Ethno-medical beliefs and practices of Mexican-Americans

Family nurse practitioners working with Mexican-Americans are acutely aware that some of their clients are skeptical of typical Western medical techniques. Examination of their health-care seeking behavior shows that they will seek professional medical care when their self-treatment and folk-healing practices have not been successful. FNPs working in a primary care setting need to have a working knowledge and understanding of these beliefs which are deeply rooted in tradition. Only then can the FNP and other health care practitioners render care that is culturally sensitive and acceptable to the client. This article examines some of the more common afflictions in the Mexican-American culture (and their causative factors) in an effort to broaden health care providers' perspective of cultural differences in health and illness.