Popular Cultural Practices & Beliefs:

Home Remedies & Rituals

By Milagros Batista, MSW

Co-founder, Alianza Dominicana, Inc.

Community Liaison, Dyson Initiative

This is part of a curriculum on cultural competency and community at Columbia University, Community Pediatrics department.

The curriculum is following IOM recommendations which suggest that in order to provide culturally effective care we need to be knowledgeable, understanding, and have an appreciation of the patient’s culture.

You need to take into account their beliefs, values, actions, customs, and unique health care needs of distinct population groups.

What is Cultural Competency? The AAP definition for cultural

competency is:“set of congruent behaviors, attitudes and

policies that come together in a system, agency or amongst professionals and enables that system, agency or professionals to work effectively in cross-cultural situations.”

Cultural Competency Synonyms Culturally effective Culturally sensitive Cross-cultural Multicultural

Does this make you culturally competent?

To be culturally competent we need to be cognitive of: Provider culture Biomedical culture Patient culture Negotiation

Provider Culture Awareness What we bring to our interaction with

people from other cultures is: An awareness of who we are (e.g. gender,

social class, etc.) Our family values (e.g. upbringing, religious

beliefs, treatment beliefs, behavior, etc.)

Biomedical Culture Awareness Physicians are trained to take only the bio-

physical ailments into account Disregard for psycho-social issues Medical knowledge gives them the final

say

Patient Culture Awareness Core Cultural Issues (e.g. resources

available, immigration issues, etc.) Perceptions of Disease and Illness Perceptions of Healing and Curing Perceptions of Doctors

Negotiation Your own check and balance Communication and interaction in the

encounter is effective and sensitive It is a win-win situation

Goals: Communication skills building Better treatment or services provided Health promotion and education Developing family-centered care Integrating other sources of care: traditional

healers, community health workers Reduce disparaties by decreasing error and

improving health care.

My role in the curriculum is taking my knowledge and my role in the community into the medical community.

My presentation on “Popular Cultural Practices & Beliefs: Home Remedies & Rituals” is based on the Dominican experience since we are the predominant population in the area.

Objective

To increase the knowledge of Dominican cultural practices and beliefs as they relate to health

Why is it important for medical health professionals to know

about the popular practices and beliefs of their patient

population?

Who are Dominicans?

Where do they come from?

Brief history of the Caribbean

Ethnicity: Spanish/European, African, Indigenous influences

The Beliefs

Health as an integrated vision

The unity of physical, mental and spiritual health

The Practices: Home Remedies Physical health

Agua de Rosa Aloe Vera Anise Bronquina Chamomille (Manzanilla) Cordial de Monell Higuereta (tree olive) Honey Lemon with salt

The Practices: Home Remedies Physical health (continued)

Linden tree flowers (Tilo) Miel de Rosa (rose honey) Rabano Yodado / Rabano con Berro (Watercrest) Sancochito Scott’s emulsion Sebo de flan (lamb’s wool oil) Siete Jarabes Tussibron

The Practices: Home Remedies Mental health

Consultas Fiestas Reuniones Familiares Relaciones Humanas

The Practices: Home Remedies Spiritual

Altars Hora Santa Incense Baths Despojos (cleansing) Clear water Reguardos (mal de Ojo – evil eye) Cintas en colores (Mujeres Embarazadas)

Cancion: El Yerbero Moderno

Popular song by Celia Cruz and la Sonora Mantancera (1948)