Abstract
To what extent does the complex set of beliefs and practices relating to diseases, cures, health maintenance, and health care practitioners found in traditional Mexican culture influence the behavior of Mexicans seeking health care in the United States? In this paper I examine data gathered on Mexican immigrants in San Diego County, California, that support the growing consensus that socioeconomic factors affect this population's behavioral patterns regarding health care services much more than do cultural beliefs. Many of the members of this population find that access to conventional U.S. health services is limited by their socioeconomic condition and, for some, an undocumented immigration status. However, the evidence suggests that many Mexican immigrants believe in folk illnesses, perceive U.S. health care practitioners as lacking an understanding of folk illnesses, and feel that this lack of understanding does affect practitioner behavior when they seek health care. In short, the overwhelming significance of socioeconomic factors should not blind us to the importance of cultural beliefs and perceptions about health care, although the latter probably diminish in importance the longer that Mexicans and their descendants reside in the United States.
Highlights
To what extent does the complex set of beliefs and practices relating to diseases, cures, health maintenance, and health care practitioners found in traditional Mexican culture influence the behavior of Mexicans seeking health care in the United States? In this paper I examine data gathered on Mexican immigrants in San Diego County, California, that support the growing consensus that socioeconomic factors affect this population's behavioral patterns regarding health care services much more than do cultural beliefs
Researchers cite the high cost of health care in relation to the low income levels of Mexican Americans; the undocumented immigration status of a significant segment of the population; the relatively low levels of medical insurance coverage; the general unavailability of translation services; and the inappropriate operating hours or geographical location of health care providers.' In a sense, these researchers are responding to an earlier cohort of anthropologists (e.g., Madsen 1964; Rubel 1960; Saunders 1954; Samora 1961; Clark 1959) who argued that continuing belief in folk illnesses and the use of traditional health practitioners best explain the Mexican American's failure to use conventional medical care
While emphasizing the significance of economic and social factors as reasons for underutilization of health services by Mexican Americans, these researchers emphasize the importance of beliefs about folk illness and folk curers for the understanding of behavior related to the seeking of health care for at least a portion of the overall Mexican American population
Summary
To what extent does the complex set of beliefs and practices relating to diseases, cures, health maintenance, and health care practitioners found in traditional Mexican culture influence the behavior of Mexicans seeking health care in the United States? In this paper I examine data gathered on Mexican immigrants in San Diego County, California, that support the growing consensus that socioeconomic factors affect this population's behavioral patterns regarding health care services much more than do cultural beliefs. Researchers cite the high cost of health care in relation to the low income levels of Mexican Americans; the undocumented immigration status of a significant segment of the population; the relatively low levels of medical insurance coverage; the general unavailability of translation services; and the inappropriate operating hours or geographical location of health care providers.' In a sense, these researchers are responding to an earlier cohort of anthropologists (e.g., Madsen 1964; Rubel 1960; Saunders 1954; Samora 1961; Clark 1959) who argued that continuing belief in folk illnesses and the use of traditional health practitioners best explain the Mexican American's failure to use conventional medical care.2 Another group of researchers has been treading a more middle-of-the-road approach (Gilbert 1980; Teller 1978; Farge 1977; Weaver 1973; Nail and Speilberg 1967; Martinez and Martin 1966). A small but significant segment of the Mexican immigrant population held such attitudes; though such beliefs did appear as responses to health-related questions and cannot be overlooked entirely, survey evidence suggests that Mexicans in San Diego County do not consider folk illnesses to be major health problems
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