Hispanic Culture and Ethnicity

By: Tatum States, Ryanne Zaman, Makayla Perez, Madison Rodriguez,

Aryn Ortega, and Cristal Pineda
Ethnic Origin/ Race/ Place of Birth:

● Hispanic and Latino American

● Mexican

● Jalisco Mexico
Relocations: The patient lived in Mexico, Jalisco until age 3.
Patient has lived in Hesperia, California since then. The client has
lived in California for 9 years.

Habits, customs, and beliefs: The patient’s habits, customs,

values and beliefs that and beliefs the patient holds that affect the
attitude toward birth, life, death, health, and illness time orientation,
health care system and health care providers are largely influenced by
her cultural heritage, Catholicism, and upbringing.

Behaviors valued by culture: The patient’s value on

privacy, courtesy, elders, family and gender roles and work ethic
are largely influenced by her culture’s emphasis on togetherness
and having respect for elders and authority.
Cultural sanctions and restrictions:
● Her family always expresses their emotions in a positive way and maintains connections and strengthens social bonds. Hispanics don't
believe in expressing mental disorders such for example anxiety in the fear of being told or even labeled as crazy.
● Her and her family practice catholicism that primarily focuses on the Virgin Mary and the saints as well as the Sacraments and papacy. Her
family attends weekly masses on sundays. Religion is a traditional value to both her and her family.
● Her family often believes in using natural remedies and that life is in God's hands. They often believe that They have been given the ability
to heal through natural herbs and medicine practices. For example her parents believe that warm lime/lemon tea with honey are the go to
for a cold.
Restrictions:
Her family believes in marriage before sex, if for any reason there is premarital sex they are not to use controceptives of any kind and
they would be banned from their church.

She comes from a very conservative family so exposure of their body is not allowed they are to dress modestly.

They can get a life saving surgery if needed but not cosmetic surgery

Some Catholics celebrate Dia de los Muertos, more commonly known as “The Day of the Dead”. On this day the celebrate their lost
loved ones with offerings and celebration. They believe that their families are the closest to them on this day so they can reunite with
them. They also believe that they are not allowed to try and communicate with the dead after they have passed, as this is seen as
witchcraft/pagan.

Catholics do not believe in having fear, and that you should result in giving your fears to God. They consider having fear to be a sin, that
you must repent for in order to get into the kingdom of heaven.
Languages and or dialects spoken:
● The client speaks spanish most frequently at home
● The client speaks Spanish at home around her family and a couple of her friends at school. She often speaks english at school
when talking to her friends and teachers
● She speaks with her family in spanish most of the time
● The client speaks spanish in thinking as it is her first language
● The client does not need a bilingual interpreter.
● The client is able to read and write english
Communication process: Given the patient’s age, effective communication requires a balance of
linguistic sensitivity, cultural understanding, and empathy. By adapting communication techniques to
accommodate the patient’s background and preferences, healthcare providers can facilitate productive and
respectful interactions that support the patient’s well-being.
Health Beliefs and Cultural Healing System: The patient’s family often relies on home remedies
passed down from their ancestors, like herbal teas and natural remedies for common ailments, however, they
will seek healthcare from Western medicine for serious illnesses. Following Catholicism, they believe in the
power of prayer and asking for blessings when someone in the family is sick.

Cultural Health Beliefs: The patient and her family believe that illnesses can be caused by a
combination of factors, including genetics and sometimes bad luck. Good health for them means feeling
strong and being able to enjoy life without limitations. They also see it as a blessing from God, rewarding
them for taking care of themselves and each other.
Cultural health practices/healers:
● The patient uses healing practice which stems from catholicism. Which use herbs,
prayers, rituals, and other methods to treat both physical and spiritual ailments.
● When she is sick she uses Herbal Medicine, meaning she uses plants and herbs for
healing it is used in the Mexican culture. Vicks is commonly used for patient when
she is feeling sick, she puts it on her feet with socks.
● She does rely on these healers because for her she rather get better at home then
going to the doctors.
Nutritional variables or factors/ Food consumption:
● Patient loves the rich flavors, diverse ingredients, and culture significance, food does
play a big role in her life. Growing up patient loved cooking food with her mom and
grandma. Patient eats breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
● For her food is part of the culture and when it is being made its seen as an
opportunity to family bonding. The only restriction would be during LENT and not
being able to eat meat on Ash Wednesday and every Friday until after easter.
● Patient knows that nutrition and healthy eating is important and trying to make good
foods but also implement healthy foods.
Diseases more prevalent among ethnic and or cultural group:

Patient is aware of risks of getting diseases. These are more common in Mexicans than in
some other ethnic and cultural groups.
● Common diseases are:
● Diabetes
● Obesity
● Hypertension
● Liver Disease
Family:
- Family centered
- The men (father) usually have the authority.
- The women (mother) are are second in
authority and usually responsible for taking
care of the home.

Mental health is not a common thing to talk

- Extended family: often provides additional
sources of support and companionship.
Frequently involved in family gatherings,
celebrations, and certain traditions.
about due to the fear of being viewed as weak
or mentally unfit.
Machismo: ideologies and values that
promote manliness/hypermasculinity and
promotes certain expectations and behaviors
in hispanic men.
Economic status:
Income: Men (father) are normally in charge of bringing in the income.

Hispanics are more likely to work in low-wage occupations such as agriculture, construction,
domestic and food services, etc…

Education: little to no education. Low education impairs the ability to navigate through health care.

Place of residence: usually in low income areas also known as poverty areas. Areas that family can
afford based on their economic status.

Able to obtain health care: face variety of barriers to receiving health care services of high quality
this results from socioeconomic status.

Access to opportunity: Due to language barriers, socioeconomic status, lack of education it can be
quite difficult to have access to opportunities.
Self concept:
● Patient shows pride of her racial/cultural identity. She’s in touch with her cultural traditions.
Carry strong values that are implemented within the culture and adapt well to change.
● Patient exhibits integrative awareness of her cultural identity. Developed a secure and confident
sense of cultural/racial identity.
● Factors that shape the client’s self-concept are family and cultural traditions.
● Patient is less likely to seek for mental health services by the fear of being called “loco”.
● The patient can relate to other ethnic/cultural groups within the Hispanic/Latino community.
● Stressors brought on by stereotypes can affect how to interact with the world around them. Due
to the tough love, strong values, and support system, they find a way to overcome it