Cultural Competency - Multicultural Health Generalizations: Asian
Asian American and Pacific Islanders
- AAPI Medical Traditions
- Beyond Culture: Communicating with Asian Pacific Islander American Children and Families
- Modern Nursing, Traditional Beliefs
- Quality of Health Care for Asian Americans
- Asian Americans: Religion, Spirituality, and Faith
Asian Indian Culture and Health Beliefs
- Asian Indians
- Asian Culture Brief: India
- Indian Community Profile
- Asian Indians: Fact Sheet
- Health and Health Care of Asian Indian American Elders
Cambodian Culture and Health Beliefs
- Cambodian Health Beliefs and Practices: A Summary
- Voices of the Cambodian Community
- Cambodian Cultural Profile
- Cambodian Health Beliefs
- Cambodians
Asian Pacific Americans
- Providers Guide to Asian American and Pacific Islander Populations
- Health Briefs: Cambodians (Khmer) in the United States
- Hmong Health
- Asian Health
Asian Maternal Health Beliefs
- In some Asian populations, it is believed that the fetus absorbs information and develops its personality, disposition and physical appearance in the womb.
- An expectant Asian mother may fear that unless she satisfies her food cravings, her baby will take on (physical) characteristics of the food she craves.
- Therefore, it may be helpful for the patient if healthcare providers accept her dietary choices, when medically appropriate.
- In certain Asian cultures, physical activity is advocated even up until birth. Thus, it may be difficult for some Asian women to accept or follow a healthcare provider's medical recommendation for bed rest.
- Expectant mothers may reunite with their parents in the country of origin to deliver the baby, especially during the first pregnancy.
Source: Asia: Health culture sketch. Maternal and reproductive health beliefs. (Online).
American Public Health Association.
http://www.apha.org/ppp/red/asiabeliefs.htm (2002, Apr 4).
Cambodian Health Beliefs and Practices
In general, Cambodians (or Khmer) are comfortable with western medicine and with traditional healing practices.
Some of the following traditional healings are carried out by family members and some by traditional healers or kruu Khmer. Some kruu Khmer specialize in medicinal practice with a spiritual component, while others specialize in magic with a medicinal component. Regardless of who carries out the below or other procedures, they are often accompanied by prayer and other spiritual activities.
- Koo' (rub) kchall (wind) is used to treat a variety of ailments, including fever, upper respiratory infection, nausea, weak heart, and malaise. A coin is dipped in a mentholated medicine and rubbed in one direction (away from the center of the body) in a symmetric pattern on the patient's chest, back, and/or extremities. This is referred to in western literature as "coining" or "dermabrasion."
- Jup (pinch) kchall is used to treat headache and malaise. Jup includes pinching and thus bruising the bridge of the nose, neck, or chest or the practice of "cupping" or placing a small candle on the forehead, lighting the candle, and placing a small jar over the candle. The flame consumes the oxygen and creates a vacuum, thus causing a circular contusion.
- Oyt pleung (known as "moxibustion" in the literature) is used to treat gastrointestinal and other disorders. Oyt pleung is seldom done in the U.S., but the abdomens of some Cambodian adults might have four to six 1-2 cm round scars resulting from the procedure.
- Massage or manipulation is practiced by kruu Khmer and others.
There often are both spiritual and medicinal elements in healing practices. Magico-religious articles such as amulets, strings, and Buddha images are commonly part of treatment or prevention of illness. Other spiritual or magical means of treating illness include blowing on the sick person's body in a prescribed manner and showering or rubbing with lustral water. As noted earlier, many Khmer see no conflict in practicing or using traditional or magic means of treating illness simultaneously with western medicine. Many would further see no conflict in adding Christian prayer to the mix.
Most Khmer are oriented more to illness than prevention of illness. Childhood immunizations are accepted, but adult immunizations (influenza, pneumonia) are of little interest until illness strikes. Most Khmer do not value early detection or disease screening.
As with most other cultures, respect is essential. Communication is often indirect and requests or questions may be couched in seemingly vague terms. It is unusual for older people to make a direct "no" response to a question or request.
Source: http://www3.baylor.edu/~Charles_Kemp/cambodian_health.html
Accessed October 20, 2005.
Hmong Customs
- Looking one in the eye can be considered rude.
- A smile is a sign of greeting and welcome.
- The head may be considered sacred because the soul lives there. Thus, patting a child’s head would not be appropriate for it could startle the soul out of the body.
- Children might wear tiny charms or strings on their wrists, waist, and/or neck to keep away evil spirits.
- Some might believe that evil spirits can cause illnesses and if the correct animal is sacrificed, the victim will recover.
- Some might believe in animism - the belief that natural phenomena or inanimate objects possess spirits.
- Status in the family and clan is very important. The last name denotes membership in a clan (Yang, Xiong, Vang, Lee).
- The household/family is very important. Several families may live together, but they are usually of the same clan. The male is the head of the family or household and might need to be addressed first.
Source:
University of Wisconsin - Extension. Hmong Educational Project handout. Winter 2002.
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