Hi Victor, I need to deliver culturally appropriate care to a thirty year old newly arrived immigrant from the Phillipines who is exhibiting signs of postnatal depression including psychosis. She has no formal social network other than her new husband. I am looking into a translator service and Local philipino community for help at this stage. Your help will be very much appreciated.

-- Kelera Tuqiri (kelera_tuqiri@health.qld.gov.au), October 24, 2004

Answers

Hi Kelera, It appears you are on the right track; the need for communication is a priority. After communication is established, the next step would be the cultural assessment. The point here is trying to understand the rules, routines, and responsibilities that structure the patient's life within their society and between the present society. It is the traditions, customs, taboos, and the deep-rooted beliefs of a culture, that can challenge a nurse in doing what he or she wants to do to help the patient. The nurse must recognize the appropriate behaviors and those that deviate from norm and evaluate relativism. This can mean the difference between normal or culturally acceptable behavior and a pathological behavior. In addition to understanding the cultural differences, nurses need to know more about the experience of immigration, to work effectively with culturally diverse populations. For migration consists not only of a geographical transition, but also of a psycho-social transition that often results in what is commonly referred to as "cultural bereavement", that is grief not only for the country and family left behind, but also for the culture or subculture into which one is born. The following sites can help you find more information and resources

Ruth DeSouza - Culture and health childbirth education for Filipinos in Australia Cultural Profiles Project Multicultural Mental Health Australia Mom's World - The Philippines' First Web Site for Mothers Victor

-- victor m. fernandez (postmaster@culturediversity.org), October 31, 2004.