Introduction
America has always been a country of “immigrants,” Consequently, the country has been more challenging (Harris et al., 2021). Most immigrants and refugees come to the United States looking for individual liberty, a better quality of life, or a way out of their native countries’ poverty. Some immigrants attempt to avoid accusations or persecution for belonging to a particular political or religious organization. Driving across the city, one is likely to see several neighborhoods that accept and incorporate elements of culture from different nations, resulting in a diversified population. It is essential to comprehend the root causes of inequalities in health outcomes to design a successful intervention to reduce disparities and enhance inclusive community well-being. Demographic, economic, and sociological elements that influence health, such as unsanitary living circumstances, disproportionately negatively affect Hispanics. The survivors of the Lost Boys of Sudan developed a camaraderie that transcends all racial and religious differences. These organizations are standard in every state. New Mexico, Texas, and California have the most significant populations of Hispanic and Latino citizens. New Mexico has the highest percentage of Hispanics (48%), accounting for 42% of the state’s population. Texas, which has a 39% Hispanic population, has 29%, Latino people. In California, where there are 38% Hispanics and 34% Latinos, the population is mainly Hispanic (Daryanto et al., 2019). These are the top three states in the US for Latino and Hispanic population density. So, this article examines the health issues facing these two ethnic groups and the health of the Lost Boys of Sudan.
Part 1
Health-related Problems
The most frequent illnesses among Hispanics and Latinos are chronic illnesses like type 2 diabetes (De Costa et al., 2019). Nonetheless, Latinos are more prone to acquire type 2 diabetes compared to Hispanics. In terms of type two diabetes, Hispanics have a rate that is 44% lower than Latinos. Diabetes further aggravates mental health issues. In both racial groups, two out of every five diabetes patients develop sadness. Hispanics undergo more counseling for anxiety, depression, and behavioral problems than Latinos. When comparing the insurance rates between the two racial groups, Latinos are three times more likely than Hispanics to be without insurance (Buse et al., 2020). The three primary health problems Hispanics experience are teen pregnancy, obesity, and cigarette addiction. In addition, data indicate that cancer, hypertension, and heart disease are the significant fatalities of the Hispanic population. Contrarily, the leading causes of death among Hispanics are heart disease and accidents.
Socioeconomic Factors
Hispanics are more adversely affected by social, economic, and status-related variables than other groups regarding socioeconomic determinants of health (Jenkings et al., 2022). Social support networks, employment, macroeconomics, cultural values, educational attainment, and income levels are a few of these variables. The social and economic statuses of Hispanics and factors related to their work, cultural origins, and undocumented status for those born abroad influence them (Jenkings et al., 2022). Latina females are among the population characteristics most affected by social and health difficulties, with a 20 times lower rate of high school completion and a three times higher likelihood of living in poverty than Hispanics. Since they are less prone to be acquainted with the fresh medical system, immigrants and persons born abroad may find settling down and making a home in this new country challenging.
Cultural differences
Hispanics and Latinos each have distinctive and varying cultures. These two ethnic groups’ cultural roots influence their religious and cultural views on health, sickness, and treatment (Jenkings et al., 2022). As a result, most have beliefs different from those of traditional medicine regarding the origins of illnesses and their remedies. Nurses must become aware of these assumptions and cultural variances to avoid prejudices. To prevent conflicts brought on by miscommunication, nurses must also evaluate their patients’ religious and cultural views before treatment. The language barrier might make it more challenging to communicate with Hispanic patients who don’t speak English (Jenkings et al., 2022). As a result, it could be difficult for healthcare providers and patients to agree on implementing management and therapy strategies.
Cultural Diversity
Hispanics are particularly impacted by cultural variations in terms of access to healthcare. Because fewer Hispanics know English, it is far more difficult for them to receive high-quality healthcare (Jenkings et al., 2022). According to research, Hispanic women exhibit low confidence levels while scheduling and attending medical visits since they have a poor comprehension of the terminology and ideas used in medicine due to language barriers. The difficulty of adjusting to the many cultural norms in the US is another aspect that makes Hispanics vulnerable. Most Hispanics reportedly exhibit the anti-immigrant environment’s related dread, which is always political (Teuteberg et al., 2020). Low socioeconomic level, which follows high poverty rates in this demographic, impacts Hispanics’ health. High poverty rates are associated with limited access to high-quality healthcare since Latino and Hispanic residents below the federal income threshold lack insurance.
Part 2
Health Challenges a Nurse May Encounter
A Lost Boys of South Sudan nurse may deal with various health issues, including infectious and non-communicable illnesses (Mayor et al., 2019). Infectious infections are the most significant challenge since they may swiftly spread across congested refugee camps. Because of the pervasive inadequate sanitary conditions, contagious illnesses like cholera epidemics can readily infect the populace. The high number of campers who might need to be made aware of the required health precautions to take in the case of an epidemic makes it difficult to limit the spread of such an ailment. Moreover, infectious illnesses like TB are common in this refugee camp, making it difficult for the nurses to provide adequate treatment. Additionally, a shortage of medical equipment might make it difficult for nurses to conduct screening. Controlling the severity and effects of the illness can be tricky in this situation.
Non-communicable illnesses are widespread in the camp setting and are linked to various psychological difficulties, dietary deficiencies, and reproductive health issues. Diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular conditions, and gastrointestinal issues are just a few of these illnesses. However, nutritional issues are prevalent among youngsters due to poor nutrition and a lack of different minerals and nutrients from the food available in the refugee camp. Nurses may encounter other difficulties, including unintentional wounds, burns, hypothermia, drug and substance misuse, and addiction, including alcohol. Obstetric and delivery-related problems are common problems that nurses encounter in this setting. Regarding childbirth, caring for the baby, and issues with child health, female refugees encounter various maternal obstacles. Due to inadequate quality treatment, difficulties during delivery might endanger the lives of both the mother and the newborn.
Cultural Considerations
There are several cultural variables that nurses should take into account while working with patients who are refugees (Mayor et al., 2019). Secondly, nurses and refugees have distinct views and perspectives about health and illnesses. Cultural origins, customs, and religious beliefs frequently affect how we see the causes and approach to treating specific diseases. As individuals from different cultures live in refugee camps, these distinctions are diverse (Mayor et al., 2019). Because the disease causes and treatment methods vary from person to person, nurses must be aware of the context in which patients view these issues. Hence, nurses should exhibit intercultural competency to enable them to comprehend and value the various perspectives of their patients and actively include them in identifying the best course of action and cause of therapy for each patient.
The language barrier is another crucial cultural factor for nurses in this group. A population of several different linguistic groups is called a refugee camp. The nursing staff should be diversified to accommodate the diversity of the refugee camp, even though medical procedures may only be written to suit some languages. The difficulty in this scenario is compounded by the fact that the migrants come from a location with excellent healthcare and high standards. As a result, the immigrants insisted that nursing professionals adopt this cultural tendency. The migrants’ struggles adjusting to the new healthcare system is another prevalent issue at the camp. If they caught infectious illnesses, they also dreaded stigmatization. This calls on the nurses caring for this demographic to educate their patient population on how the healthcare system functions rather than how their native country is run. This would alleviate their concerns about stigmatization and inform them of the circumstances and circumstances around the operation of the new healthcare system.
Role of Nurses in Providing Resources
Nurses are crucial in providing resources for the refugee population while caring for cases like the Lost Boys of Sudan. Nursing professionals are needed for emergency medical treatment, which mainly affects refugees, to guarantee that quick responses are available to manage situations. Additionally, this population’s general health depends on having access to medical necessities like supplies and medications. Nurses must evaluate the people’s social and health risk factors to develop an appropriate intervention strategy. This will improve the ability of the nurses to offer the population of refugees necessary services, medical supplies, screening services, and medication that promotes their overall and ideal health. For the refugees to adapt to the system, nurses should also offer materials that promote understanding of the new healthcare system.
Nurses play a crucial role in ensuring that the immigrant population can comprehend medical concepts related to health and sickness. The nurses and refugees are both greatly hampered by the language barrier. Yet, nurses must ensure that this population is interculturally competent so that nurses and refugees can communicate well with one another. This may be accomplished by having nurse staff who can communicate with the refugees in their language. Due to their inability to speak well, refugees may otherwise feel stigmatized; therefore, this improves diversity and inclusion in health care to meet their needs. As a result, nurses play a crucial role in fostering a favorable atmosphere by offering the refugee population the necessary resources and possibilities.
Conclusion
It has been demonstrated that racial minorities are more susceptible to particular risk variables and, consequently, are more prone to contracting several diseases. Moreover, several socioeconomic health variables significantly impact access to healthcare. Yet, the leading health issues that refugees and people of other ethnic groups must deal with are socioeconomic position and cultural differences. To overcome difficulties like language limitations and varying views and attitudes about health, illnesses, and treatment, nurses need intercultural competency due to cultural variations emerging from a comprehensive background of patients.
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