Health and Sickness in Spanish Culture
In the Spanish context, culture plays an important role in people’s approach to sickness and healthcare. Therefore, providing culturally appropriate medical services is pivotal to meeting Spanish patients’ needs and promoting their well-being. In this regard, religion, traditional health beliefs, and lifestyle habits are essential factors that impact people’s attitudes toward health and sickness. These findings should be considered when providing culturally competent care for Spanish patients.
Health and Sickness according to Spanish Culture
According to Spanish culture, health can be defined as a state of well-being, both physical and mental. Notably, the role of the family in one’s comfort and happiness is particularly evident for this ethnic group (Soriano et al., 2018). Spaniards rely on family members and their support as an essential aspect of their lives, which should be considered when providing healthcare services for such individuals.
In turn, sickness is seen as a state of weakness and an undesirable condition for Spaniards. In this regard, the culture of stoicism and silent suffering tends to negatively affect health outcomes in Spanish patients (Jiménez-Trujillo et al., 2019). Hispanic Americans were found to be more sensitive to pain than Whites (Soriano et al., 2018). Nevertheless, the association of sickness with weakness in this group often prevents Spanish individuals from reporting their health issues and seeking medical help.
Overview of Health Beliefs in Spanish People
One common health belief associated with the Spanish population is the tendency to view illnesses as with hot or cold conditions. For instance, high blood pressure is often seen as a hot condition that should be relieved by applying cold drinks (Jiménez-Trujillo et al., 2019). Another example includes parents’ perspective on vitamins as hot remedies that should not be used to treat a hot condition such as fever (Jiménez-Trujillo et al., 2019). At the same time, traditional approaches are typically combined with culturally specific remedies, which generally results in positive health outcomes for patients that seek medical help.
Finding a compromise is essential when serving Spanish patients and families. Another belief is associated with the special role of the patient’s family in the decision-making process (Soriano et al., 2018). Furthermore, the population’s perspective on mental health is marked by a positive tendency, allowing more people to seek professional help.
Statistical Findings
- Spanish people have a lower level of pain tolerance than Whites;
- Females have lower pain thresholds and suffer from more intense chronic pain than males;
- Psychological response to medical treatment is generally positive in both genders;
- Women are more likely to report painful sensations or illnesses than men;
- Social stigma regarding mental health is lower in younger people with higher education;
- The overall hospitalization rate was 352.4/100 000 inhabitants in 2018;
- The hospitalization rates among patients under 75 years were higher for males than females: incidence rate ratio (IRR) for men = 1.008, IRR for women = 0.982;
- Across all age groups, males are hospitalized more often than females.
Conclusion
Based on the statistical findings and an overview of health beliefs in Spanish people, it can be concluded that Spanish culture and definitions of health and sickness contribute to higher hospitalization rates in men. The concept of stoicism and social stigma regarding weakness and illnesses negatively impact health outcomes in Spaniards. Furthermore, Spanish women are particularly affected by lower pain thresholds and intense chronic pain than men. These findings indicate that culturally competent care is critical to address healthcare issues and improving the well-being of Spanish people.
References
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