How Stigmas Affect Hispanic Mental Health Treatment?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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Barriers to Mental Health Care. Hispanic/Latinx communities show similar vulnerability to mental illness as the general population, but they face disparities in both access to and quality of treatment.

More than half of Hispanic young adults ages 18-25 with serious mental illness may not receive treatment

.

How do Hispanic beliefs affect health care and treatment?


Hispanics expect health care personnel to be warm and personal and express a strong need to be treated with dignity

. Older person should be addressed by their last name. Avoid gesturing, some may have adverse connotations. necessary so that best care can be planned.

What are some of the stigmas associated with mental health?

  • Reluctance to seek help or treatment.
  • Lack of understanding by family, friends, co-workers or others.
  • Fewer opportunities for work, school or social activities or trouble finding housing.
  • Bullying, physical violence or harassment.

What is stigma How does it affect people with mental illness?

Stigma is

when someone sees you in a negative way because of your mental illness

. Discrimination is when someone treats you in a negative way because of your mental illness. Social stigma and discrimination can make mental health problems worse and stop a person from getting the help they need.

Why is stigma a barrier to mental health?

Stigma

arises out of negative attitudes, opinions, and stereotypes and may lead to discrimination against anyone with any form of mental illness

. It is a key influence on people who seek help and it affects the timeliness of their help-seeking.

Is there still a stigma around mental health?

Despite this,

there is still a strong stigma (negative attitude) around mental health

. People with mental health problems can also experience discrimination (negative treatment) in all aspects of their lives. This stigma and discrimination makes many people’s problems worse.

What cultural considerations should you incorporate into your nursing care for a Hispanic client?

Nursing interactions should include the participation of other family members in the care plan,

support of cultural beliefs, emphasis upon the present rather than future, the use of touch, the protection of modesty, and facilitation of communication

.

What are some Hispanic cultural beliefs?

Hispanic families instill in their children the importance of

honor, good manners, and respect for authority and the elderly

. Preserving the Spanish language within the family is a common practice in most Hispanic homes. Spanish speakers tend toward formality in their treatment of one another.

How does the Hispanic culture view pregnancy?

Common Latina Pregnancy Beliefs:

Pregnancy is a normal life event – not an illness

. Latinas often seek prenatal care later than other women for this reason. Birth marks are caused by antojos (unsatisfied cravings).

What are examples of stigma?


When someone with a mental illness is called ‘dangerous’, ‘crazy’ or ‘incompetent’ rather than unwell

, it is an example of a stigma. It’s also stigma when a person with mental illness is mocked or called weak for seeking help. Stigma often involves inaccurate stereotypes.

What are the effects of stigma?

The effect of stigma may be psychological. As mentioned in ‘Who stigmatises? ‘,

a stigmatised person can feel fear or shame, which can lead to anxiety and depression

. Because of this, or because of discrimination or anticipated stigma, they may no longer take part in any social activities.

How do you address a stigma in mental health?

  1. Know the facts. Educate yourself about mental illness including substance use disorders.
  2. Be aware of your attitudes and behaviour. …
  3. Choose your words carefully. …
  4. Educate others. …
  5. Focus on the positive. …
  6. Support people. …
  7. Include everyone.

What are the 3 types of stigma?

Literature identifies multiple dimensions or types of mental health-related stigma, including

self-stigma, public stigma, professional stigma, and institutional stigma

. Self-stigma refers to negative attitudes of an individual to his/her own mental illness and is also referred to as internalized stigma [1, 6].

What factors influence stigma?

  • Blame. …
  • Stereotypes of Dangerousness and Unpredictability. …
  • Knowledge about Mental and Substance Use Disorders. …
  • Contact and Experience. …
  • Media Portrayals. …
  • Race, Ethnicity, and Culture.

When did mental health stigma begin?

A scientific concept on the stigma of mental disorders was first developed in the

middle of the 20

th

century

, first theoretically and eventually empirically in the 1970s.

What are the cultural phenomena that affect health both within and between cultural groups?

Cultural Phenomena Affecting HEALTH

These are

environmental control, biological variations, social organization, communication, space, and time orienta- tion

. These six phenomena serve to present the diversity that exists between cultural groups.

How do you communicate with Hispanic patients?

Practical ways to ensure communication with the patient is optimal include

making sure all documentation and instructions are provided in the patient’s primary language

. Use of an interpreter instead of a family member is helpful as medical jargon can be lost in translation.

Why should a nurse know about the culture of her patient?

Knowledge: Nurses should understand

how culture influences a patient’s perception of illness

. This knowledge can help nurses determine the appropriate interventions that fit a patient’s cultural traditions, beliefs, preferences and values.

What are norms in Mexican culture?


Be respectful and courteous

, especially when in the company of parents or elders. Try and be open to the friends and family of your Mexican counterpart. Mexicans are often very welcoming to friends of friends on the basis of small social connections.

Why is respect important in Hispanic culture?

Latinos place a high value on demonstrating respecto in interactions with others, which literally translates into respect. Respecto means that

each person is expected to defer to those who are in a position of authority because of age, gender, social position, title, economic status, etc.

Why is Hispanic culture important?


HISPANIC CULTURE IS HAVING A PROFOUND EFFECT ON AMERICAN FOOD, MUSIC, SPORTS, BEAUTY PRODUCTS, FASHION, POLITICS AND MUCH MORE

. This influence is due not only to the sheer size of the Hispanic population of 52 million now in the U.S. — roughly one in six Americans, with projections to nearly one in three by 2050.

Amira Khan
Author
Amira Khan
Amira Khan is a philosopher and scholar of religion with a Ph.D. in philosophy and theology. Amira's expertise includes the history of philosophy and religion, ethics, and the philosophy of science. She is passionate about helping readers navigate complex philosophical and religious concepts in a clear and accessible way.