Judging by the results of the study on the genetic predisposition of people to certain diseases based on their residence places, it can be noted that the information obtained quite clearly emphasizes the influence of heredity. For example, when analyzing the data of researchers that the Japanese living in the territory of their home country suffer from cardiovascular diseases less than those who were forced to emigrate, a rather logical conclusion arises. In other words, the human health can be called a very adaptable phenomenon, and certain living conditions, along with heredity, are, as a rule, key criteria for the development of the human immunity.
Specific behavior significantly affects health. According to Mio, Barker, and Rodriquez (2015), certain habits and lifestyle are factors that shape the immunity and affect susceptibility to a particular disease. While comparing the Japanese living in the territory of their native country and those who live in the Californian region and are descendants of emigrants, it is possible to make a simple correlation between the way of life and the state of health. As Odone, McKee, and McKee (2018) note, the inhabitants of the country of the rising sun are famous for their longevity and strong immunity to various diseases, including those related to the cardiovascular system.
Mio et al. (2015) claim that specific habits of diet, lifestyle, and other behavioral factors are passed down from generation to generation, and genetic information embedded in DNA is directly indicative of the level of susceptibility to certain ailments. The residents of other regions, for example, California, have freer standards of behavior, food culture, etc. Consequently, their ingrained habits are also genetically laid, which explains the higher percentage of cardiovascular diseases in this region. Therefore, it is quite logical to ask the following question: why does genetic information become weaker when changing the places of residence and the culture of life? The answer to it may be additional reasoning that will also bring a significant benefit to the study of the topic.
Culture and Treatment of HIV/AIDS
The issue of immigrants is quite relevant, and according to the study conducted by Organista, Carrillo, and Ayala (2004), unemployment is not the only problem associated with foreigners. It is about HIV and AIDS since migrant workers from abroad, as practice shows, quite often are at risk. It is caused by the way of Mexican visitors’ behavior. In the study, they are considered a potential threat of the spread of HIV / AIDS. Moreover, the problem is complicated by the fact that many visitors are not ready to comply with the generally accepted rules for the prevention of these dangerous diseases, and additional challenges arise.
For example, because of the rather limited level of visitors’ literacy, preventive measures are very difficult to carry out since immigrants from the south cannot fully understand local doctors. Also, the tendency to avoid direct discussion of issues connected with sexual relations and HIV / AIDS prevention is quite often observed among this stratum of the population. As Organista et al. (2004) remark, Mexicans have a slightly different mentality, which complicates doctors’ work. It is not excluded that it is due to the high level of religious faith among this population. Also, one of the problems is that migrant workers are part of the transition group, and their insufficiently high standard of living contributes to the aggravation of the situation. According to Mio et al. (2015), living in poverty significantly complicates access to health services, which, in its turn, has a negative impact on people’s health.
The lack of knowledge in the field of HIV / AIDS prevention is largely due to the fact that Mexican immigrants have a different idea of protection. Because of it, sexual contact with sick people is one of the most frequent ways of infection. To avoid it, it is essential to raise the literacy level of this stratum of the population and conduct specific work aimed at improving people’s living conditions.
References
Mio, J., Barker, L., & Rodriquez, M. D. (2015). Multicultural psychology: Understanding our diverse communities (4th ed.). New York, NY: Oxford University Press.
Odone, A., McKee, C., & McKee, M. (2018). The impact of migration on cardiovascular diseases. International Journal of Cardiology, 254, 356-361.
Organista, K. C., Carrillo, H., & Ayala, G. (2004). HIV prevention with Mexican migrants: Review, critique, and recommendations. JAIDS Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes, 37, S227-S239.