Culture Practices
Spirituality and Disease
"Voodoo"
(Leica, 2018)
The article, "Haitian Health Care Beliefs and Voodoo" (2020), reports that voodoo is a folk religion that is widespread in Haiti and is practiced by the majority of Haitians, including those who classify as Christians. Haitians believe the Gods of Voodoo, called “Loas” are responsible for many aspects of health, especially mental health, and this belief may contribute to passivity about health decisions. It is one of the most popular religions that believes in the worship and possession of spirits and has a profound impact on healthcare in Haiti. Hence, it is not only a religion, but also a health care system that includes disease prevention, health and well-being promotion. Health is perceived as being in harmony with the spirits, the environment and with others. Voodoo gods were, and continue to be, perceived as powerful and protective. People who practice voodoo believe that everything, good or bad, happens at the whim of spirits. Illnesses are thought to have either natural or supernatural causes; for example, if the spirits are angry with you they can make you sick. Treatment practices and rituals are designed to appease the spirits and restore harmony. Remedies used in Voodoo generally originate from plants, Voodoo priests often have a widespread knowledge of herbal remedies. A number of Haitians seek help from Voodoo practitioners because they charge less than doctors do.
In conclusion, many Haitians primarily seek assistance from voodoo practitioners along with herbal cures to manage illnesses and only seek help from a physician if it persist. Therefore, this behavior often negatively impacts their chance of healing and recovery.
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Reproduction
HOM (2020) notes that Haitians do not seek prenatal care since it is not perceived as an illness. Furthermore, they have the belief that pregnant women should eat large portions and favor "red" foods in order to increase the baby's blood. Generally, women in Haiti deliver without anesthesia and mothers do not remain in bed long after childbirth, which many times occurs at home without skilled birth attendants. This practice increases the risk to the mother and new-born ultimately contributing to the high maternal infant mortality in Haiti. Moreover, many Haitians do not accept the use of birth control because they consider children to be a blessing. In relation, the idea of abortion is also considered a taboo and is frowned upon. Even men do not see the significance of preventing conception and they also believe that condoms reduce sexual pressure. Lastly, Haitians are reported to be very sensitive and suspicious of discussions about STIs and HIV because, in 1982, Haiti was the first developing country blamed for the origin of AIDS. Hence, Haitians still endure the label "AIDS carriers" even to this day.
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(Francois, 2012)
Diagnosis Expectation
According to the article, "Background on Haiti & Haitian Health Culture" (2015), one thing to remember about the attitude of Haitians if ever they decide to be treated professionally is that they expect the physicians to automatically diagnose their illness without any information. They are used to traditional healers figuring out the cause of the problem after providing some brief details. When asked about their health, they may give great detail about surrounding environment, time of day and even what they were wearing, as these are important information when diagnosing supernatural illnesses. The ability of the physician to analyze and explain the cause of the symptom or illness will determine whether the patient will return for a visit and follow the care plan.