Nam has recently been diagnosed with hypertension, obesity and degenerative joint disease

Nam has recently been diagnosed with hypertension, obesity and degenerative joint disease.  He is struggling with these diagnoses.  He tells his wife, Yen, ""I feel so old now.  These are the kind of things my parents are dealing with.""  At a clinic visit Nam tells you, ""It's hard to think of myself as sick.  I've been depressed ever since Zach told me about his findings.  Now he's asked me to get some lab work.  I'm afraid he may find even more problems.""  Nam comes from a Vietnam culture

How might the Nguyen's cultural heritage affect their health beliefs?

What factors would you want to consider when performing a cultural assessment of the Nguyen family?"

Effect of Cultural Interference on Health Belief Systems

 Nguyen's Cultural Heritage and Health Beliefs:Cultural Heritage and Health Belief of Nguyen:

 Perception of Health and Illness: Some of the Cultural practices include the Vietnamese cultural beliefs about health and illness. It is also possible that health concerns are defined in terms of fate or balance and are viewed as people’s efforts to manage the body in relation to the world. Nam’s cultural belief could have affected his perception of his disease, as well as the approach he takes towards the same. They may think that these are normal signs of ageing or that his life is somehow out of kilter, and it is not just an issue of health.

 Stigma and Shame: Stigma can be described as the social understanding or prejudice that is associated with some diseases such as the chronic diseases and the mental illnesses. Nam is also a depressive and has many occasions of inferiority complex and these could be aggravated by the fact that in the Asian context, mental health is considered as a kind of weakness or failure. This stereotype may even complicate Nam’s ability to express himself or even seek assistance.

 Family Dynamics and Decision-Making: Vietnamese society is rather hierarchical, especially within families, and the decisions are usually taken by a group of people. The manner through which Nam’s wife Yen supports him and the family’s perception on health can also influence how Nam will view and cope with his health problems. The family roles and participation could be an important determinant in his willingness to accept the treatment and the degree of adherence.

 Cultural Assessment considerations

 Health Beliefs and Practices: Identify the patient’s perception and knowledge on health and illness, any cultural practices that he is using or intends to use. This can at least provide the research with an idea on his view of his situation and how such views may influence his response to conventional ways of treatment.

 Family Role and Support Systems: Consider how the family of Nam particularly his wife Yen plays a role in the healthcare decisions and system of Nam. Analyse how cultural beliefs about family responsibilities affect Nam’s ability to manage the health conditions.

 Communication Style: Respect and understanding other people’s culture when in communication. Vietnamese people are not very direct in their communication and a patient will not necessarily describe his or her symptoms. It is also necessary to learn Nam and his communication pattern, in this way one can be in a position to meet all his needs.

 Mental Health Stigma: Explain how to rid the culture that is commonly affiliated with mental health issues. Think about how Nam’s ethnicity may affect his perception of depression and seek for help. They can help to decrease the stigma and increase his engagement with mental health services – by appearing normal and thus normalizing mental health services.

 Traditional vs.  Western Medicine: The following are some of the traditional health practices that Nam might engage in and how these can be supportive or contradictory to the advice given by the Western medical practitioners. This will be useful in ensuring that the treatment plan that he is to undergo is in accordance with his cultural beliefs and yet he needs at the same time.

 Socioeconomic Factors: Nam may also have factors that may affect her utilization of healthcare services which are the socio-economic factors. Knowing his finance, insurance, and the barriers to seeking medical services can help to get a better understanding of his health status.