Cuban Cultural Insights: Health, Rituals, and Family Dynamics - Essay Example

All cultures in the world have beliefs that shape the culture of the patient in reaction to illnesses and treatment. Patient education is perceived by many societies with cultural relevance and hence has a profound outcome on information reception. I come from Cuba, where diseases are believed to result from natural scientific phenomena, hence diagnosis and treatment are done by a professional medical practitioner. This paper is going to discuss rituals and celebrations in my culture, the definition of health, disease, and illness in my family, the signs of the need for medical attention, who to seek help from, the maker of healthcare decisions in my family, and the expectations for caring for an elderly relative by a family member.

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Christmas celebration with no presents is an outstanding event that symbolizes my cultural background. This is usually done on Christmas Eve with a traditionally prepared partial or whole pig in an oven in the backyard. Here, we get together with family, friends, and neighbors to share love and joy. A roasted Cuban pig is a traditional delicacy in my culture. It is slowly cooked in an outdoor fire pit dug on the ground, with two sturdy Y-shaped sticks on either end to hold the pig in position and allow turning. The roasted pig is served with beans, rice, and tasty yucca with mojo sauce made from oil, lemon, garlic, and onions. Traditional clothes worn in my culture by women include the rumba dress, guayabera shirt or dress, and bata cubana, a traditional Cuban dress made of bright-colored light-weight materials decorated with ruffles around the neck, skirts, and sleeves.

My culture is symbolized by the Yoruba religion and its rituals. For example, anybody entering a room is expected to kiss those already inside to express respect and hospitality. My other cultural ritual includes dropping rum on the floor after opening a bottle and dressing babies in yellow after birth at a hospital while being taken home. Rituals are also performed during the New Year celebration. For example, we burn a straw doll to represent the old year and wear white clothes while receiving the new year. At midnight on new year’s Day, we walk around the block with a suitcase to symbolize that we will travel that year as well as throwing water to the front of our house for good luck.

In my family, one is healthy if he or she can perform daily duties, do all physical activities, and eat well. Such duties include cleaning the house, working at home or office, and taking care of the children, while physical activities include jogging, running, bicycling, dancing, general gardening, and walking the family dog out. Health in my family is also the emotional, social, and physical well-being of all the members of the family, which may not necessarily mean the absence of any illness. Health in my family encompasses emotional health where members can control their behaviors, feelings, and thoughts while coping with challenges in life, bounce from setbacks, and have excellent relationships. My family encourages members to sleep adequately, have a balanced diet, engage in hobbies, and have fun with family and friends.

In my family, illness is defined as the time that one is not feeling well enough to adequately perform daily routines and duties. For instance, if a child is ill, he or she is not able to go to school, eat well, and play. If the head of the family is ill, he may not be able to go to work. Disease, on the other hand, is defined as the opposite of health, where individuals stray from complete physical, social, and emotional well-being, usually accompanied by distinct signs and symptoms. This affects the overall well-being of the person and may result in hospitalization. A disease changes how a person eats and may require medication for effective recovery.

Some health problems do not require an individual to seek medical attention. Sometimes a health condition has a low perceived need for medical assistance and may clear up. Medical conditions take a lot of a patient’s physical and emotional energy, and when one has the energy to perform chores, it is a sign of good health, hence you do not need medical attention. Also, feeling a full spectrum of emotions is another sign of recovery.

Many people seek the attention of a doctor when they have a minor problem that could be solved by a pharmacist. Whenever I have a minor issue, I seek help from a pharmacist. Cuban pharmacists are healthcare professionals experienced in medicine and offer help in varied minor illnesses. They advise on certain health problems, offer information on the available over-the-counter drugs, and inform one when to seek medical attention. Other minor or short-term health conditions are managed at home through rest, self-care, and advice from the pharmacist. On the contrary, when one has recurring symptoms or a major medical problem, calling for an emergency is mandatory. In Cuba, the family physician and nurse program has nurses and physician’s teams that offer medical help to families and individuals in communities, but in case of an emergency, patients are evacuated for specialized treatment by doctors in hospitals.

Parents in my culture are responsible for making healthcare decisions for children up to 18 years old. After this time, each individual makes their own medical decision, but this role lies on the parents if the adult is incapacitated. Medical decisions for old parents are made by the family. Medical practitioners may sometimes offer options for the patient who can be swayed by the family member. The making of an informed medical decision may require the practitioner to involve the family members to effectively persuade the patient against his or her wish which would be more successful than the decision taken initially by the patient. In a family, a patient may require surgery and it is upon the family to give consent to the doctor.

Caring for the elderly in Cuba is a joint effort by relatives, family, friends, and neighbors at home because of deep family values and the lack of nursing homes. The family expects the caregiver to meet the needs of the elderly person even if they receive assistance from a social support network. Also, society demands sacrifice and dedication from the caregiver, which brings pressure and worry. The caregiver’s health is impacted, which makes them limit their personal and social lives and, hence feel incompetent and frustrated. Furthermore, the satisfaction of the elderly person’s needs takes priority over the personal needs of the caregiver, especially in long-term care. While taking care of the elderly, the caregiver is expected to sacrifice and bond emotionally with the old, hence may cause one to give up a lot of things.

Conclusion

In conclusion, my culture has varied rituals, celebrations, and food. Different families define health, illness, and health differently. Some health problems may not necessarily need medical attention when the patient sees signs of recovery such as feeling emotional and physical stability as well as having the energy to perform duties. In case of a minor health issue, help is sought from the nearest pharmacist, but when there is a major medical issue, help from a doctor is sought immediately so as not to endanger the life of a person. Making medical decisions is crucial in the road to recovery. In my family, these decisions are made by parents for children up to 18 years, but adults can make their own decisions with input from the family sometimes. Old age in my community is treated with respect, with the elderly being taken care of by immediate family members at home. This requires sacrifice and dedication from the caregiver to give the elderly good health.