Cultural Beliefs & Values Related to Health

To learn more about some of the topics presented in this section go to: Beliefs and Traditions that Impact the Latino Healthcare

Family & Gender Roles

- In Hispanic and Latino cultures, family is of central importance (Familismo). This means that people may focus primarily on others' needs, rather than their own, which can impact their willingness to receive healthcare (MHP Salud and Health Outreach Partners, 2022). Since this belief system can affect how patients react to medical assistance, healthcare providers should be aware of it when working with Hispanic or Latino individuals.
- El familismo may also affect how families interact with healthcare providers. Oftentimes, families will want to provide as much help to the patient as possible. In many Spanish-speaking countries, before speaking to the patient, doctors may go directly to the family with news of their condition, which is uncommon in the U.S. (Giralt, 2012, p. 53).
- El machismo is a man's belief that they need to follow or conduct their lives in traditionally masculine ways (Giralt, 2012). This belief system relates to healthcare for many reasons. First, since this viewpoint traditionally considers men the final decision-makers, they often have the power to make all of the medical decisions for their family (Giralt, 2012). Second, feelings of "machismo" may also cause men to believe that receiving medical care is "una señal de debilidad [a sign of weakness]," often leading them to receive care after their condition has already progressed (Giralt, 2012, p. 249).

Cultural Beliefs

- - The idea of la resignación (resignation) is when individuals succumb to any adversities that are put in their path (Giralt, 2012). This can also be part of the view known as el fatalismo (Giralt, 2012). In this view, people believe that "el destino ya está escrito [destiny is already written]" (Giralt, 2012, p. 89). In other words, people believe that their life is meant to happen in a certain way, and there is no way to change that. Additionally, for some people, this may be linked to religious beliefs, where they believe that adverse life circumstances are part of God's plan, and are not intended to be changed (Giralt, 2012).
  - Some individuals also believe that the cause of various illnesses is an "imbalance" (Giralt, 2012, p. 89). These can come in the form of an imbalance between the cold and the hot, the body and spirit, or in "fuerza vital [bodily energy]" (Giralt, 2012, p. 170).
  - Instead of seeking "traditional western medicine," many patients will also opt for home remedies or consult folk healers (Medina, n.d.).

Overall, each of these beliefs and values affect healthcare as they all play a role in how the individual views their medical conditions, and subsequently, how they go about dealing with these conditions.

Language Barriers

As a whole, language barriers have been found to play a significant role in Spanish-speaking individuals' experiences in healthcare settings, as they can impact a patient's understanding of medical conditions, how they are perceived by medical professionals, and more.
- Specifically, in a study conducted to determine language barriers among Spanish-speaking patients in healthcare settings, a group of 22 nurses were surveyed about their perceptions regarding these issues (Pabon & Wisotzkey, 2013). Of the nurses studied, only one of them reported fluency in Spanish, while the other 21 stated that in order to communicate with their Spanish-speaking patients, they used things like Spanish interpreters, gestures, and family members as interpreters (Pabon & Wisotzkey, 2013). These communication methods, however, often led many of the nurses to feel as though the patients were not fully aware of the information they were being given (Pabon & Wisotzkey, 2013).
- In general, this study, as well as similar studies, found that Spanish-language barriers in healthcare exist, and can significantly impact the quality of care received.

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A study from 2021 reported that for individuals whose preferred language is Spanish, 35 to 42% less people received healthcare when compared to individuals who speak English (Preidt, 2021).
44% of Hispanic individuals in the U.S. also report that communication difficulties, stemming from language barriers, are a contributing factor in why Hispanic patients tend to experience more negative health outcomes (Funk, 2022).