Cultural AwarenessCultural AwarenessHispanic & Vietnamese Hispanic & Vietnamese

CultureCulture

Bridging DifferencesBridging Differences

Interpreter Language Interpreter Language ServicesServices

• Spanish Interpreters and Spanish Interpreters and

Translators:Translators:• Vietnamese Interpreters and Vietnamese Interpreters and

Translators: Translators:

Vietnamese Culture & Vietnamese Culture & CustomsCustoms

• PeoplePeople• LanguageLanguage• FamilyFamily• Child Care and RearingChild Care and Rearing• Celebration, Celebration,

CommemorationsCommemorations• None Verbal Patterns & None Verbal Patterns &

MeaningMeaning• Communication StylesCommunication Styles• Health CareHealth Care

People:People:

• List Family name first, then List Family name first, then middle, first name last middle, first name last

• More than a million in More than a million in Europe, North America, Europe, North America, AustraliaAustralia

• Primary RegionsPrimary Regions– NorthNorth– Central Central – SouthSouth

• MigrationMigration– First wave, 1975First wave, 1975– Second wave, 1978Second wave, 1978– Third wave, 1992Third wave, 1992

Language:Language:

• VietnameseVietnamese• Spoken language Spoken language • Written Written (Alexandre de Rhodes)(Alexandre de Rhodes)

• People from different People from different regions different regions different accentsaccents

• Tendency to keep Tendency to keep problems private, problems private, avoid asking for help avoid asking for help until too lateuntil too late

FamilyFamily

• Most Important UnitMost Important Unit• Several Generations Several Generations

live togetherlive together• Elders taken care in Elders taken care in

the homethe home• Family HonorFamily Honor• Older Siblings Older Siblings

responsible responsible • Parent expect to see Parent expect to see

respect in childrenrespect in children

Child Caring & RearingChild Caring & Rearing

• Mother or Mother-in-law Mother or Mother-in-law is the principal person is the principal person who assist, observe and who assist, observe and apply rulesapply rules

Pre,Post-natal rules:Pre,Post-natal rules:

• Pre-natal RulesPre-natal Rules– Walk SlowlyWalk Slowly– Not to sleep too muchNot to sleep too much– Avoid funerals, horror Avoid funerals, horror

stories. . .stories. . .

• Post-natal Rules:Post-natal Rules:– No bath or showerNo bath or shower– Avoid windAvoid wind– Keep warm for at least Keep warm for at least

three monthsthree months

Celebrations & Celebrations & CommemorationsCommemorations

• Full Month after Full Month after birthbirth

• First birthdayFirst birthday• Death AnniversaryDeath Anniversary• Full moon Full moon

celebrationcelebration• Lunar New YearLunar New Year

Nonverbal PatternsNonverbal Patterns

• NoddingNodding• Shaking one’s Shaking one’s

handhand• Touching child’s Touching child’s

headhead• WinkingWinking• FrowningFrowning• PoutingPouting

Communication StylesCommunication Styles

• Suppress HostilitySuppress Hostility• Smiling is a common Smiling is a common

social response to social response to mark a variety of mark a variety of reactionsreactions

• A “yes” answer may A “yes” answer may only indicate only indicate attention from attention from listenerlistener

Health CareHealth Care• Self-MedicationSelf-Medication• Mental illness is considered Mental illness is considered

shamefulshameful• Greatest stress for elders Greatest stress for elders

arise from lack of English and arise from lack of English and Economic dependencyEconomic dependency

• A common practice done by A common practice done by rubbing back, chest, neck rubbing back, chest, neck with menthol oil can be with menthol oil can be mistaken by abusemistaken by abuse

• Women prefer female Women prefer female providersproviders

Hispanic CultureHispanic Culture

LanguageLanguage• FamilyFamily• HealthHealth• Major Causes of Major Causes of

IllnessIllness• TreatmentsTreatments

ObjectiveObjective

• To become more sensitive to the To become more sensitive to the crucial fact that multiple factors crucial fact that multiple factors underlie patients behaviors. underlie patients behaviors. Patients may well perceive and Patients may well perceive and understand health and illness understand health and illness from quite a different perspective from quite a different perspective than that of a healthcare providerthan that of a healthcare provider

Language: SpanishLanguage: Spanish

• Alternatives nameAlternatives name• Spoken in 43 Spoken in 43

countriescountries• Distinct Accents & Distinct Accents &

DialectsDialects• Originated VI Originated VI

Century BCCentury BC

Family:Family:

• Base of SocietyBase of Society• Older Siblings Older Siblings

take care of take care of younger childrenyounger children

• Man head of Man head of householdhousehold

• School not School not affordableaffordable

Health:Health:

• Pure LuckPure Luck• Reward for good Reward for good

behaviorbehavior• Punishment Punishment

meted out for meted out for wrongdoingwrongdoing

• Lack of Lack of Pain=HealthPain=Health

Major Causes of IllnessMajor Causes of Illness

• Body’s ImbalanceBody’s Imbalance– ““Hot and Cold” or “Dry or Wet”Hot and Cold” or “Dry or Wet”

• Dislocation of Body PartDislocation of Body Part– Empacho, Sobadora, Caida de MolleraEmpacho, Sobadora, Caida de Mollera

• Magic or SupernaturalMagic or Supernatural– Embrujado, Mal de Ojo, SustoEmbrujado, Mal de Ojo, Susto

• Envidia--EnvyEnvidia--Envy– Succeed is to failSucceed is to fail

Treatments:Treatments:

• Religious RitualsReligious Rituals– Making PromisesMaking Promises– Visiting shrines, Visiting shrines,

religious pilgrimagesreligious pilgrimages– Offering prayersOffering prayers

• CuranderoCurandero– Folk healerFolk healer

• Herbs,oils, perfumes, Herbs,oils, perfumes, massages, limpias, massages, limpias, confession…confession…

Awareness:Awareness:

• YourselfYourself– Explore own identityExplore own identity

• ListenListen• Body languageBody language• Facial expressionsFacial expressions

• Medical Culture Medical Culture – ScientificScientific– Medical View PointMedical View Point

Thank youThank you