Religion and Healthcare for Hispanics
Rita,
Thank you for sharing your post. When Hispanics are confronted by challenges to their health, such as death, illness, or childbirth, religion will often surface as an important part of care-seeking. Culturally competent care demands that the Hispanics’ religious activities and beliefs be assessed by the healthcare provider who respects and acknowledges this cultural dimension. Making inquiries on religious needs and beliefs can have a significant positive impact on patient outcomes. Some of these benefits include increasing an understanding of the perceptions of the client as to the disease causes and the associated beliefs on health so that care delivery teaching is relevant and modified. Another benefit is that it creates rapport with clients by demonstrating concern and respect for what the patient perceives as important to their lives. Thirdly, it increases the support of the patient’s religious needs through appropriate clergy referral in a manner that is timely (Shmidt, 2019).
The patient assessment by the healthcare provider should be framed in line with the self-management and coping skills of the client regarding the disease. The assessment will need to be conducted with preparedness and expectations for clergy referral where appropriate. A healthcare provider assessing religious status should focus on four areas: relationships, immediate environment, behavior, and verbal communication (Abrishami, 2018). The religious status of the Hispanic patient could include basic questions such as: Do you belong to any religious organization? If so, which one? If you do not belong to any religious organization, do you have specific belief systems that offer you strength and comfort? How can I (the health care provider) best address any of your needs in this area? How has your life become different from the onset of this illness? What gives your life purpose and meaning? What gives you hope and strength? Do you have people that support you? If so, who? How does the way you care for yourself align with your spiritual and religious beliefs?
References
Abrishami, D. (2018). The need for cultural competency in health care. Radiologic Technology, 89(5), 441-448.
Schmidt, K. (2019). How Do I Best Provide Spiritual Care to Hispanic Patients? Journal of Christian Nursing, 36(2), 125.
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Question 
Religion and Healthcare for Hispanics
Wk 6 Culture-Discussion Response
Cultural and spiritual views play a huge role in healthcare and influence patient care outcomes. APRNs need to be considerate and receptive to the beliefs and practices of patients to improve and deliver culturally sensitive health care that is acceptable to the patient and their families. Many patients turn to their beliefs when difficult healthcare decisions need to be made. Therefore, it is vital for healthcare professionals to recognize and accommodate the patient’s cultural and spiritual needs (Swihart & Martin, 2021).
There are many culturally diverse populations living in the United States and the two populations that I will discuss are Asian American and Hispanic Americans. Asian Americans’ culture and religion impact compliance as some patients have language barriers, are unsure how to go about seeking care, feel as though they are unable to make proper healthcare decisions, and have reservations about their reaction to treatments. Due to these barriers, they often do not seek medical help. The Asian culture values respect, honor, and peace. They continuously try to keep family harmony and are concerned about bringing shame or dishonor when it comes to personal issues. This avoidance sometimes leads to not discussing or seeking help. Asian culture and family members highly respect what providers tell them and must not challenge their authority. Additionally, the eldest male in the family is customarily the decision-maker and representative of the family. Maintaining congruence in the family is vital in avoiding conflict therefore, providers must carefully say things in a manner that is not misinterpreted or what they may sense is rude (Juckett et al., 2015)
Wk 6 Culture-Discussion Response
The majority of Hispanic American families practice Catholicism and instill respect, honor, and reverence for authority and the elderly. They prefer to include family and group members in their healthcare decision-making. They occasionally believe that sickness is a result of God’s punishment for their sinful actions. They tend to have higher rates of diabetes and obesity and look to alternative therapies along with conventional treatments. When caring for Hispanic Americans, they prefer providers who show kindness, build rapport with them, and are unpretentious. Cultural and language barriers can be overcome by the teach-back method (Brintz et al., 2017). Delivering quality care is required by proper standards and we must be mindful of preferences and be culturally perceptive when treating our patients.
References
Brintz, C., Birnbaum-Weitzman, O., Llabre, M., Castañeda, S., Daviglus, M., Gallo, L., Giachello, A., Kim, R., Lopez, L., Teng, Y., & Penedo, F. (2017). Spiritual well-being, religious activity, and the metabolic syndrome: results from the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos Sociocultural Ancillary Study. Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 40(6), 902–912. https://doi.org/10.1007/
Juckett, G., Nguyen, C., & Shahbodaghi, S. D. (2015). Caring for Asian immigrants: Tips on a culture that can enhance patient care. Journal of Family Practice, 63(1), E1–E9.
Swihart DL, Martin RL. (2021). Cultural religious competence in clinical practice. Retrieved April 6, 2021from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/