Cultural Awareness Hispanic & Vietnamese Culture

Cultural AwarenessHispanic & Vietnamese Culture Bridging Differences

Interpreter Language Services • Spanish Interpreters and Translators: • Vietnamese Interpreters and Translators:

Vietnamese Culture & Customs • People • Language • Family • Child Care and Rearing • Celebration, Commemorations • None Verbal Patterns & Meaning • Communication Styles • Health Care

People: • List Family name first, then middle, first name last • More than a million in Europe, North America, Australia • Primary Regions • North • Central • South • Migration • First wave, 1975 • Second wave, 1978 • Third wave, 1992

Language: • Vietnamese • Spoken language • Written (Alexandre de Rhodes) • People from different regions different accents • Tendency to keep problems private, avoid asking for help until too late

Family • Most Important Unit • Several Generations live together • Elders taken care in the home • Family Honor • Older Siblings responsible • Parent expect to see respect in children

Child Caring & Rearing • Mother or Mother-in-law is the principal person who assist, observe and apply rules

Pre,Post-natal rules: • Pre-natal Rules • Walk Slowly • Not to sleep too much • Avoid funerals, horror stories. . . • Post-natal Rules: • No bath or shower • Avoid wind • Keep warm for at least three months

Celebrations & Commemorations • Full Month after birth • First birthday • Death Anniversary • Full moon celebration • Lunar New Year

Nonverbal Patterns • Nodding • Shaking one’s hand • Touching child’s head • Winking • Frowning • Pouting

Communication Styles • Suppress Hostility • Smiling is a common social response to mark a variety of reactions • A “yes” answer may only indicate attention from listener

Health Care • Self-Medication • Mental illness is considered shameful • Greatest stress for elders arise from lack of English and Economic dependency • A common practice done by rubbing back, chest, neck with menthol oil can be mistaken by abuse • Women prefer female providers

Hispanic Culture Language • Family • Health • Major Causes of Illness • Treatments

Objective • To become more sensitive to the crucial fact that multiple factors underlie patients behaviors. Patients may well perceive and understand health and illness from quite a different perspective than that of a healthcare provider

Language: Spanish • Alternatives name • Spoken in 43 countries • Distinct Accents & Dialects • Originated VI Century BC

Family: • Base of Society • Older Siblings take care of younger children • Man head of household • School not affordable

Health: • Pure Luck • Reward for good behavior • Punishment meted out for wrongdoing • Lack of Pain=Health

Major Causes of Illness • Body’s Imbalance • “Hot and Cold” or “Dry or Wet” • Dislocation of Body Part • Empacho, Sobadora, Caida de Mollera • Magic or Supernatural • Embrujado, Mal de Ojo, Susto • Envidia--Envy • Succeed is to fail

Treatments: • Religious Rituals • Making Promises • Visiting shrines, religious pilgrimages • Offering prayers • Curandero • Folk healer • Herbs,oils, perfumes, massages, limpias, confession…

Awareness: • Yourself • Explore own identity • Listen • Body language • Facial expressions • Medical Culture • Scientific • Medical View Point

Thank you

Cultural Awareness Hispanic & Vietnamese Culture