Cultural Literature Rewiew About Hispanic Culture Essay

Cultural Literature Review
Anastasia Kovalaske
Olivet Nazarene University
Transcultural Nursing
BSN 153 NRSG 342
Theresa Colmenares
February 17th, 2012

Cultural Literature Review
The health of the nation is determined by the health of its citizens. The Unites States is a “melting pot” of different cultures, ethnicities, and races. Eliminating racial and ethnic disparities in health among population groups is a central goal of Healthy People 2010. Hispanics are the fastest-growing minority group in the United States. In 2010, the total U.S. Hispanic population was 16 percent of the total U.S. population. By the year 2050 that number is expected to rise to 30.2 percent of the total U.S. population (U.S. Census Bureau, 2008). Even though the U.S. population continues to grow in diversity; nurses remained a homogenous group. According to Maier-Lorentz (2008), “Approximately 90% of all Registered Nurses are Caucasian. Although Hispanics have become the majority minority in the U.S., it is estimated that there are only 2 % Hispanic Registered Nurses in the nursing profession (Minority Nursing Statistics, 2005)” (p.37). That is why it is a major challenge for the health care professionals to provide culturally-competent care to diverse populations founded on reliable, research-based knowledge.
The person’s culture, which includes health beliefs, health practices, and cultural norms, plays an important role on perceptions about health and illness, which in turn influences health-related behaviors, and, ultimately, a person’s health status. Currently there are a number of qualitative, meta-synthesis, and case studies from various disciplines that focus on how the Hispanic culture affects Hispanic’s health-related behaviors.   The intention of this paper is to review three qualitative studies, one case study and one theoretical article in order to assist health care professionals, particularly nurses, in providing additional insights about Hispanic culture to...