Culture
Culture in Haiti
Culture is defined as the understanding of a specific group of people that embodies their religion, cuisine, language, music, art, and social practices (Zimmermann, 2017). Culture "affects perceptions of health, illness and death, beliefs about causes of disease, approaches to health promotion, how illness and pain are experienced and expressed, where patients seek help, and the types of treatment patients prefer" (Mayhew, 2018, para.1).
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Haiti has a unique blend of European and African culture. Their culture takes pride in their traditional Caribbean cooking, festivals, faith and tight-knit family dynamics. The gender norms of Haiti are very traditional. Although there are a few exceptions and progression, Haitian men are seen as the bread winners in the family and the women are the homemakers. "Elite" roles such as doctors, pastors, politicians, and teachers are primary designated to men. Just like any country, the culture in Haiti is important to take into consideration in regard to the health of this community.
Three cultural factors that impact health in Haiti:
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1. Socio-economical status
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A major drawback to Haitians seeking healthcare is financial hardship.
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Lack of financial stability can also affect peoples ability to buy healthy food.
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2. Self-Care
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Family is before everything in Haiti (Five Important Aspects of Haitian Culture 2017). In the Haitian community families care for the sick. Although family involvement has a very positive impact on health and healing, it can also be harmful in this case. In hopes of caring for their family on their own, it may be easy to ignore fatal signs of illness.
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3. Education
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Education facilitates people to make healthy life decisions. Education does not come free in Haiti. The literacy rate is only between 50-60% of the population which also makes it hard for this community to read and understand health information.
Cultural Practices
