Transcultural Care
Egyptian Americans
There is a sizeable population of Egyptians in America. Most of them are concentrated in the major cities such as New York and Chicago. In terms of their cultural leanings, Egyptian Americans are more relaxed, and aspects such as household hold roles are shared between members of the family (Purnell, 2012). As for communication, it is mainly done in Arabic, and there is also the use of many hand gestures. As well, during communication, a lot of respect is accorded to the older Egyptians. In many cases, Egyptians will eat food that is high in fat content, which creates issues with obesity. Moreover, there is a high level of meat intake among the Egyptians. Having children is significantly valued in many of the Egyptian American households. After a woman has given birth, she will, in many cases, be taken care of by the family members. Notably, most Egyptians will shun death, and when a person dies, there is a lot of wailing. After that, the diseased will be buried as soon as possible in line with the Islamic rituals. In terms of spirituality, Egyptians will put a lot of emphasis on their religion (Padela & Zaidi, 2018). Even when seeking medical care, some will carry their Quran to the hospital. Lastly, there is the use of traditional healing remedies, but modern medicine has widely been accepted.
Filipino Americans
The Filipino American population has been in existence in the US ever since the early parts of the 20th century (Purnell, 2012). Most of them have embraced the broader American Culture but still maintain some kind of cultural distinctiveness. In terms of language, most of the Filipino immigrants will speak Pilipino and English. In the process of communication, there is a significant emphasis on the aspect of being respectful. In most of the Immigrant families, roles in the family are approached from an egalitarian perspective whereby all the members will help with different aspects. A lot of respect is accorded to the elderly who have a higher social status in the community. Being gay or lesbian is not shunned, and there are even organizations that target people who identify as such. The diet among Filipino Americans is varied, but there is a huge consumption of rice. Childbearing is valued, and pregnancy is considered to be a time for being pampered. Due to the widespread adherence to Catholicism, abortion is shunned by a majority in the community. Religion will also play a role in healthcare, where prayer will be taken to complement modern medicine. In terms of healthcare practices, Filipino will use modern medicine and traditional remedies simultaneously.
Similarities
In assessing the Egyptians and Filipino cultures in America, there are a lot of similarities that emerge. For starters, there is a significant emphasis on the aspect of respect, especially to the elderly. As well, there is a shift towards egalitarianism in terms of the manner roles in the family are allocated. That may be caused by the lack of an extended family in America. Moreover, the two communities are similar in the manner they treat their elderly, whereby they are accorded a lot of respect. Furthermore, a lot of value is placed on women who have kids given that are they are taken to be the future of the community. Apart from the above, religion plays a huge role in both cultures, and that is part of the reason why practices such as abortion are heavily discouraged. Additionally, religion is often taken to complement modern medicine. In both cases, there is the use of traditional remedies in addition to modern medical solutions. Hence, culture often permeates the manner healthcare is offered.
Relation to Evidence-based Nursing
With all of the above in mind, it seems that beliefs will have an impact on the manner evidence-based nursing care is offered. For example, the family will play a huge part in the process of making critical decisions regarding healthcare. As well, the nurse will have to be aware that both the Egyptian and Filipino Americans have high regard for religion, and hence it will play a huge role in the manner services are rendered (Handtke, Schilgen, & Mösko, 2019). Apart from that, there is an extensive usage of traditional remedies, which means some ailments will only be taken to the doctor when the remedies fail and hence in the advanced stages. Therefore, there is a need for widespread health education among the two communities.
References
Handtke, O., Schilgen, B., & Mösko, M. (2019). Culturally competent healthcare – A scoping review of strategies implemented in healthcare organizations and a model of culturally competent healthcare provision. PLOS ONE, 14(7), 1-24. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0219971
Padela, A., & Zaidi, D. (2018). The Islamic tradition and health inequities: A preliminary conceptual model based on a systematic literature review of Muslim health-care disparities. Avicenna Journal of Medicine, 8(1), 1-13. doi:10.4103/ajm.ajm_134_17
Purnell, L. D. (2012). Transcultural Health Care. A Culturally Competent Approach (4th ed.) (4th ed.). Philadelphia, PA: F.A. Davis Company.