Identify the historical events or cultural practices in your selected chapter. Examine and describe how these differences create disparities between U.S. health care and the Hmong in California. Share your summary with your team. Part II: Teamwork

Cultural And Religious Competence

Part 3: Personal Reflection

The chapter of Anne Fadiman’s ‘The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down’ focuses on the traditional views of disease and illness, approaches to treating such diseases based on the cultural perspectives of disease and illness, and other practices that accompany treatment for diseases and illnesses. The greatest lesson from this book is the influence of culture on healthcare behaviors, practices, and beliefs. Major cultural practices and key factors are identified that impact the disparities in the disparities between U.S. health care and the Hmong in California. These include the cultural view of epilepsy as a state of spiritual elevation and spiritual possession, the animistic cultural practices in the treatment of illnesses such as epilepsy, and the mixed views and trust in Western medicines.

The view of epilepsy among the Hmong people clearly differs from the medical view of the illness. The Hmong may rarely seek medical assistance due to this view of the illnesses as a state of spiritual elevation. This is a critical barrier to how the community understands the health risks related to the illness. This cultural perspective of the Hmong towards epilepsy has influenced how people respond to affected individuals, leading to the stigmatization of patients (Khalil et al., 2021). The traditional views of epilepsy among the Hmong people may act as a barrier when planning for and implementing health programs across the community. Furthermore, the Hmong would rather sacrifice an animal as per their tradition to treat epilepsy and other illnesses rather than seek medical assistance from American medicine. Previous experiences with Western medication to provide relief to the health issues affecting the Hmong can also create a state of skepticism towards using the American healthcare system, leading to the development of negative health-seeking behaviors. These are factors that contribute to notable healthcare disparities between the community and U.S. healthcare. According to Khalil et al. (2021), it is through understanding these factors and cultural views on epilepsy and diseases among the Hmong people that the correct programs to manage epilepsy and combat associated stigma experienced by people with the health condition.

References

Khalil, N., McMillan, S., Benbadis, S. R., & Robertson, D. (2021). Fish soup for the falling sickness: Tracing epilepsy through Hmong and Western beliefs. Epilepsy & Behavior : E&B, 115. https://doi.org/10.1016/