High in the mountains of the old world, Peru saw a tall, lanky man with a fair beard, towering over the dark, short native Incas in a contrast as stark as differences in culture and health care in the United States. After interviewing Steve Solstrand about cultural differences in health care, there are aspects of these very different perspectives on health that seem to transcend culture. I had the opportunity to discuss several facets of his health culture, including his personal views. Using the Purnell Model of Cultural Competence, we discussed the 12 domains of culture, including communication, behaviors, spirituality, and how they relate to health care practices (Purnell 2005). This model is organized to include and guide all members of an interdisciplinary team in understanding a client's culture (Purnell 2005). Steve and I also discussed his personal views on health and illness, his current health status, and the use of traditional therapies and practitioners. Say no to plagiarism. Get a Custom Essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”?Get Original Essay Cusco, the capital of the Inca Empire, is located high in the mountains, approximately 12,000 feet above from sea level, with surrounding peaks reaching 20,000 feet. feet above sea level (http://www.cusco-peru.info/index.html). Steve pointed out that it was a city that was strapped for resources and money. Terraces are built on the steep terrain for growing mainly potatoes, and llamas and alpacas are herded on the mountainsides. Many residents still wear traditional Inca clothing, as this city is less affected by outside influences than larger cities like Lima. Education is extremely valuable, but one must have the resources to receive an education, which is often only an option in a large city. People emigrate from this region primarily to enrich themselves, often through student or work visas in the United States. Spanish is the primary language of communication and the secondary language is Quechua, the native language and largest language spoken in the Americas, being the primary language of almost half of those who speak it (http://www .quechua.org.uk/). . Steve notes that the tones and volume of communication (Purnell 2005) are very similar throughout the Spanish-speaking and English-speaking Americas. Body language, touch and gestures are quite similar across these connected continents. The content is quite open, most people in general are more than willing to share thoughts and feelings of all kinds that would compare to "too much information" in our culture. Comfortable social distancing is much closer than my own culture. It's common to be about a foot away when speaking, Steve reports, "it's something you just have to get used to." Greetings are also more friendly, always with gentle handshakes between men and kisses on the cheeks among all. Greetings can be informal, often using first names; however, people are given a first name, a middle name, then a paternal name and a maternal last name. One reason for this is to make it easier to define a person's lineage. The concept and importance of time is very different from my own culture where there is a lot of emphasis on punctuality. They operate on what is called “Peruvian time”. It's normal to be late for almost anything and everything, includingweddings when a time is fixed in advance. According to Steve, family roles are very “chauvinistic” or dominated by men. The man is the head of the family and women are responsible for the maintenance of the household and the education of the children. If a family has enough money, its children will receive an education, otherwise they will have to work at home and on the farm to ensure their self-sufficiency. Steve also notes that it is very rare, if ever, to see a woman driving a vehicle, especially in more rural areas. Extended families live together and often include several generations. The concept of nursing homes and extended care facilities that are prevalent in my own culture, are not found in rural Peru. Families are expected to take care of each other at home. The workforce in rural areas is very self-reliant, as most families are mostly self-sufficient (http://www.avert.org/southamerica.htm). Working in larger, more integrated cities, there is greater diversity and gender roles may overlap. Public hospitals and clinics are publicly funded and managed by the Ministry of Health. They also do not have sufficient staff and provide most of the medical equipment or medicines, while private hospitals are very similar to this culture, with highly qualified professionals and more selective in accepting medical companies. insurance. Very ethnic healers are still used, but often in more rural areas or for serious health threats. Steve noted that when his wife's parents built a new house, the healer came and helped bury a mummified baby llama (which can be purchased at a local market) under the foundation of the house to ward off bad elements spiritual. There is a mix of old and new in situations like this, as they are devout Catholics, but they still practice traditional ceremonies, like cleaning the house, as they were taught by previous generations. Biocultural ecology, including ethnic and racial origins, heredity, and topography, vary across Peru (Purnell 2005). In more urban areas, Spanish influence is stronger in people's bloodlines. This makes them lighter in color than the natives and with a slightly larger body. The higher you travel, the darker people's skin tones become. This may be genetic, or due to less influence from other races in native lines and greater proximity to the sun. People of this culture are also smaller in terms of body shape and height, and the greater the influence of Spanish heritage, the more well-rounded one can be. Steve also pointed out the differences in susceptibility between smallpox and typhoid fever. If a native of Peru contracted smallpox, their mortality rate would be much higher than me. On the contrary, my chances of mortality would be much higher if I contracted typhoid fever than a native would. High-risk behaviors include several elements: The substance abuse problems reported by Steve are primarily related to alcohol problems. They seem to take precedence over other substances. Although cocaine and marijuana are prevalent due to their cultivation capabilities, Steve says these drugs are more of a concern to foreigners and tourists than locals. Another high-risk concern is related to driving. Steve describes the streets as "real dangerous drivers, not like here where people respect most of the laws and order of the road." It's fast and the roads aredangerous, winding around mountains with steep drops and no guardrails. People use seat belts, especially when sitting in the front seat of a vehicle. When it comes to diet, weight and exercise, this is a relatively healthy culture. Peruvians are generally more active and suffer very little from obesity (http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/perustatistics.html). When it comes to safe sex, they are from a very Catholic culture and birth control is often unacceptable. There is an increase in condom use and increased awareness of STIs/HIV (Young, Sean). Unplanned pregnancies are also treated by introducing condoms in some rural communities to the younger population (Stewart A). Nutrition in this crop depends largely on what is available, which is mainly potatoes, Steve reports that there are 1,200 different varieties of potatoes in South America. Rice is also eaten frequently, and meat and vegetables such as tomatoes or cucumbers may be served as a side dish with sauce. Certain enzyme deficiencies, such as iron, and dehydration pose a threat, particularly in more rural and poorer areas (Stewart A). Steve notes that breakfast is often a very small meal consisting of a drink and perhaps some bread on the side. Lunch is the most important meat of the day. As Steve says: “It's the only thing we're on time for; the city closes its doors for this. Banks are closing, schools are closed and even buses are stopping so everyone can go home and eat. » The lunch meal usually consists of at least two courses and begins with soup. After lunch, the city resumes activity, but it takes at least an hour for people to eat their most important meal of the day. According to Steve, dinner would be more “take it or leave it”. If it is eaten, it is often a smaller meal, a dish, which, he also notes, might contribute to the greater fitness seen in his culture than in ours. Fast food is available in the big cities, but doesn't seem to be overdone as it is here. Eating for health promotion and healing is recognized; salt should be avoided in case of illness, and the consumption of celery and ginger is recommended for stomach health and artichokes for the liver. Fatty foods should also be avoided in general, because eating according to the principle “a healthy diet is a healthy lifestyle”. (Espinosa MC). Pregnancy and reproductive practices vary by region and resource availability. Some regions believe that a pregnant or menstruating woman is impure and could be toxic to certain plants, crops or animals (Espinosa MC). Steve noted that women are always the ones caring for children and he remembers Catholic rather than ethnic practices in general, but reports that he wrapped a baby in a cloth and it was swung on top of his head to preserve his health and his bones. Additionally, babies are carried in a tight swaddle and always strapped to the women's backs, as this is a common carrying technique for many things in this culture. Birth control is generally taboo because they practice a Catholic faith that does not support the use of contraceptives. Death rituals are relatively similar to those in American culture. Wearing black to a funeral is common, while crying or other expressions of emotion are normal mourning practices and are often.