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What does culture mean to me
What does culture mean to me
What does culture mean to me
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Anne Fadiman’s book The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down is the embodiment of a clash between two cultures that are worlds apart. The book revolves around Lia Lee, a Hmong child coming from a traditional background. After experiencing soul loss from her older sister True slamming a door loudly, the journey for her spiritual and physical recovery begins when she is brought into the Merced Community Medical Center (MCMC) for treatment. However, since Lia’s Hmong parents were accustomed to traditional Hmong healing methods as well as not familiar with the English language, the harsh reality of modern medicine became an overwhelming and foreign experience. This modern vs. traditional clash leads to a rollercoaster of emotional and physical …show more content…
During her multiple visits to the hospital, different kinds of medicine would be prescribed to treat her seizures. However, the medicines were always prescribed and instructed in English instead of the traditional Hmong language. Lia’s parents Nao Kao and Foua did not speak or read English, therefore they did not understand the instructions for dosage, as well as the need for follow up appointments (Page 26). In one instance, when Lia was four and a half, she was prescribed a plethora of drugs “Tylenol, ampicillin, amoxicillin, Dilanatin, Ceclor, Tegetrol, Depakene..etc”, the problem with this was not only the language in which the drugs were prescribed in, the dosages were varied and constantly changed as well (Page 46). Furthermore, not only did some drugs required to be given a specific time, some drugs were required to be administered if Lia had a temperature (thus requiring a thermometer reading). This form of treatment, in which the doctors at MCMC assumed would be followed by Lia’s parents backfired because neither of the parents understood what the labels said, nor could they use basic medical instruments such as a thermometer, medicine dropper or measuring spoon (Page 47). The problem with not understanding how to administer the medication lead Dr. Peggy to assume that medication administration was not being followed due to cultural barriers as well as comprehension of defects of intelligence (not understanding the labels etc). The language barrier needed to be lowered to increase the effectiveness of the medication that was being prescribed, as well as improve the parent-doctor
There is considerable evidence of the Lee’s having both low print and oral literacy. The Lee’s spoke very little English; they also were illiterate in both English and Hmong (Faidman, 1997). Another contributing factor to their health literacy was their beliefs about medicine. Because of the dissonance between the Lee’s beliefs and the American medical system, it was unclear if the Lee’s fully understood the cause of Lia’s epilepsy or the purpose of her prescribed medication. Their motivation to learn may also have been a factor; they believed they already knew what caused Lia’s epilepsy and what healing she needed. Faidman describes cases of successfully communicating western medical ideals with Hmong people, but Lia’s case is not an example of effective cross-cultural understanding. The Lee’s low level of health literacy severely impacted their ability to successfully understand and administer Lia’s medication, which may have negatively affected her health outcomes. Some strategies to improve communication suggested by Egbert and Nanna (2009) that may have helped the Lee’s include using plain language that is culturally sensitive, spending more time with the patient to ensure understanding, and using a, “...teach-back method, in which patients repeat back to the provider the information they believe they have just
The Hmong people are well known for their survival antics from their silent war with China and their migration from the Vietnam War. Hmong is a term many have never even heard of but their culture it is known as "free people." Hmong textiles has survived just like their whole culture. The attractive handcrafted designs have been in their history for over two centuries, and their embroideries are popular among the Asian countries as well as the United States. Hmong textiles includes a variety of embroideries on their Flower cloths, story cloths, and their New Year dress. All fabrics have powerful importance in their customs to bring prosperity and good fortunes. Needlework is a substantial skill in their community that can not be forgotten, symbolizing work ethics and preservation of their culture.
The Hmong people, an Asian ethnic group from the mountainous regions of China, Vietnam and Laos, greatly value their culture and traditions. The film “The Split Horn: Life of a Hmong Shaman in America” documents the seventeen year journey of the Hmong Shaman, Paja Thao and his family from the mountains of Laos to the heartland of America. This film shows the struggle of Paja Thao to maintain their 5000 year-old shamanic traditions as his children embrace the American culture. Moreover, the film shows that one of the major problems refugees like Paja Thao and his family face upon their arrival to the United States is conflict with the American medical system. Despite the dominant biomedical model of health, the film “The Split Horn” shows that
According to Canadian Mental Health Association, approximately 8% of adults will experience major depression at some point in their life. Depression is an illness which not only effects a person emotionally, it also effects a person physically. Different cultures view depression different ways. The film ‘The Split Horn’ produced by Taggart Sigel and Jim McSilver, tells the tale of Chai Thao, a Hmong girl living in Wisconsin. Her and her family have encountered depression, but the way they go about it is quite different from the way the Western World would. The Hmong view of health is a more holistic/ spiritual view while the western world views health through a biomedical point of view. In Hmong culture, depression is a very cultural journey. The Shaman is involved, the persons family and the person who is effected. In Western culture, depression usually does not involve a religious leader, is a more emotional thing. Western Culture also is not
As our textbook states, “Communication includes the willingness of individuals to share their thoughts and feelings” (Purnell, 2103, p. 21). To that end, the Hmong people are primarily illiterate. For this culture, they have a belief that Americans are rude because direct eye contact is maintained when conversing, as well as asking direct questions. In order for there to be successful education regarding the risks of cupping or coining as well as needle pricks, it is important to know that when speaking to someone of the Hmong culture to use quick glances without starting and to initiate a light conversation prior to asking anything regarding their beliefs, health, etc. The Purnell Model of Cultural Competence states that the domain of high-risk behaviors is one area that healthcare providers can make a significant impact on a patient’s health status (Purnell, 2013, p. 30). Advice to the parents, under these circumstances along with other obstacles that could potentially be faced due to the very different cultural aspects, would best be given via one-on-one or through family counseling techniques. From what I have learned so far from our readings, spirituality plays a very important role in a cultures health and well-being. Knowing the beliefs pertinent to the culture you are treating allows you as the provider to better assist them to attaining better health and well-being. Trust is also paramount and it is very clear that to interfere with a person’s spirituality could possibly hinder their physical recovery and actually cause physical
Share the story of The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down: A Hmong Child, Her American Doctors, and the Collision of Two Cultures.
Going to a different country or area of the world can open up anybody’s eyes to see that culture makes a huge impact on the understanding and practices of healthcare that seem to be so common to other areas of the world. When a person lives in one country their whole life, that person may not realize how different the life they live is from someone in a foreign country. If a person is going to receive treatment from someone with a different cultural background, they should be expected to get treatment to respects their own culture. Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences having such a diverse variety of students has their own cultural competency definition that states “effectively and comfortably communicate across cultures with patients of differing backgrounds, taking into account aspects of trust in order to adopt mutually acceptable objectives and measures”. In the book Dancing Skeletons: Life and Death in West Africa by Katherine Dettwyler, the issue of culture and healthcare are greatly prevalent. Katherine Dettwyler herself goes to West Africa as an anthropologist and her horizons are broadened when during her research she comes in contact with how much culture has an impact on healthcare and everyday life.
marry often face a dilemma, to wed the Hmong or American way. Both are distinctively
Providing a space for and allowing multiple family members in the room will allow for the maintenance of family dynamics and comfort to the patient while in the hospital setting. Native American patients may request that the nurse consult with the family elders before proceeding with care. Educating the patient and family in a way that is understandable will play major part in the recovery phase. Native Americans tend to comprehend educational materials and approaches that are concrete or experiential rather than abstract and theoretical. (Field,
In the US., the therapeutic group seldom has approaches to correspond with individuals of societies so drastically unique in relation to standard American society; even a great interpreter will think that it troublesome deciphering ideas between the two separate societies' reality ideas. American specialists, not at all like Hmong shamans, regularly physically touch and cut into the collections of their patients and utilize an assortment of capable medications and meds.
1. Anne Fadiman, The spirit catches you and you fall down, (New York, Farrar 1997)
The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down tells the story of a young Hmong girl stricken with epilepsy, her family, her doctors, and how misunderstandings between cultures can lead to tragedy. The title comes from the Hmong term for epilepsy, which translated, is “the spirit catches you and you fall down”. Anne Fadiman alternates between chapters on Hmong history or culture and chapters on the Lees, and specifically Lia. The condensed history of the Hmong portrayed here starts at their beginning, and traces their heritage, their movements, and why they do what they do as they flee from enemies to country to country. This record allows the reader to better understand the Lees and their situation without bogging him down with details that may
The two Hmong cultural values that were demonstrated by the Lee family are portrayed by their belief and view about the cause and method of cure for an illness. The Lee family comes from a culture that believes in holistic healing. They have an animalistic view about health and medicine. For instance an epileptic is seen as someone who has been chosen to be a healer. Most Hmong epileptic are shamans, therefore even though the Lee’s wish that their daughter’s illness will be cured, they also have a mixture of pride because “although shamanism is an arduous calling that require years of training with a master in order to learn the ritual techniques and chants, it confers an enormous amount of social status in the community and publicly marks the triv neeh as a person of high moral character since a healing spirit will never choose a no account host” (Fadiman,1997, p.21). It is not surprising that their view about health is reflected mostly in their traditional belief in the causes and the cure of an illness. For i...
Anthropological studies on language and communication would be directly related to Lia’s case for a few reasons: Lia and her family were Hmong, her parents could not read or write, they didn’t give her enough medication. Also, Lia was taken away from her parents because of language and communication barriers that led to her parents not administering her medication at all, as well as interpreters not being clear about what to give her.
One of my most memorable experiences in Asia was my trip to the doctor. I knew that my slight fever and scratchy throat could be contributed to lack of sleep. With a twelve-hour time difference, I had the worst jet lag that was possible. Yet, the Secretariat felt that I should go to the doctor, so off I went. Once we arrived I took one look at the building and decided that I felt much better. The office was a hole in the wall that practiced family medicine and surgery. It was in stark contrast to the gigantic, pristine medical facilities I was used to. There was a very long line to see the doctor so I took a seat next to a hacking baby and an anxious young mother. What happened next was the most distressing part of my adventure. Once my chaperone announced that I was part of the school program, the doctor took me right away. As I followed the nurse back I passed by people who had been sitting there for much longer. There was a man with b...