The world is slowly turning into a multicultural society and as a result, there is a huge need for nurses to adequately prepare for and adapt to this diverse society. The nurses are required to conduct comprehensive cultural assessments and avail culturally competent healthcare to this diverse society. Culturally competent health is designed to meet the specific needs of every a patient incorporating the individual’s values and beliefs. Various cultural assessment models have been developed in an effort to create this type of care. In this particular research, I used the Andrews and Boyd trans-cultural nursing assessment guide for families and individuals.
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I use the model on a family of Egypt immigrants who came into the country about a decade ago. The family came into the country after the father was recruited to come and work as medical doctor here. He came with his young g wife and his two daughters. I chose him to be the subject of my research and he provided me with a host of information that enabled me to come to a comprehensive understanding of the Egyptian culture. For this particular assignment, I am to use his initials M.A.
Communication - M.A primary language is Arabic although he is now fluent in English. He was particularly very excited to be part of my research. His quality of voice was reasonably high and his speech was clear only displaying little traces of the Arabic accent. He was also very talkative. If he was ever silent, it was only for a very short time. He also constantly made use of non-verbal cues including gestures and facial expressions. He maintained straight eye contact throughout the entire interview.
Space factors- M.A degree or level of comfort with respect to space hugely depends on the other person in question. If it’s a family member or friend, space is usually not a big issue. However, if it is strange or an unfamiliar person or a person who is not really well known, then he may exhibit suspicious feelings, get uncomfortable and probably move away. M.A states that back in Egypt, people are usually very close but this is not the case in the United States where people share different faiths. He is of the opinion that this closeness is brought about by a common faith (Islam) shared by most society members. Touching is also an important space aspect. Egyptians do not touch unless it is deemed absolutely necessary.
Social organization- M.A attends an Egyptian Get Together party that takes place very month at the local town hall. He tells me that all Egyptians are very social people who like getting together and having fun. M.A says that family is the most important thing in an Egyptian’s life. He says that he would do anything for his family. Most Egyptian men are the breadwinners of their families while their wives are home makers. However, this is not the case because his wife is an accountant at a local firm and their home is taken care of a by an employed housekeeper. MA family is Islamic and the family is members of local mosque where they attend the Friday prayers.
Bicultural variations- M.A are an Arabic Egyptian. As a result, he has a light toned complexion and a dark hair texture. Like many Arabs.
Environmental control- M.A has several cultural beliefs about humanity’s ability to plan some activities that can control acts of nature. For instance, he is of the belief that he if he abides by a specific Egyptian diet; he will not have certain ailments. He however admits to have lost some of his beliefs once he emigrated from Egypt. Additional he shares the belief of predestination. This is the belief that God is in complete control of everything.
Time constraints- M.A’s main focus is on the present. He is not too worried about the future. Although he is generally concerned with aspects such the welfare of his children’s education and health, he is not too worried about the future. Additionally, MA admits that he has a tendency of having a leisurely pace and he in fact late for most of his appointments.
Traditional Health Beliefs
The Egyptian culture shares several traditional health beliefs as revealed from my interview with M.A.
- A person is healthy if they have harmony with God
- Illnesses happens when supernatural forces take over
- God has power to cure people
- Illness could be a form of punishment from God
- High value is placed on Western medicine. For instance in seeking medical care, Egyptians may tend to have exaggerated respect for the physician’s power.
- Preventive care is not sought usually
- Visiting the ill is a social obligation
Influences of the Environment on Health Promotion and Illness Prevention Activities
The only environmental factor that influences cultural practices on health promotion and illnesses is God. There is a belief that God controls everything and thus he determines one’s health status.
Based on the above cultural assessment, it is clear that the Egyptian culture does not place much emphasis on preventive health. A health promotion intervention should thus be initiated immediately. The most appropriate type of intervention would be primary intervention. This type of intervention would be tailored to influence behavioral change so as to prevent illnesses from occurring. Research has already shown that there is a high prevalence for the occurrence of diseases such as diabetes mellitus, heart conditions, myopia, cancer (breast, colon and prostrate) among many members of the Arab community. Since the Egyptian culture is largely oriented towards this culture, a health intervention promotion that educates communities on prevention strategies should be initiated.
There are several strategies that can be employed to achieve this. The most effective strategy that can be applied to day and yield results is through the use of media and social organizations. The Egyptian community can be education on disease prevention practices by using the mass media or even through social networking. The intervention can also target community centers such as schools to pass the message further. In addition to intervention, to provide culturally competent care, each aspect of care should take into effect the values and beliefs of the Egyptian. For instance in regards to personal space, the issue of touching should be taken into consideration.
Conclusion
The initiation of such a health promotion intervention will significantly improve the health of this particular community. The Egyptian community is just one of the many communities that making this country their homes and as such, programs tailored to monitor and promote their health status should be instigated so that they can enjoy similar health benefits like the rest of citizens.
References
Stroup, S., Bloch, B., Hospital Satellite Network, & American Journal of Nursing Company (1986). Cultural assessment. New York: American Journal of Nursing Co. [distributor.
Giger, J., & Davidhizar, R. (2002). Transcultural nursing: Assessment and intervention. St. Louis: Mosby-Year Book.
Meleis, A. (2006). Arab Americans. In J.G. Lipson, S.L. Dibble, P.A. Minarik (Eds.), Culture and nursing care. San Francisco: UCSF Nursing Press.
