Mexican Americans

Desiree Ferwalt

NUR 3393 Transcultural Nursing20 November 2011

Englekirk and Marín (2011) states that after the Mexican-American War in

1848 the U.S. annexed what is now the current Southwestern region from

Mexico. This would include California, Nevada, Utah, New Mexico, most of Arizona and Colorado, and parts of

Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, and Wyoming. Mexicans residing in that

territory became members of the US.

Giger (2008) states that Mexican Americans living in U.S. tend to be

economically segregated working class group. They are often forced into low paying day labor jobs. This group of

people are often discriminated in the US through education, jobs, and housing. Skin color, language differences, and Spanish surnames contribute to the

discrimination (p. 241)

Mexican Americans are Americans of Mexican descent

•Language- Spanish, American English, minority speaks Indigenous Mexican language•Religion- Roman Catholic, minority is Protestant•Race-Most Mexican Americans are the descendants of the Indigenous Mexicans and/or Spaniards with Europeans.•Skin Color- persons with lighter skin color have more Spanish ancestry and darker skinned person have more Indian ancestry•Politics-Hispanic community lean toward the Democratic Party•Family- traditional gender and family roles, patriarchal head of house

(Office of Minority Health & Health Disparities , 2010)

• As of 2007, Mexican Americans make up 7.3% of the United States' population with over 20,640,711 Americans listed as of Mexican ancestry.

• Mexican Americans make up 58.5% of all Hispanics and Latinos in the United States

• In 2008 there were approximately 7,000,000 undocumented Mexicans living in the United States which if included in the count would increase the US share to over 28% of the world's Mexican origin population

• The U.S. border region contains six of the eleven poorest U.S. metropolitan areas(Giger, 2008, p.242)

List of top 10 states by Mexican-American population percentage

State/Territory Mexican-Americans

• Texas• California• New Mexico• Arizona • Nevada• Colorado• Illinois• Oregon• Idaho• Utah

Population (2010 Census)

• 7,951,193 • 11,423,146 • 590,890 • 1,657,668• 540,978 • 757,181• 1,602,403 • 369,817 • 148,923 • 258,905

Percentage

•31.6• 30.7•28.7 •25.9 •20.0 •15.1•12.5 •9.7•9.5 •9.4

(Office of Minority Health & Health Disparities , 2010)

US communities with high percentages of Mexican ancestryThe top 25 US communities with various Mexican American populations are:

• San Elizario, Texas in El Paso 99.00%

• Tornillo, Texas 87.20%• Lopezville, Texas 87.48%• Progreso, Texas 87.54%• Cameron, Texas 90.79%• Presidio, Texas 89.92%• Alton, Texas 89.62%• Hidalgo, Texas 89.43%• Cactus, Texas 89.40%• Penitas, Texas 89.37%• Palmview, Texas 89.16%• Roma, Texas 88.76%

• Fort Hancock, Texas 88.21%• Calexico, California 87.72%• Somerton, Arizona 87.42%• Coachella, California 79.59%.• San Benito, Texas 87.00%• Huron, California 86.92%• Parlier, California86.42%• Lost Hills, California 86.27%• Mecca, California 20.49%• Heidelburg, Texas 85.31%• San Juan, Texas 84.00%• Granger, Washington 83.94%• La Joya, Texas 83.92%

(Office of Minority Health & Health Disparities , 2010)

Giger and Davidhizar’s Transcultural Assessment Model

Culturally unique Individual1. Born in Mexico or

ancestors were from Mexico

2. Race is a mix of Indian and Spaniard heritage

Communication3. voice quality

• Strong, resonant

4. Pronunciation and enunciation• More than 50 different

dialects

3. Use of Silence• Are infrequent and brief

4. Use of nonverbal• Use hands to exaggerate

expression• Direct eye contact when

communicating• Tactile in relationships• Nurses should touch

children on the head when caring for them to prevent the “evil eye”

5. Touch• Accepts touch without

difficulty

Giger and Davidhizar’s Transcultural Assessment Model con’t

Space1. Degree of comfort

• Does not move when space is invaded

2. Distance in conversation• 18 inches to 3 feet

3. Definition of space• Enjoys the closeness while

talking or visiting

Social Organization4. Normal state of health

• Will vary from poor to excellent

5. Marital status• Divorce is uncommon

3. Number of children• Families are large, useally 4

or more children

Time1. Orientation to time

• Present-oriented

2. View of time• Social time

3. Physiochemical reaction to time• Puts a lot importance on

sleep• Arrive on “Latin time”

Giger and Davidhizar’s Transcultural Assessment Model con’t

Environmental Control1. Locus of Control

• External locus of control

2. Value orientation• Believes in God• Believes folk health, prayer,

and magic to affect change

Biological Variation3. Skin color

• Natural tan to dark brown

4. Hair color and distribution• Dark and coarse

(Giger, 2008, p.9-11)

Giger (2008) states Mexican Americans rely frequently on

traditional medical beliefs and practices instead of Modern Western medicine to resolve

health problems (p. 256).

cultural beliefs of health and illness

•Health is seen as holistic involving mind, body, and spirit.•Curanderismo describes the entire Mexican Folk system of disease and healing. Curaneros are folk healers who use their belief in God.•Yerberos are root and herb doctors.•Mexican American Folk Medicines include plants (onion, garlic, aloe vera, cactus), precious stones (silver, gold, copper), magical perfumes•Other healers are Sobadores (massage therapists), Brujos (Witches), and Espiritistas (Spiritualists).

(Englekirk and Marín, 2011)

Common Mexican American Folk Illnesses:

• Empacho (food lodged in digestive tract)

• Mal Ojo (evil eye)• Caida de la Mollera

(fallen fontanelle)• Latido (anorexia or

hyperglycemia)• Bilis (suppressed anger) • Susto (magical fright)

• Ataques De Nervios (nervous attack)

• Nervios (nervous breakdown)

• Penas (shame, suffering)

• Dolor De Cerebro (occipital headache with neck pain)

Englekirk and Marín (2011)

Giger (2008) states Mexican Americans believe that many

diseases are hot and cold imbalances. It is thought that the

illnesses are caused from prolonged exposure to hot or cold.

The cure from these kinds of illnesses is to use the opposite quality of the disease (p. 254).

Hot-Cold conditions and their corresponding treatment

Hot ConditionsFever liver problemInfectionulcersDiarrheaconstipationKidney problem rashesSore throat skin issuesCold Medicine to treat HotPenicillin TobaccoGarlic AspirinVitamin Castor oilCinnamon Ginger root

Cold ConditionsCancer RheumatismCold Stomach crampEarache pneumoniaMalaria joint painTeething HeadacheParalysis tuberculosis

Hot Medicine to treat ColdOrange flowersLindenSage Milk of MagnesiaBicarbonate of Soda(Giger, 2008, p.255)

Folk Health Interventions

• Prayers• Incantations• use of incense• Massage• Chiropractic• use of ointments

• Relaxation techniques• Herbal teas• Baridas (sweeping the

body using special aromatic leaves and branches

• burning of candles

(Office of Minority Health & Health Disparities , 2010)

Health Risk Factors• Percent of men 18 years and over who currently

smoke: 19% (2007-2009)• Percent of women 18 years and over who currently

smoke: 8.5% (2007-2009)• Percent of men 20 years and over who are obese: 31%

(2005-2008)• Percent of women 20 years and over who are obese:

43% (2005-2008)• Percent of men 20 years and over with hypertension:

18% (2005-2008)• Percent of women 20 years and over with

hypertension: 19% (2005-2008)(Office of Minority Health & Health Disparities , 2010)

Factors that contribute to poor health• Percent of persons all ages in fair or poor health is 9.5%• language and cultural barriers• No access to preventive care• Large population movement• poor environmental conditions (crowded substandard city

housing)• Low education• Undocumented aliens cannot get Medicaid and Medicare• In 2007, influenza vaccination coverage for Mexican

American was 35.5%• Percent of persons under 65 years without health

insurance coverage are 37% (Office of Minority Health & Health Disparities , 2010)

Healthcare statistics

• Mexican American women are more than 2.3 times likely to have late or no prenatal care than Caucasian women

• Mexican American women had the highest incidence rate for cancers of the cervix

• HIV/AIDS death rate is 2.5 times higher for Mexican American than Caucasian

• Mexican Americans had a higher prevalence of overweight (77.3%) and obesity (30.4%) than Caucasians (Office of Minority Health & Health

Disparities , 2010)

Common Diseases that Mexican American are Susceptible to

• Diabetes• Hypertension• Pernicious Anemia• Communicable Diseases (TB, respiratory

infections, skin disorders, diarreaha)• Hepatitis C• Childhood Obesity• HIV/AIDS

(Giger, 2008, p.260-262)

10 Leading Causes of Death Hispanic/Latino Population, U.S., 2007

1. Heart Disease2. Cancer3. Unintentional injuries4. Stroke5. Diabetes 6. Chronic liver disease and cirrhosis 7. Chronic lower respiratory disease 8. Homicide 9. Certain conditions dealing with perinatal period 10. Influenza and pnuemonia (Office of Minority Health & Health

Disparities , 2010)

When caring for a patient who doesn’t speak English there are a few ways to that can be done to relieve stressful situation

• Friendly facial expression• Facing the client• Talk directly to the client• Involve family in the care• Use a interpreter

(Giger, 2008, p.246)

Englekirk and Marín (2011)states one of the main issues nurses face is ethnocentrism

(belief in the superiority of one's own ethnic group)

Giger (2008) states Nurses who do not understand the culture of their clients are likely to be negative and less effective in their care (p. 266).

Conclusion

• Understanding cultural values, diversity, and beliefs will give better health care.

• Will increase cultural proficiency among health care providers.

• Patients will be better satisfied with culturally sensitive care.

• Can reduce any inconstancies in the health care treatment.

References

Englekirk, A., & Marín, M. (2011, March 18). Mexican American. In Countries and Their Cultures. Retrieved November 19, 2011, from http://www.everyculture.com/multi/Le-Pa/Mexican-Americans.html

Giger, J.N. & Davidhizar, R.E. (2008). Transcultural Nursing: Assessment & Intervention, (5th Ed). Mosby: St Louis

Office of Minority Health & Health Disparities . (2010). Hispanic or Latino Populations. In CDC: Office of Minority Health & Health Disparities . Retrieved November 17, 2011, from http://www.cdc.gov/omhd/Populations/HL/HL.htm