The Chinese and Guatemalan Healthcare Beliefs
Introduction
There are diverse people in the world as they all hail from different countries. People from different countries have their own specific and unique practices that set them apart from other people in the world. The different cultures of the world follow certain health beliefs that explain the different types of illnesses, their causes, treatment, and the person that has the qualification to deliver the treatment. They all have different approaches to the various issues that affect them. However, some have started adopting different approaches due to Western culture and Western medicine. Therefore, the healthcare beliefs that people from different cultures hold on to affect the delivery of healthcare among the people.
Chinese Heritage
The people of the Chinese heritage form a large population that spreads out over a large expanse of land. According to Purnell (2012), they practice different cultural values according to other cultural characteristics as well as geographical location. Chinese people are ardent followers of their cultures, and many of them still practice their cultures even after immigrating to new countries. Many assimilate some aspects of the new culture but still stay true to their own original culture. Health is essential in Chinese culture. They take special care in ensuring the overall health of the body, mind, and spirit. As a result, the Chinese people have opted to make use of any available means of healthcare to ensure that they are healthy. They practice both traditional and modern medicine. For instance, most of the older adults would first resort to traditional medicine, and if it does not work, they will explore modern medicine. The reverse is true for younger people. They would first opt for more modern healthcare options and, later, opt for traditional means if the latter proved ineffective.
Guatemalan Heritage
Guatemala is a Central American country, and its population majorly consists of Latinos and Hispanics. The country has a poor infrastructure, which is in extreme disrepair, and this is an obstacle in the delivery and accessibility of healthcare in the country. Many people in Guatemala have a severe phobia for hospitals. Because of this fear, many opt to go to the hospital as a last resort when they are critically ill. At this point, whatever they suffer from has already advanced, and the patient dies. The deaths then act as more fuel, which adds to their phobia of hospitals as those who go there do not come back out alive. They fear venipuncture because they believe that taking blood drains them of their physical energy and will not have the ability to work and earn a living. The people associate health and disease with the ability to carry out their normal functions. As long as they can carry out their roles and responsibilities, then they are healthy. Anything that affects their ability to carry out their roles and responsibilities then views it seriously. Guatemalans view illness as a punishment from God and do not think that it is a result of a lack of prevention. According to Tasnim et al. (2020), people generally neglect their health.
Similarities
There are no overt similarities between the two cultures mentioned above concerning their beliefs regarding healthcare. I consider that they might be opposites. Where the Chinese people value the overall health of their bodies, minds, and spirits, the Guatemalans appear to neglect it. Similarities might occur in terms of accessibility to healthcare as one factor affecting both cultures is socioeconomic status.
Delivery of Evidence-Based Healthcare
The healthcare beliefs of these two cultures affect the delivery of EB services. According to Rice et al. (2018), people from Guatemala are still reluctant to offer information that could serve to inform the evidence-based practice due to their fear of hospitals. The people are still very reserved and do not openly provide personal information. People of the Chinese culture are much more welcoming to the idea of evidence-based care, but they still withhold information due to their cultural beliefs of saving and losing face. They might withhold information that they feel might cause then to lose face.
Conclusion
People from different heritages have different beliefs about healthcare. These beliefs usually impact the delivery of evidence-based healthcare practices. The people of the Chinese culture value the health of their bodies and practice both traditional and modern medicine. On the other hand, Guatemalans have a phobia for hospitals and generally neglect their health as long as it does not affect their activities.
References
Tasnim, N., Heneine, E. M., MacDermod, C. M., Perez, M. L., & Boyd, D. L. (2020). Assessment of Maya women’s knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs on sexually transmitted infections in Guatemala: a qualitative pilot study. BMC women’s health, 20(1), 1-8.
Rice, H. E., Lou-Meda, R., Saxton, A. T., Johnston, B. E., Ramirez, C. C., Mendez, S., … & Milne, J. (2018). Building a safety culture in global health: lessons from Guatemala. BMJ global health, 3(2), e000630.
Purnell, L. D. (2012). Transcultural Health Care: A Culturally Competent Approach (4th ed.). Philadelphia, United States: F.A. Davis Company.