Introduction
The heritage of a given group will dictate its cultural, religious, and healthcare practices. Medical professionals should be aware of the issues affecting or influencing their patients’ behaviors. This paper describes the heritage of the Mexican and Korean people and their respective healthcare beliefs.
Discussions and Similarities
The heritage of the Mexican people is something that has been discussed widely by many archeologists and historians (Figueroa-Lara, Gonzalez-Block, & Alarcon-Irigoyen, 2016). Martínez, Gómez, and Oh (2017) indicate that many Mexicans are described as Mestizos. This means that they do not identify themselves as indigenous nor Spanish. The majority of them acknowledge that they have cultural traits that borrow specific elements from Spanish and indigenous rituals.
On the other hand, the Korean people are an ethnic group that is found in East Asia. They view themselves as natives of Manchuria and Korea. According to Yu, Kim, Kim, Lee, and Kim (2015), over 99 percent of these people belong to the Koran ethnic category. Past studies have revealed that there is no identifiable similarity in the roots of these two ethnic groups. Future researches are also expected to shed more light on the ethnographic aspects of these cultures.
Healthcare Beliefs
Mexican people are known to have specific beliefs that can influence the delivery of evidence-based medical services. For instance, the majority of them focus on traditional healers whenever they are sick. This decision explains why many individuals find it hard to record negative health outcomes. Folk medicine has been observed to discourage many Mexicans from getting services from modern healthcare facilities. Home remedies are also taken into consideration by these people (Martínez et al., 2017). Such a practice makes it impossible for many Mexicans to seek evidence-based health services. Some members of this ethnic group have to consult their elders before making their personal medical decisions. Religious views are also considered throughout the healthcare delivery process by these people (Figueroa-Lara et al., 2016). Prayers and meditations are embraced to support the healing process. This practice can ensure that many patients have access to culturally competent and evidence-based healthcare services.
Similarly, the Korean people have unique viewpoints that can affect the quality of medical services available to them. The first one is that of stigma. Disabled children are usually viewed as a punishment from their gods or ancestors. This is a clear indication that individuals who have psychological and physical problems will be unable to receive high-quality medical care. The concept of fate (or karma) has been identified as a major belief that is capable of affecting healthcare practice. Since many Koreans are Buddhists, they acknowledge that sickness is part of human life. This is a clear indication that the occurrence of a given disease might be ignored (Yu et al., 2015). Some conditions such as depression, seizures, and hyperthermia are believed to be caused by changes in natural forces. Such diseases are usually treated through the use of techniques such as balanced diets and meditation. This practice can affect the health outcomes of the affected patients. Additionally, many Koreans embrace various traditional health practices such as acupressure and acupuncture. These approaches can ensure that high-quality and evidence-based services are available to more people.
Customs and Practices
Every cultural group has unique practices that are used to treat various diseases. For instance, different Mexicans use folk medicine to treat various illnesses that are thought to have social or spiritual causes. They also have traditional health practitioners who possess appropriate skills and competencies for treating such medical conditions. As indicated earlier, prayers are also embraced by the sick (Figueroa-Lara et al., 2016). Many patients acknowledge that the practice can result in positive health outcomes. According to some members of this ethnic group, God is capable of treating all medical conditions and re-patterning the experiences of every true believer. In the recent past, many Mexicans have been keen to seek high-quality medical services from modern facilities.
The Koreans, on the other hand, have numerous practices for managing a number of illnesses. The first one is that of acupuncture. Yu et al. (2015) indicate that these people have skilled acupuncturists who insert needles into specific parts of the body. This method can stimulate and maximize energy flow in the human body. Moxibustion is another approach whereby specific herbs are used to minimize pain or stress. Coin rubbing is also taken seriously since it can treat fever. Traditional healers also use various herbs to treat these diseases: malaria, headache, stomachache, and depression. Such practitioners are also capable of treating respiratory conditions, including pneumonia, bronchitis, and the common cold. Yu et al. (2015) also argue that cupping is a common method used to minimize musculoskeletal, back, and shoulder pain.
Conclusion
The above discussion has revealed that the Korean and Mexican people have diverse heritages that have informed most of their cultural beliefs and practices. They have developed unique healthcare beliefs that are believed to cure or manage various diseases. Healthcare practitioners should, therefore, consider these issues in order to offer evidence-based and high-quality medical services to their patients. They should also guide them in order to focus on the best healthcare practices.
References
Figueroa-Lara, A., Gonzalez-Block, M. A., & Alarcon-Irigoyen, J. (2016). Medical expenditure for chronic diseases in Mexico: The case of selected diagnoses treated by the largest care providers. PLoS ONE, 11(1), e0145177. Web.
Martínez, C. C., Gómez, M. D., & Oh, M. S. (2017). Use of traditional herbal medicine as an alternative in dental treatment in Mexican dentistry: A review. Pharmaceutical Biology, 55(1), 1992-1998. Web.
Yu, J., Kim, C., Kim, K., Lee, J., & Kim, M. (2015). Behaviors of providers of traditional Korean medicine therapy and complementary and alternative medicine therapy for the treatment of cancer patients. Journal of Pharmacopuncture, 18(1), 27-35. Web.