throws a big baby shower for me every time I'm getting ready to deliver". When asked about any nutritional pattern or need she would like to share, she ended our time together by saying rice is their staple
Today when people move across continents with the help of technology their culture and heritage moves along with them. Almost each and every continent is populated with people from different nations who have diverse traditions and cultures. Thus knowledge of health traditions and culture plays a vital role in nursing. People from different cultures have a unique view on health and illness. Culture-specific care is a vital skill to the modern nurse, as the United States continues to consist of many immigrants who have become assimilated into one culture. I interviewed three families of different cultures: - Indian (my culture), Hispanic and Chinese. Let us see the differences in health traditions between these cultures.
There are many cultures out in the world today that practice beliefs different than those in the United States. America is based off Western Culture and traditional medicine practices which focus on preventative and curative medicine. Most cultures around the world practice folk medicine, which focus more on the person as a whole with remedies and ceremonies rather than medicine and treatment. Even though each one believes in a different practice, all medical professionals should have the knowledge and awareness of each culture’s health beliefs to properly treat their patients in a respectful and kind