Wednesday, January 22, 2020
Haitian Culture: Impact on Nursing Care Essays -- essays research pape
Haitian Culture: Impact on Nursing Care      The Republic of Haiti is in the western part of the island of Hispaniola in the West Indies. It is densely populated and has the lowest per capita income in the western hemisphere (Kemp, 2001). The population of more than seven million is made up of mostly descendents of African slaves brought to the West Indies by French colonists. The horrible conditions in Haiti, such as crushing poverty, unemployment and illiteracy, and high rates of acute and chronic illnesses and child and infant mortality, result in the illegal immigration of many Haitians to the United States, France, and other countries in Western Europe. Most immigrants are adults and teens who leave Haiti in tiny boats, despite the risk of drowning and other hazards. According to Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) 2001 statistics, the number of refugees has declined to several thousand per year since the early 1990’s.      Nearly all Haitian immigrants entering the U.S. are poorly educated, illiterate, and speak only Creole, which is seldom seen in written form. Creole is a â€Å"pidgin†language, meaning it is a simplified form of a base language with parts of other languages added. These types of languages were frequently used by sailors, pirates, and other trade people to accommodate the span of communication needs they faced. Haitian Creole is thought to have been derived by combining various native African dialects with the French language of their owners. Very few Haitians (10%) can actually speak French, and one’s ability to do so is seen as an indicator of social class. Because of Haitian views that Creole is the language used by the poor and uneducated, many will claim to be able to speak French and become insulted if it is suggested that they speak Creole. This can pose a problem for the healthcare worker trying to find a way to communicate. Often the only in terpreters available to a family are their children who have learned English in schools here. This can create conflict within the family therefore a facility provided interpreter usually produces a better outcome. Written materials are often of no use to the Haitian immigrant.      Socioeconomic status plays a huge part in how Haitians identify themselves, and influences their actions greatly. Many Haitians wil... ...of exercise. These factors all contribute to the young life expectancy of about 49 years (World Health Organization, 2001). When caring for a client of Haitian descent, it is important to be mindful of language and education level, religious and cultural beliefs, and traditional health maintenance practices that may be incompatible with modern medicine. The healthcare provider should respect these cultural differences and be accommodating whenever possible to promote the spiritual and physical well-being of the client. References Ackerman, L.J. (1997). Health problems of refugees. Journal of the      American Board for Family Practice. 10,337-48. Minarik, P.A. (1996). Culture & nursing care: A pocket guide.      San Francisco: UCSF Nursing Press. Pan American Health Organization (1999). Haiti: Country health profile.      Accessed 6/28/04. Spector, R.E. (2003). Cultural diversity in health and illness (6th ed).      Upper Saddle River: Prentice Hall. World Health Organization (2001). Healthy life expectancy rankings.      Accessed 6/28/04.
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