Mexican Culture

1. Mexican Culture Nursing 302 Portia Lukito, Maria Deng, Joelle Price, Hannah Morgan, Courtney Fisher, Sophia Nguyen, Patricia Stennett, Shannon Skinner

2. Background 1.What event(s) proceeded immigration for this group? Gadsden Treaty of 1854: The U.S. purchased Mexican territory and about 80,000 Mexicans resided there after the Mexican-American War. Those who remained north of the border were guaranteed citizenship after two years. Newlands Reclamation Act of 1902: A United States federal law that funded irrigation projects for the arid lands of 20 states in the American West. The U.S. didn’t have as many people living in that area to maintain the new agriculture there, so Mexicans migrated to the U.S. to work in the fields. Mexican Revolution of 1910: Pulled Mexicans into the US during that time because of the political instability and social violence occurring in Mexico. Many headed northward across the border for their safety.

3. Background • 1920s: The growth of the U.S. economy attracted Mexican immigrants. Wages were considerably higher than the salaries in Mexico and the number of jobs for foreign labor were increased during World War I.  • 1940s- WWII increased the amount of jobs for Mexican immigrants in the U.S. Bracero Program of 1940: A series of laws initiated by the United States and Mexico, which allowed Mexican nationals to take temporary agricultural work in the United States. More than 4.5 million Mexicans were legally contracted for work in the United States

4. Background • 1980s: It is estimated that approximately one million Mexicans entered the United States legally between 1981 and 1990. • Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986: Created by Ronald Regan in order to grant amnesty to illegal immigrants who entered the United States before January 1, 1982 and had resided there continuously. • 1990s: Approximately 12 million people of Mexican ancestry lived in the United States, this represented 4.7 percent of the total national population and 61.2 percent of the total Hispanic population in the country.

5. Background 2. How similar is the geography of San Diego to the country of origin? • San Diego is just 20 miles north of Mexico, so they • have a lot of the same characteristics. • City: Mexico has a population of over 17 million people. It also has many sites including museums, churches, Spanish architecture and many cultural sites. San Diego is the state's second largest city. It also has many sites such as Balboa park, Coronado Island, San Diego Mission, and numerous museums. Weather: Both Mexico and San Diego have the pacific coast border, which means the summers are cool and the winters are warm. They are also both tourist attractions because of their location and beautiful weather.

6. Background • About how many people of this culture live in the US or San Diego? -As of July 2009, Mexican Americans make up 10.3% of the United States population with over 31,689,000 Americans listed as having Mexican ancestry. Mexican Americans comprise 66% of all Hispanics and Latinos in the United States.

7. Religion • No official religion until 1922 • Churches were not given money by the government, no property and there was no education in school about the church

8. Religion • After 1922, almost all restrictions on religion was lifted, religions are now allowed to: • Have legal status • Given limited amounts of property • Priests now allowed to vote.

9. Religion

10. Religious Growth Atheism Catholicism Although other religions are also gaining popularity, Catholicism still has a strong following and is increasing at a rate of 1.7% • Atheism is much more prominent in the 21st century than in days past. Their current growth rate is 5.2%

11. Holidays (Important Dates) • Feb 5th- Constitution Day • March 21st- Benito Juarez's Birthday (First President) • May 5th- Victory of Mexican army over the French • May 8th- Miguel Hildago’s birthday- initiator of the Revolutionary War • Sept 16th- Independence Day • They celebrate all of the major statutory holidays; new years, labor day, christmas, etc. and all the festive holidays; valentines day, mothers day, etc

12. Holidays: Dia de Los Muertos • Translated – “Day of the Dead” • Focuses on gatherings of family and friends to pray for and remember friends and family members who have died • Takes place on All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day (Nov. 1 and 2)

13. Languages • Spanish • Spoken by majority • Not recognized by the government as the official language of Mexico • Indigenous Languages • 68 are recognized as official languages by the Mexican government • Spoken by 6% of the country (6 million people) • Nahatl - most common, spoken by more than 1 million people • English • Common as a second language, especially near the U.S. border

14. Health Practices in Mexico Not only dependent on western medicine Practice self-medication & folk medicine Believe herbal remedies are effective and cheaper than medications made in a laboratory

15. Health Practices • Folk Medicine – ‘curanderismo’ • Causes of sickness: • Imbalance between hot and cold • Must treat hot disease with cold treatment • Treatments • Herbal remedies, teas, aloe vera, garlic, cactus • Supernatural powers • Mal de ojo – evil eye • Susto – fright sickness • Malpuesto – witchcraft • These need supernatural cures: healing, prayer, amulets • Treat “evil eye” by cracking an egg and placing it under the bed

16. Nursing Implications for Mexican Health Practices • Many patients will not communicate their traditional beliefs & practices to their doctors because it interferes with western medicine • May not comply with treatment if it interferes with their ideas of balance or need for supernatural treatments • Nurse should explain the pathophysiology of the disease and how the ordered treatment will benefit them • Many use folk medicine in addition to western medicine • Have an accepting attitude to encourage communication about what alternative remedies are being used • Leads to better health outcome for the patient

17. Family Values • Mexican culture is known for the unified nature of the family. The country's divorce rate is among the lowest in the world (0.33 divorces per 1000 population, compared to 4.95 in the United States). • Children regularly live with their parents until they marry, even if they remain single until their thirties or later. It is also quite common for family units to remain connected, often with grandparents, parents, aunts, uncles, and children all living in the same area or even in the same house.

18. Family Values • The roles of the parents in Mexican culture are generally well-defined, with the father acting as the family's ruler and the mother as the family's heart. • The fact that Mexicans attach great importance to family ties can also be seen with the regularity of their non-religious get-togethers. When its family reunion time you will see all the different generations coming together which further strengthens their family ties.

19. Role Comparisons • Father • Machismo (Spanish for "male chauvinism") is quite common in Mexican families, with the father exercising authority in a manner not unlike a dictatorship. • Mother • She is responsible for maintaining the household and caring for the children, who as a result often revere her, while fearing their authoritarian father.

20. Changing Values • With migration, the family interactions of Hispanics in the United States have some changes. • Females move from a traditional mother role to a dual work-education and mother role, looking for equality in gender relationships. • Males tend to maintain traditional norms longer and are many times confused by the lack of hierarchical respect they get from children and wife. • The large extended family is put on a bind by these new more individualistic perspectives.

21. Food Preferences • Mexican food is known for its varied flavors, colorful decoration, variety of spices, and ingredients. • Traditional Mexican ingredients consist of turkey, sweet corn, tomatoes, peppers, chiles, squash, peanuts, avocados, guavos, chocolate, and vanilla. • The Spanish then influenced these by adding milk, cheese, rice, wheat, cinnamon, oranges, and peaches.

22. Food Preferences • A typical Mexican diet consists mainly of corn, corn products, bread, rice and beans. Protein sources in the diet are from beans, eggs, fish, shellfish, beef, pork, poultry and goat. • The most famous dishes of Mexico are tacos, enchiladas, tamales, tortas, pozole, salsas, and carne asada.

23. Food Preferences • Some Mexican foods are very high in fat because they are fried. • Traditionally, Mexicans have four to five meals each day. In the United States, Mexicans eat about three meals a day but this may vary.

24. Government • Mexico has a federal republic (its government is seperated into distinct executive, legislative, and judicial branches) based on the 1917 Constitution. • Much of the power is vested in the president, who is part of the historically-dominant executive branch. • Congress is composed of the Senate and a Chamber of Deputies. The Senate has 128 members (serve 6 years) and the Chamber of Deputies has 300 members (serve 3 years) • "The president is elected by universal adult suffrage for a 6-year term and may not hold office a second time."

25. Taboos • It is considered rude to speak to one another at a distance; It is important to stand very close to one another and with eye contact when engaged in a conversation. This may be difficult for nursing, because the nurse must always be closer to the patient than the "personal zone" of space (of 3-4 feet)

26. Taboos • Do not say "I don't know" or "no." Mexicans may find this rude, dishonest, and a sign of betrayal. In Mexico, the solution is to invent an answer or to vaguely say "yes." This may be a challenge to a nurse, as saying a vague "yes" (when the answer is a "no") or making up an answer is the same as lying.

27. Nursing Article • Culturally Competent Nursing Care for Families: Listening to the Voices of Mexican-American Women • It is extremely important to be culturally aware in the nursing care of Mexican and Mexican-American patients because they are the fastest growing minority group in the U.S. and are also the largest Hispanic group in the U.S. This group also makes up a large portion of the patient population in San Diego. • Sources: • Eggenberger, S., Grassley, J., Restrepo, E. (July 19, 2006). "Culturally Competent Nursing Care for Families: Listening to the Voices of Mexican-American Women". OJIN: The Online Journal of Issues in Nursing. Vol. 11 No.3 (article)

28. Nursing Article • Nurses should be aware that because immediate and extended family is an important aspect of the patient’s life, health teaching should include members of the patient’s family that he or she feels comfortable with. Nurses should also make sure to use language and expressions familiar to the patient whenever possible. If a language barrier exists, it might be appropriate to ask a fellow nurse who speaks the language to assist in patient teaching.

29. What cultural practices of this group might be difficult to accommodate in a U.S. hospital stay? Folk medicine is also sometimes used in Mexican culture and an open-minded attitude on behalf of the nurse is important in maintaining understanding between the nurse and the patient. Herbal remedies and advice from a curandera or traditional Mexican healer may be used in conjunction with western medicine.

30. Would the belief system of this culture clash with the current western model of health care? • No, the majority of Mexicans are Catholic or another form of Christian • Mexican health system is similar to the western model of health care

31. Is this cultural group at risk for certain health problems- what do these people die from most often? • Mexican food tends to be high in fat, oils, and sodium and according to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, 69.5% of the Mexican population aged 15 and older is overweight or obese • They are at risk for: • Chronic Kidney Disease • Heart Disease • HTN • Vascular disease • Diabetes

32. If one of your nurse colleagues was from this culture, what special considerations might you need to make? • If a nursing colleague belonged to this ethnic group, it would be important to be aware of the differences between American culture and Mexican culture. For example, since family is a very important aspect, a nursing colleague might need to take a leave of absence to care for a parent, aunt or uncle who was sick. This extended family relationship might not be as close in other cultures and fellow nurses should be sensitive to this.

33. QUIZ TIME! • What is the most commonly spoken indigenous language? • What is the spanish word for folk medicine?

34. Answers to Quiz • Nahatl • ‘curanderismo’