Religious and Cultural Barriers in Treatment

Religious and Cultural Barriers in Treatment

Different population groups have certain beliefs that distract them from the dominant culture in their immediate environment. For instance, the Chinese and Latinos have different views on medical treatment that differentiates them from the dominant American population. In this case, understanding their aspects enables medical practitioners to focus beyond the cultural and religious barriers that expose them to different risks, affecting their lifestyles. Medical professionals should identify the various factors and develop viable solutions that address the causes of divergent views on treatment.

Mental illness is often surrounded by a wide range of stigmatizing stereotypes that discourage individuals from seeking medical assistance. Latinos are the largest minority group in the U.S., representing 17 pc of the total population in the country (Caplan, 2016). Notably, Latinos seek help from religious leaders and healers to overcome the stigma attached to mental illness. While this may not work out, the population group is widely affected by the country’s stringent measures adopted by health practitioners. Likewise, the Chinese population in the U.S. uses ethical approaches to teach adolescents about HIV/AIDS and another sexually transmitted disease (Chin & Neilands, 2016). However, evangelical protestants have varied attitudes towards public health measures, exposing the population group to a series of risks that affect their lifestyles.

Medical professionals should identify the different factors and develop viable solutions that address the causes of divergent views on treatment. Balancing people’s expectations requires medical practitioners to build a sustainable solution that addresses their concerns regarding different aspects of their immediate environment. The Chinese and Latino population affect the approaches public health institutions can impose on the minority groups to address medical concerns and issues. Conducting an extensive study to present problems that affect the strategies that hinder individuals from realizing their potential is crucial.

References

Caplan, S. (2016). A pilot study of a novel method of measuring stigma about depression developed for Latinos in the faith-based setting. Community Mental Health Journal, 52(6), 701-709.

Chin, J. J., & Neilands, T. B. (2016). Chinese immigrant religious institutions’ variability in views on preventing sexual transmission of HIV. American Journal of Public Health, 106(1), 110-118.