CULTURAL REFLECTION

An essay detailing my understanding of various culture practices of Latinx communities in the US and abroad

Pursuing study in the Spanish language was fundamental in my aspiration to become a culturally competent practitioner. While I was not able to complete an immersive study abroad experience due to the pandemic, the summation of experiences I have had in undergrad has helped me to more deeply understand and appreciate the unique cultural practices of the Latinx community. Throughout undergrad, I have learned about the importance of familismo, where regard for the wellbeing and prioritization of family needs is placed over one’s own, jerarquismo, or respect for hierarchy, and personalismo, or the display of mutual respect. These are all worldviews that encompass the collectivism shared among Latinx individuals, which emphasizes caring and being responsible for one’s community over one’s self-interests. Other themes I have learned about include the importance of religious beliefs, particularly that of Catholic or Protestant origin. Regardless, it is important to recognize that Latinx people are not a homogenous group and that the current shift among young people in the US particularly is drastically changing the dynamics of many traditional cultural practices. Still, it is important to recognize how these customs continue to shape community dynamics. In this cultural reflection, I will explore the salient themes of religion as well as familismo.

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Through my undergraduate courses in Spanish, we have focused heavily on the ways in which religion and spirituality often play into the interactions Latinx people have with one another as well as some of their health practices. Religion has a strong connection to the collectivism that Latinx communities practice. Overall, religion creates a shared foundation for people to help voice their individual concerns and can even help to foster psychological and emotional well-being. Yet religion has also impeded Latinx people from receiving vital services in terms of sexual and reproductive health. In my FIMRC internship, I learned that the Dominican Republic only recently began instituting sexual health education in schools because of the strong value placed on religion, particularly puritanism. For this reason, a lot of the reproductive health needs of Latinx people tend to be unaddressed. Yet, it is important to realize that many of these dynamics are changing, especially in the US. This is why it is increasingly important to be able to provide linguistically and culturally relevant services. For instance, knowing that stigma still exists around STDs, it is important to make sure that if disclosing a positive diagnosis to a patient that this is not received through a family member proxy but rather a certified translator that can reduce the chances of shaming or misinterpretation. It is also important to recognize that because religion is still central to the wellbeing of Latinx communities, churches can be a powerful resource to providing essential preventive health services. This is a theme I also noticed as a Black woman in my own community. The strong focus on religion makes churches great communal centers for disseminating essential information on available health resources and services. Additionally, it is important as a provider to not undermine the power of using herbalist and home remedies, which are still strongly used in the Latinx community and have strong ties to the understanding of illness and its relation to God. Understanding for instance that garlic (ajo en español) is something that can be used to reduce hypertension can also work alongside the prescribed medication or lifestyle changes advised by a physician. Ultimately, the beliefs around religion and wellness should be used to better serve and understand the unique needs of Latinx communities and not try to push assimilation toward Western practices.

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On a similar thread of recognizing collectivism’s role in Latinx peoples’ health practices is the function of the family in Latinx communities. The Latino family structure tends to follow a hierarchy where men are considered to hold the most power in the family and they also tend to make the decisions for other family members. The expectations among men to be primary caregivers alongside a spiritual context that is traditional in its views of the roles of men and women can be exemplified in the reality of “machismo.” This is a common phenomenon akin to an overemphasis on male superiority and domination over other genders. Machismo, however, has not only impacted the health and wellbeing of those who are women or gender nonconforming. Machismo has made it difficult for Latino men to seek out health services, particularly mental health services, and can even prohibit men from seeking out necessary medical  attention in a timely manner. The discrepancy in seeking out vital services impacts not only men but also women, who often bear the burden of caring for other family members. As I have learned throughout my undergraduate classes, as well as through my internship placement, it is doubly important to involve men in community health interventions because ultimately it can enable more health-seeking behaviors among the entire family. It is very important to understand, in the provision of healthcare to Latinx individuals, that family is a central component to care, and thus should be the focus in public health and medical interventions for this population. 

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Learning Spanish has been instrumental in my worldview of how oppression, lack of linguistic competency, and also Western ideas of health and wellbeing can often impede upon the health of Latinx individuals. I truly value the strong ties to the family and the overall concern for the community that Latinx people maintain, which contrasts with the deeply individualistic culture that dominates in the US. I have been more active in not only seeking out interactions with Latinx people, but individuals of other cultures, genders, and religions. I am also very passionate about continuing to help destigmatize sexual and reproductive health, and some of my research interests related to the Latinx community have focused on understanding how to provide culturally relevant care in this area. In an essay I have written for SPAN 4190: Health and the Hispanic Community, I focused on reproductive justice in the Latinx community and how organizations like Planned Parenthood are using community health workers (promotores de salud) to address the discrepancies in sexual education and screenings among Latinx individuals. I have also been emboldened to work in this area due to the historic mistreatment of women of color in the realm of gynecology. This is the type of work I intend to pursue in medical school, particularly working to specialize in obstetrics and gynecology to provide necessary reproductive health services to underserved populations. Overall, I believe it is important as someone working in the healthcare field to have a well-rounded understanding of the populations I will be serving. While this cultural reflection can not fully address the breadth of cultural practices and beliefs of the Latinx community, it is important to continue self-education and learning and listening to the stories of Latinx people to broaden my perspectives.