Cultural group |
Health and illness philosophy |
Dietary practices |
African Americans |
- May believe illness is related to supernatural causes, such as punishment from God or an evil spell
- May express grief by crying, screaming, praying, singing, and reading scripture
- May seek advice and remedies from faith or folk healers
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- May have food restrictions based on religious beliefs, such as not eating pork if Muslim
- May view cooked greens as good for health
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Arab Americans |
- Believe health is a gift from God and that one should care for self by eating right and minimizing stressors
- If devout, may interpret illness as the will of Allah or as a test of faith and, therefore, have a fatalistic view
- Believe in complete rest and relieving self of all responsibilities during an illness
- May express pain freely
- After death, may want to prepare the body by washing it and then wrapping it in a white cloth
- Discourage postmortem examination unless required by law
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- Dont mix sweet and sour or hot and cold
- Dont use ice in drinks; believe hot soup can help recovery
- If Muslim, prohibited from drinking alcohol and eating pork or ham
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Chinese Americans |
- Believe health is a balance of Yin and Yang and illness stems from an imbalance of these elements; health requires harmony between body, mind, and spirit
- May use herbalists or acupuncturists before seeking medical help
- May use good luck objects, such as jade or a rope tied around the waist
- Family expected to take care of the patient, who assumes a passive role
- Tend not to readily express pain; stoic by nature
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- Staples are rice, noodles, and vegetables; tend to use chopsticks
- Choose foods to help balance the Yin (cold) and Yang (hot)
- Drink hot liquids, especially when sick
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Japanese Americans |
- Believe that health is a balance of oneself, society, and the universe
- May believe illness is karma, resulting from behavior in present or past life
- May believe certain food combinations cause illness
- May not complain of symptoms until severe
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- Eat rice with most meals; may use chopsticks
- Diet high in salt; low in sugar, fat, animal protein, and cholesterol
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Latino Americans |
- May view illness as a sign of weakness, punishment for evil doing, or retribution for shameful behavior
- May use the terms hot and cold in reference to vital elements needed to restore equilibrium to body
- May consult with a curandero (healer) or voodoo preist (Caribbean)
- May view pain as a necessary part of life and believe that enduring pain is a sign of strength (especially men)
- May openly express grief, such as by praying for the dead or saying the rosary
- May use amulets to ward off evil
- Typically involve family members in all aspects of decision making, such as with terminal illness
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- Beans and tortillas are staples
- Eat lots of fresh fruits and vegetables
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Native Americans |
- Use herbs and roots; each tribe has its own unique medicinal practices
- Most use modern medicine where available
- Use Medicine Wheel, an ancient symbol
- For some, 4 is a sacred number, associated with the four primary laws of creation: Life, Unity, Equality, and Eternity
- May use tobacco for important religious, ceremonial, and medicinal purposes; may sprinkle it around the bed of sick people to protect and heal them
- May believe that the spirit of a dying person cant leave the body until the family is present
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- Have balanced diet of seafood, fruits, greens, corn, rice, and garden vegetables; salt consumption is low
- Specific dietary practices are based on location; urban dwellers commonly eat most types of meat, while rural dwellers commonly consume only lamb and goat
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