Open AccessSusto, Coraje, y Fatalismo: Cultural-Bound Beliefs and the Treatment of Diabetes Among Socioeconomically Disadvantaged Hispanics
Author(s) -
Telma Moreira,
Daphne C. Hernandez,
Claudia W Scott,
Rosenda Murillo,
E Vaughan,
Craig A. Johnston
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
american journal of lifestyle medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.404
H-Index - 37
eISSN - 1559-8284
pISSN - 1559-8276
DOI - 10.1177/1559827617736506
Subject(s) - medicine , disadvantaged , health care , fatalism , referral , cultural competence , family medicine , gerontology , health equity , medline , nursing , public health , psychology , pedagogy , philosophy , theology , political science , law , economics , economic growth
Hispanics are disparately affected by diabetes. Treating socioeconomically disadvantaged Hispanics is challenging due to economic and cultural barriers. Health care providers must understand that cultural beliefs about medicine and disease may have an impact on how diabetes treatment is viewed. Concepts such as susto (fright), coraje (anger), and fatalismo (fatalism) are common cultural beliefs. If these beliefs are not well understood by the health care provider, recommendations for treatment are likely to be discarded. To dismantle cultural barriers between the patient and the health care provider, there are several strategies that a health care provider can implement. For instance, a health care provider must develop trust with the patient. The health care provider could also engage a family member or promotora or promotor (community health worker) in the conversation. Furthermore, if the cultural barriers are significant, the patient may be best served by receiving treatment from someone with a better understanding of his or her background. Thus, a referral may be appropriate.